Run Faster!

I remember watching the video playback of my first agility trial.

During those 30 seconds in the ring, it had felt like everything was moving very fast. So I was surprised to see myself on the video, meandering around the course like I had all day.

I seemed especially sluggish compared to the other handlers with more experience, who were running, stooping, spinning, turning, stopping, and waving, all while flawlessly directing their dogs around difficult and elaborate course designs.

On the video I watched my dog fly across the dogwalk and then stop correctly in the contact zone. She stood waiting for me to catch up, looking back over her shoulder, and I could tell she was thinking, "Come on! Where is she?!"

"What am I doing? Why am I just standing there?" I wondered. A friend who was mentoring me during this first trial said helpfully, "You need to run a little faster."

My husband likened this suggestion to a piano teacher advising his student to "Play better."

Before I got involved (as more than a spectator) I considered dog agility to be one of those OSQ*, "almost a sport" activities. I was wrong.

This video shows how physically fit the handler has to be, especially at the higher levels of the sport. It's hard, but try to keep your eye on the handler, rather than the dog:



Since I'd never participated in sports, my first few times running a full agility course with my dog ended painfully. After several muscle strains and pulls, I learned. Now I complete an elaborate system of stretches and warm-ups before agility course runs. And to help condition myself for the trial ring, I started running.

Sort of.

Distance, for me, is measured in houses, not miles. At first I could only run about one house width, but I've worked up to about 10 houses (almost a whole city block) around my neighborhood. And I've been happy with my progress, and with the lack of injuries.

I can actually run through the courses now, and can stay up with Elliot well enough to qualify with several 1st place ribbons.

We've been practicing mostly on our own for the past 6 months, but last week we joined a class taught by a trainer who came highly recommended. It was great. The instructor was helpful and positive, really knew her stuff and offered valuable suggestions. It was a small-ish class and everyone was friendly.

It's out in the boonies, about an hour from my house. I was enjoying the class, being outside, and even the grass surface, so different from the hard packed dirt of the indoor arenas or the flying dirt of my own backyard. And I was pleased with the fact that Elliot was doing well, especially in an unfamiliar place with new dogs, sights and smells.

(She was really interested in several holes she found around the yard; we were told there were rabbits.)

Through it all, she was focused and happy, following my directions almost perfectly; we were operating as a team. All the things I love about agility.

The instructor watched each student/dog team run through the course and then offered feedback. I had to laugh when it was our turn and her advice to me was: "You need to run faster."

One of the men at the class said he used to tell his wife the same thing: "You're slowing the dog down; run faster!" Then, he ran the dog through the course and was surprised it's so much harder than it looks.

Note to self: Run faster.


* Obscure Sports Quarterly (see Dodgeball)

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