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Event: Holme Lacy (6 May 2006) The
first event of the 2006/07 season is on the 24 Sep 2006 at Hop Farm Country
Park, Kent, for details CLICK
HERE A walk in the park - NOT! All good things come to an end and what an end to the 2005/06 Cani-Cross UK season. The weather played the game especially as May can be changeable and sometimes a bit warm for running with dogs. With this in mind we had two routes planned. First choice used Brick Kiln Wood, the other option being Sam's Patch (an open field) if rain in the preceding week made the forest too wet. A shortened version was also on the cards if temperatures rose too high. With some concerns about the sun showing it's face on the morning of the race, cloud cover just before the start provided us with near perfect conditions for the rest of the day - Brick Kiln Wood here we come!
The start and finish lines were in a field with the stunning Holme Lacy Court Hotel as a backdrop allowing spectators to have a panoramic view of runners starting and finishing while sitting on picnic blankets. The start took you around a pond - well used (post race) to refresh the dogs - and skirted a ploughed field. A comfortable straight followed before a climb passing the lambing sheds. The odd escapee provided a brief distraction but as soon as a runner appeared any stray was quick to leap back through the bars to find their mum. The course then dropped into the Brick Kiln Wood for 2km of tricky terrain, boggy in patches and very technical in parts. After 2km in the forest, concentrating on feet both 2 legged and 4 (not that the 4 were bothered, they were having a fantastic time!) the forest was left behind and the real climb began through beautiful parkland (yes, really, for those that looked up). Heavy breathing and burning muscles didn't deter and the 4 legs kicked in giving the runners a helping hand. On reaching the top, a level section brought you to a short lake side run before the main farm track led you down past the hotel, with the finish line tantalizingly close. A lap of the field in front of the hotel was just what was needed before you crossed the finish line with head held high at completing such a demanding course.
A challenge of undulating highs and lows leaving the runners with a great sense of achievement and the dogs dirty and happy in their element. The mud, tracked fields, stingers and a dip in the pond all formed part of a great day out with our running chums. As always, marshals had front row seats watching runners one minute upright, the next upside down or digging shoes out of the mud, while the dogs waited patiently as mum or dad sorted themselves out! The marshal point at the top of 'the hill', saw many of the dogs sharing their water for their 2 legged team mate who by that stage was more in need - and to think before the race it was the dogs we were concerned about! Well done to those who mustered together the three teams who ran for charities on the day. £75 was raised for the Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre. £45 also went to the Pershore Agricultural College Student Bereavement Fund. Photographs of the day Confirmed dates for next
seasons events are: A mid summer cani-splosh is in the pipeline - if you haven't already done so join the email list to receive updates or check the website regularly. Well done everyone and have a great summer, keep the dogs cool but not slothful on the sofa - a fat dog is not a healthy dog! Eileen Photo gallery |
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