# Team Clown's Race Reports.



## SLB

For this season of Canicross and scooter I thought I'd post a thread with links to races, reports on the venues (in case any of you get to race in the future) and basically how well we did.

Today kicked off our first race of the season, for us anyway.

Carnfield Hall
Carnfield Hydrotherapy Open day.
Distance: 4.5km
Canicross.

Today I ran with Pennie. We got there, warmed up and got into position behind our friends (who signed me up to the race - I only wanted to go and take photos!) As we were getting closer to the start line, Pen's harness broke. Luckily, her and Sol are in the same size harness so I gave her to my OH to hold, let the run director know and got his out of the car. Managed to slot in where someone hadn't turned up and off we went.

The course took us along a field, round a post and back on ourselves, only with a hedge separating us from those still getting ready to run. It then followed this field around, into a wooded area. Now, they did say the dogs would love this, and Pen did.. She did mention cambers, but seriously! I had to grab hold of a tree to stop myself falling into a pond. If the sun wasn't strong, it wouldn't have been bad but it was a little bit of a surprise! After that it was a narrow camber filled and fun section through the woods, then out onto a field, round the field then back up to near the starting gate and another right into another field.. and then it was just all field.

I went over slightly on an ankle due to the boggy mud so we walked a bit there, then up a hill into another field, downhill, round the perimeter and just when I thought I was done, I was asked if I'd only done 1 lap, I said no, I had to go again *note to self, listen at the briefing* I only had to do the field section again, no wooded bit. Towards the end of the last field, Pen picked up a thorn in her pad, so I had to stop and take it out. She recovered quickly. At this point, my OH had decided to come out and see if we were alright. He'd been worried we'd taken a bit longer than he anticipated. (I've not ran in months!) So he ran in front of us for the last bit to pace me out and egg Pen on.

One of our friends took Louie out to run with. His OH was running with their dog and until they have a 2nd, they're borrowing Team Clown members. Louie apparently ran like a dream, though I did warn him that he would slow down if he had no one to chase and he'd likely need the toilet at some point. He didn't toilet on the course!

I came in 4th; 27:05
My friend running her dog 3rd: 23:44
My friend with Louie: 19:05 (1st)

We're doing something a little different for our next race. It's not really a race, it's an obstacle course, aimed at canicrossers!

It felt good to get out and see familiar faces, we've not seen some of them all summer due to not racing and not training due to it being too hot.


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## 2Hounds

Well done! Shame about the thorn but good placing considering. I think i spoke to your friend had she only started running recently?
The woods are a bit challenging in places i tried walking my dog round there a while ago and the flatter road bits get churned by 4x4s. Least the animals stayed enclosed, heard the llama escaped once & was roaming round woods.


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## SLB

2Hounds said:


> Well done! Shame about the thorn but good placing considering. I think i spoke to your friend had she only started running recently?
> The woods are a bit challenging in places i tried walking my dog round there a while ago and the flatter road bits get churned by 4x4s. Least the animals stayed enclosed, heard the llama escaped once & was roaming round woods.


And of course, it was lovely to see you again and see the hydro centre!


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## SLB

Today was our 2nd race of the season, Canicross again.

Canicross Midlands
Hicks Lodge Charity Dash
Distance: 5km

After worrying all week that I'd not be able to compete in this, I suckered up and made peace with a potentially painful week next week. I've been experiencing terrible pain in my legs. And last night at work I had back twinges after twisting rather awkwardly holding a heavy thing. This morning, I lathered them in Volturol, put my muscle supports on and had a protein shake. 

Pen refused to get out of bed. I had to try and get her out the room and the boys in the bedroom so I could get out the door without multiple escapees - this is what happens when they get to know your running kit! Finally managed it. 

A friend was picking me up as I thought, there's no point in me driving if we're going to the same place. Only after her OH filled the van up, it refused to start. We were sat at the garage for about 10 minutes, frantically trying to text people to let the organisers know we were going to be late due to van trouble. Then it finally decided to start up. We missed the race brief though. 

Got dogs out, got toileted. Got numbers, got ready to run. Pen was super keen on the start line. For such a little dog she doesn't half scream like a banshee! 

The course was mainly flat with tiny up hills but a fair lot of downhills too. A mix of grass tracks - which were sodden and bike trails - Pen wasn't keen on the trail parts though. 

She was fab for me today. We're both getting better. As I start to slow down, Pen will but if I stop to walk, she won't let me have too long and due to always wanting that pull, the moment she wants to go - I have to abide it. As a result, I'm walking less and jogging those bits I cannot run properly, which gives us both time to catch our breaths a little. 
The only criticism I have of her today is her lack of race. Pen... just because you're bored of chasing the dog infront, does not mean you can let another dog overtake so you can chase that one. That's not how it works pup. 

