Sunday, December 15, 2013

Santa Mile Recap

Because I have participated in a few races with the company that normally provides the timing chips [Gemini Timing], I receive emails every once in a while about upcoming races in the area. I got an email a couple weeks ago about the SANTA MILE.

I thought to myself, "I can definitely do another race! And I'm sure I can talk Ryan into adding another race on our calendar, as long as it is only a mile. And a $15 registration is CHEAP!"

So I clicked through the email and saw they had a wave for.... wait for it.... FOR PEOPLE AND THEIR PETS! Well, shoot doggy, SIGN ME (and Walt the Wiener Dog) UP!

Ryan wanted to do the Speedy Santa wave (for competitive timed 'santas'). Walt and I signed up for the Santa's Little Helper wave (they even said the dog's would get their name's listed on the results - how cool is that?!).


We stopped at a friend's soccer game on the way down (THEY WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP BY THE WAY - WAY TO GO BROCKALISHUS) and then had to pick up our bibs before heading to the starting line.

Instead of finisher medals, we got SANTA HATS!



Before I get into OUR races, I have to post a couple pictures from the Santa's Sled wave! THEY WERE ON ELLIPTIGOS! HOW STINKIN' FUN!





I was slightly worried that Walt would be too interested in the other dogs to want to actually run, but thankfully the race organizers thought of that and were letting waves of 10 or so dogs go (preventing leashes from getting tangled and people falling down). Walt and I got up in the first wave and took off to the song "Who let the dogs out".

Walt and I are on the left hand side of the picture in the front row


He had a hard time pacing himself... Just wanted to sprint right out of the gate... 


I was pretty impressed with how well Walt did. He only barked a couple times and I think it was because he would have rather been playing than running. The course was an out and back (you run a half mile, then turn around and run back), so when the first couple people started coming back he wanted to just cross the cones and start chasing them from there (what a cheater), but I was able to wrangle him in. He definitely started slowing down around the .5-.75 mile mark, but he ran the whole thing!

Walt coming up on a husky



His tongue was almost on the ground :)

He came in TENTH overall! And he had some of the shortest legs out there! We ended up getting 2nd in my age group and finished with an 8:31.5 mile! NOT TOO SHABBY FOR WALT'S FIRST OFFICIAL RACE!!


Four Paw Treatment :)



Then it was time to watch Ryan race. Walt wanted to run with him, but thankfully he was a little pooped out so it didn't take much to get him to just sit and watch.





Ryan was really cruising! I am so glad he did the competitive heat by himself and didn't have me slowing him down :) [hey, I might be able to beat him in long distances, but he definitely has me in short... I think it might have to do with his legs being a FOOT longer than mine ;)].






He ended up finishing 12th in his age group, 53rd overall, and a mile time of 7:04.8.


And on the way to the car we even had a couple photo ops... LIKE A MAN DRESSED AS SANTA JUST WALKING THE STREETS!



I think I was saying 'Thanks' not sticking my tongue out at him... 

Maybe we need to get Walt some running shoes of his own :)


1 comment:

Danielle said...

I totally love this! I'd love to be able to do something like this with Madison but she doesn't do very well with big dogs so she'd probably freak out!