Last week at Oakland, we arrived early, walked around to stimulate the digestive tract, "did our business", and raced. This week we followed the same plan, but there was a hitch - someone didn't complete their job. As we shall see.
We lined up at the start, Nicky and I at the extreme left end of the front row of the starting line, having judged the shortest line of the course. No other dog lined up within three feet of us in any direction! Word must have travelled from Oakland, or perhaps they were just slightly intimidated by the sight of the wildly spinning (clockwise) dog in the front row.
Our plan worked to perfection! The other dogs were completely distracted, and when the starter said "Go" we were off and in the lead for the first 30 yards. Then reality set in and first a big Doberman, and then another big dog whipped by. The course is a convoluted mess around the grounds of Los Gatos High School: start on the front lawn, around the main building, past the pool, through a parking lot, around the baseball field, past the track, around the softball field, around the field hockey field, and back again (no, all California high schools aren't configured like this, but yes, this is a public high school we're talking about here).
By the time we reach the baseball field (where we have to thread our way between two cars parking on the course, then through sprinklers which are spraying water!), we're in fifth. Then in quick succession two dogs break ranks, the first to piddle, the second to poop, and we're back in third! As we round the far turn and begin heading back, the adrenalin is pumping and the juices are flowing.
Alas, something else is moving too! All of a sudden, Nicky has stopped rather abruptly to do his business. The pooping itself would have only taken 10 seconds, but there's a hitch. As he stopped, and I kept pulling the leash, his harness has come off! Disaster! Putting on a dog harness is no simple matter under normal circumstances; when your HR is 180, your dog is excited, the harness is inside out, and there's a leash attached to it, it's impossible! Twice I tried and failed. The third time (HR down to 160 now), I thought I had succeeded, and we started running. Looking down, I realized I had the harness on upside down, and the point where the leash was attached was not on his back, but between his front legs. Have to live with it! On we go!
We must have wasted nearly a minute, but, amazingly, only two dogs have passed us in that time, so we're back in fifth. Sixth is hot on our heels, so we set out for all we're worth. Fourth is visible, but our chances of catching him are slim. But in a dog run, you never know what will happen! We push up the final hill, hoping he'll fade, or stop to piddle, but it doesn't happen, and pouring it on down the final downhill we cross the line in fifth, but first in the 10'-20' dog/male running partner category, good for a 20-lb bag of dog food and bragging rights.
After the race, several people tell me how entertained they were by Nicky's behavior at the starting line. "Just warming up," I tell them. The race organizer comments on how fast Nicky is for a small dog. If only he had a faster partner! Or one who was more coordinated, and could put a harness back on!
Well, that's it for race victories for the year. No more dog runs for quite a while. Back to the middle of the pack for me!
Steve "Proud father of Nicky, the Flying Welshman" Patt
from beautiful, sunny (but windy) Cupertino, California
OBN: After the race, went for a 25-mile bike ride on Highway 85, due to open to cars in three days. Just me, Debi, and 10,000 other people! Man, what a zoo! Predictions are that there will be gridlock on the new Highway starting on the day it is opened. It is also expected this is the last freeway that will be built in California.
ODSN: Dave Scott took second at the Ironman! There is life after 40!