We did the course in a time of 25:07 which taking into consideration everything today - that wasn't bad. We finished 6th out of 14th. 

Everyone got a medal for finishing today which was nice. AND it glows in the dark!


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## SLB




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## Fleur

Well done on today 
Pen makes me smile - waiting for a dog to chase


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## MiffyMoo

Well done!


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## SLB

She's a bloomin' nightmare Fleur! She'll happily run alongside another dog for a while, speed up, slow down, wait for them to pass then think - Oh no you don't! But then it repeats! And then if a new dog passes us - nope! Can't have that - and it continues with that dog. She's brilliant for passing practice as she has no issue just running beside anyone.


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## Geolgrad

Sounds like Pen had a fun time


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## SLB

Aww someone on FB said that Pen helped, I got this lovely comment on my "Thank you" post. 

"Well she was giving Judo confidence which is great, he's rather scared after a few bad experiences being overtaken now but with Pen he was perfectly happy, so you helped us today"


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## SLB

Just a couple of photos from yesterdays race. I have yet to receive the one from the official photographer for the event though.

I was meant to be a witch but the hat headband that I had broke on the way there and the hat bit kept falling around and then Pen wouldn't wear bat wings and it seemed wrong to dress her as a cat.


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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> View attachment 287892
> 
> 
> View attachment 287893
> 
> 
> Just a couple of photos from yesterdays race. I have yet to receive the one from the official photographer for the event though.
> 
> I was meant to be a witch but the hat headband that I had broke on the way there and the hat bit kept falling around and then Pen wouldn't wear bat wings and it seemed wrong to dress her as a cat.


She's loving every minute of it!


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## SLB

The official photographers photo. I was rather naughty with this one mind. This was took shortly after I'd passed my friend with the husky behind.. I'd waved at her as I passed, then flipped her the birdie as I carried on - we have that kind of relationship! Haha. So I'm guessing all the other potential photos were not for the public eyes with this one.


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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> The official photographers photo. I was rather naughty with this one mind. This was took shortly after I'd passed my friend with the husky behind.. I'd waved at her as I passed, then flipped her the birdie as I carried on - we have that kind of relationship! Haha. So I'm guessing all the other potential photos were not for the public eyes with this one.


That's an awesome shot!


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## BlueJay

Here's my race photo, obstacle practice x x x


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## MiffyMoo

BlueJay said:


> Here's my race photo, obstacle practice x x x


Aargh, I hate slugs!!


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## SLB

Saturday 29th October.

Zeus Races - Dogstacle North
Ashby De La Zouch
Canicross; NFC (not for competition)

So yesterday, @BlueJay and I went to a newly formed Canicross run, with a difference. Zeus races often run Obstacle Course Runs (OCR) for people who are crazy. Brutal (a different Running company) were told they weren't allowed to run dogs anymore so it left a lot of people with a void. They had trail runs with a difference; deep trenches, hills and lots of mud. So Zeus decided to allow dogs. Only they needed to make it so there was a run purely for Canicrossers - thus; Dogstacle!

We arrived stupidly early; I thought it was an hour away - it wasn't. but this gave us time to toilet Sol and Gwen. We said hello to a few faces we knew and then collected our numbers. Before the race we took the dogs to the communal type area; where the stalls, food bar, beer bus (yes!!) and everything else. I'd already put a disclaimer on the facebook page about Sol and can people ignore him. He made me out to be a massive liar! He wasn't keen on a lot of people but took it all in his stride, ignored them and even let some people touch him. However, he let one guy give him a massive fuss and got lots of bum scritches from him. Gwen said no to everyone. I was warming him up at one point, he likes to chase me whilst I'm running backwards and jumps at me. Probably not the best warm up but at this point he was getting bored and I needed to get him focused on me. I did a quick one with him and the event photographer asked me if I could get him to do it again so he could get some shots. 

Anyway - the run. 
It started off on a wide track, downhill, then a sharp right where we zig zagged up and down a hill. This really tested Sol's command work and also his tape reading. A few events use tape to mark out a course, this one needed a lot of it. He got a few bits wrong but easy to get back on track. Then we went into a zig zag wooded section and up a gloopy clay like mud hill. After that horror, we got to a marshal who said we could go round if we wanted. No! Obstacle running - we is doing the obstacles! So we then waded in waist high pond water with an uneven muddy footing. Sol had to swim! He loved it though - he was up for it before I'd even said lets do it! Out we get to go through a mud trench, ankle deep mud. Sol loved it! We then left Bluejay as Sol was getting very impatient. We then did a few more up and overs, tires, blocks, logs, woodchip hills... then there was another water trench, more mud, more technical woods, a very long and windy hill. Bluejay must have cheated somewhere as she popped out at some point just behind me! Haha! And we did the last hill together to the finish line, where we both got medals, as did the dogs.

