As a project manager in the tech industry, hosting retrospectives is a biweekly occurrence. Why not apply my boring job skills to something a bit more interesting?
Faye smiling big at the Seguin Mail Run.
What Went Well?
So much snow: We had enough snow for sled runs from December through March—definitely the longest sled season we’ve had since moving out here. And despite even more snow than last season, we managed to stay on top of our home trail with regular snowmobile runs and even on-foot trail breaking.
Trucking (Van-ing?) to train: The few times our home trail was buried, we drove over to the local state forest to train. Once we got the process down, we began training there pretty often to work on speed and increase distance. Sheridan was our snowmobile escort, which gave me a lot more confidence running the team on a (sometimes) busy, multi-use trail.
We ran more!: I don’t have the exact numbers off hand, but we ran with a lot more consistency this season. We even ran down in the pine barrens over Christmas break.
We met our mileage goals: We tend to hit a wall at around six or seven miles. This year, we managed to get past that wall, and the additional miles came a lot easier after that. The dogs had a strong finish at the 12.5 mile Seguin Mail Run.
Sheridan the super-handler: I mentioned his help above, but it’s worth repeating. Sheridan sacrifices his sleep, free time, and PTO to help get us on the trail and to the start chute. Not to mention adjusting his entire life to live out here with us. We’re so lucky to have him. I am not used to having help, but with Sheridan’s support, reaching longer distance goals finally feels within reach.
Kuiper found his groove: When this season started out, I was a little worried about Kuiper. He didn’t appear overly enthusiastic in harness, which I’m not used to, especially in a yearling. I think it was mostly due to boredom on our home trail, because he ran much better at events. The longer we ran, the smoother he looked. Maybe he’s just a distance boy at heart?
Laika stepped up: I don’t typically run Laika at events with a lot of spectators. She’s a very shy dog and strangers can be very stressful for her. However, with Blitz injured and Hubble becoming more unpredictable with passing, I had to tap Laika in for our Seguin team. She handled the start and finish crowds beautifully.
Kuiper hitting a soft spot on the trail.
What Didn’t Go Well?
Injuries: We started off with some sore paws after training in the sandy Pine Barrens. Then, right before our snow races, Blitz got tangled in the gangline which lead to a foot injury for him and a few bite marks for Hubble. Hubble bounced back after a week, but Blitz missed out on our winter race season.
Hubble the shark: Despite leap frog training and years of race socialization, Hubble only seems to be getting more sharky as he ages. He’ll likely be off the race team next season, though he’ll still train with the team.
Nothing new: I always try to hit a new event each season. While seeing the entirety of the Seguin trail was new (we only did eight miles of it last time), the rest of our events were repeats. Next season, we need to see new trails!
Broken gear: I did a number on my Prairie Bilt sled this season. A severely bent drag mat was annoying to deal with in training. Even worse, it broke during our Tug Hill race, and temporarily blocked my bar brake. This lead to a messy pass and tangle with a friend’s team. The drag has since been fixed (enough) and will be replaced this off season.
Improvements
More miles: I already have a training regimen written and trails mapped for some longer runs next season. I have finally accepted that, while our home trail is wonderful and convenient, it’s not ideal for building miles or focusing on speed.
New races: We’ve got our sights set on the CopperDog 15 next season. I’m hoping we’ll see some other new race trails as well, but the Upper Peninsula of Michigan has been calling for years now. Time to go after it!