Everyone was so friendly, people recognised Sol from my post and gave him space, and if I said to give him space, they did. They were fab. Sol enjoyed it. His joy for running through the mud was infectious. His joy for woods running - not so much with the uneven terrain. Haha. His commands at the end were spot on!

Overall; we'll definitely be doing it again at some point. It definitely wasn't a course for those who like to go flat out or novices. And in some places the footing was a little sketchy - however Sol's face at the beginning, throughout and at the end told me it was worth getting my knickers soaked in pond and mud in places, mud shouldn't be.

Photos to come.


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## SLB




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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> Saturday 29th October.
> 
> Zeus Races - Dogstacle North
> Ashby De La Zouch
> Canicross; NFC (not for competition)
> 
> So yesterday, @BlueJay and I went to a newly formed Canicross run, with a difference. Zeus races often run Obstacle Course Runs (OCR) for people who are crazy. Brutal (a different Running company) were told they weren't allowed to run dogs anymore so it left a lot of people with a void. They had trail runs with a difference; deep trenches, hills and lots of mud. So Zeus decided to allow dogs. Only they needed to make it so there was a run purely for Canicrossers - thus; Dogstacle!
> 
> We arrived stupidly early; I thought it was an hour away - it wasn't. but this gave us time to toilet Sol and Gwen. We said hello to a few faces we knew and then collected our numbers. Before the race we took the dogs to the communal type area; where the stalls, food bar, beer bus (yes!!) and everything else. I'd already put a disclaimer on the facebook page about Sol and can people ignore him. He made me out to be a massive liar! He wasn't keen on a lot of people but took it all in his stride, ignored them and even let some people touch him. However, he let one guy give him a massive fuss and got lots of bum scritches from him. Gwen said no to everyone. I was warming him up at one point, he likes to chase me whilst I'm running backwards and jumps at me. Probably not the best warm up but at this point he was getting bored and I needed to get him focused on me. I did a quick one with him and the event photographer asked me if I could get him to do it again so he could get some shots.
> 
> Anyway - the run.
> It started off on a wide track, downhill, then a sharp right where we zig zagged up and down a hill. This really tested Sol's command work and also his tape reading. A few events use tape to mark out a course, this one needed a lot of it. He got a few bits wrong but easy to get back on track. Then we went into a zig zag wooded section and up a gloopy clay like mud hill. After that horror, we got to a marshal who said we could go round if we wanted. No! Obstacle running - we is doing the obstacles! So we then waded in waist high pond water with an uneven muddy footing. Sol had to swim! He loved it though - he was up for it before I'd even said lets do it! Out we get to go through a mud trench, ankle deep mud. Sol loved it! We then left Bluejay as Sol was getting very impatient. We then did a few more up and overs, tires, blocks, logs, woodchip hills... then there was another water trench, more mud, more technical woods, a very long and windy hill. Bluejay must have cheated somewhere as she popped out at some point just behind me! Haha! And we did the last hill together to the finish line, where we both got medals, as did the dogs.
> 
> Everyone was so friendly, people recognised Sol from my post and gave him space, and if I said to give him space, they did. They were fab. Sol enjoyed it. His joy for running through the mud was infectious. His joy for woods running - not so much with the uneven terrain. Haha. His commands at the end were spot on!
> 
> Overall; we'll definitely be doing it again at some point. It definitely wasn't a course for those who like to go flat out or novices. And in some places the footing was a little sketchy - however Sol's face at the beginning, throughout and at the end told me it was worth getting my knickers soaked in pond and mud in places, mud shouldn't be.
> 
> Photos to come.


That sounds like tons of fun! @BlueJay definitely cheated


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## SLB

MiffyMoo said:


> That sounds like tons of fun! @BlueJay definitely cheated


She most definitely did.


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## BlueJay

Almost certainly... Somehow


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## SLB

One of the Solpants. And yes, that is a pond!


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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> View attachment 288878
> 
> 
> One of the Solpants. And yes, that is a pond!


That's a fabulous shot! One for a frame maybe


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## SLB

MiffyMoo said:


> That's a fabulous shot! One for a frame maybe


If I framed all the photos people said "One for a frame" then I'd have no walls Haha! I do have 2 photos I definitely want on canvas though of the dogs running, a friend merged them for me so it looks like I'm scootering beside OH running and all 3 dogs are in it.


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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> If I framed all the photos people said "One for a frame" then I'd have no walls Haha! I do have 2 photos I definitely want on canvas though of the dogs running, a friend merged them for me so it looks like I'm scootering beside OH running and all 3 dogs are in it.


Ooh, post that on here, it sounds great


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## SLB




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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> View attachment 288883


That is a good one!


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## SLB

A few more - there were lots of cameras around.


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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> A few more - there were lots of cameras around.
> 
> View attachment 288982
> View attachment 288983
> View attachment 288984


I love the 2nd photo, he's just so happy! Gwen's face is a picture though, she's definitely not approving of all that bouncing around (probably thought she'd get away from it for a day as she had somehow managed to ditch her brothers )


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## SLB

MiffyMoo said:


> I love the 2nd photo, he's just so happy! Gwen's face is a picture though, she's definitely not approving of all that bouncing around (probably thought she'd get away from it for a day as she had somehow managed to ditch her brothers )


Oh she told him off a fair bit whilst we were waiting. They don't actually get on outside the house; Gwen likes to do lurchery bites and chasing and Sol tells her to F off a lot Haha!


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## SLB

What a fab weekend! I wasn't really excited for it, if I'm honest, but personal reasons aside; Fab! We raced at Canicross Midlands 2nd race event at Cliff Lakes.

We arrived on the Friday afternoon but had to wait for my ever wonderful Mother in Law to bring the caravan down (must get towing lessons). Once that arrived, we didn't have chance to walk the course as it was dark. After getting settled in, @BlueJay, myself and @Geoglad sat down to eat cake and play the board games. I did take a laptop and Erin brought DVD's but no disc drive to play them. And then no internet to watch Netflix - we don't do well at this camping/caravanning stuff!

Saturday morning, alarm went off an hour late due to a stupid snooze button! But managed to get the dogs sorted, ourselves sorted and everything went smoothly. The course was rather flat, despite the one small vertical hill and the seemingly never ending steep one, of which, the drop the other side was the same. And then another long uphill and downhill the other side. But the rest of it was flat and fast.

The course was lovely, the venue beautiful and the staff there were so accommodating. But I was just not feeling it. But as above - this wasn't in relation to the event, organisers or anyone there.

However, my lack of enthusiasm did not affect my dogs in the slightest. The boys came away with a 1st place on Saturday with a time of 11:37. For a course none of us knew or had walked - that was amazing!

They pulled it out of the bag again today for me. This time we were seeded a bit more to their liking, they could see people in front and could hear people behind and they ran their hearts out for me! Though they did want to do a massively dangerous overtake on the really steep downhill section.

*The finish line was exciting today. Had Someone on my left on 2 dog scooter and then someone behind us on 1 dog bike. After the right turn and on the home stretch my boys were neck and neck with scooter guy's about 2ft apart. Lou looked over Sol and all I could think was "don't you dare push him over so you can say hello!" And just as I was about to convey those thoughts into words and mere feet away; Her with Stan comes zooming into the gap and over the line. My boys had no clue as to what had just happened but it got Lou focused enough to cross the finish without needing to say hello to Buzz!

Team Jellybean had a good couple of days racing. Well... If you ignore @BlueJay using her face as a brake when she hit something in a puddle! She has come away with a scrape down her face, her chin, wounds on her hip and side and a rather gross looking graze on her upper lip that makes her look a tiny bit like Hitler!







Gwen was unhurt! Hats off to BlueJay who ran again today despite getting injuries on Saturday!

My boys did todays run in 11:10. We came 1st over both days and 1st place over the weekend, earning them a rather lovely gold Canicross Midlands medal! Big thanks to CSJ for the No Ake prize too; Jack will appreciate that!

Too many thank you's to mention but those who helped us in some way or another; big thank you for that. And also to Canicross Midlands and Cliff Lakes for the venue and racing!

But my biggest thanks has to go to my two boys! Their faces from the start to the finish are why we do this. They love it and they run their hearts out for me every time! They did as they were told over the weekend and listened brilliantly.










*Names taken out as I know them but you guys won't.


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## Geolgrad

Amazing results! 
Gutted we couldn't do Sunday but we had a fab time anyway. Looking forward to next one.


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## SLB

And here's a video - not of mine, but of another scooter competitor who set the fastest time on the course (as always).


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## SLB




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## SLB

Todays race weekend saw us on home turf. I was rather worried about this one as the dogs have done the routes to death. It was also a different organisation, so different set of rules. I've never neck lined my boys but I had too this weekend. That made me nervous too as they've never trained necklined.

But it all went without a hitch. They ran well, not great, but they were running 2 minute intervals which meant the team in front were gone before we even had chance to line out. So the boys must have just thought it was a training run. Good times though 11:41 yesterday and 12:15 today. Todays race was sticky. A lot of rain last night followed by the trail being churned up.

They did fab though. Considering we were up against "eurohounds" and "Scandinavian hounds" purpose bred for speed. As well as husky teams, one of whom we have trained with and they have kept up well in the past and one GSD team! My boys have never looked so out of place.

We came 3rd over both days and overall.

@Geolgrad gave Team FP's a rest this weekend and ran Pen for me on the Saturday. They did well considering Pen's never ran with her and Pen weighs double Hera & Nyx combined! Their time was 26:29.

Anyway here's Saturday's photos. And the boys posing with their 3rd place medal and Pen with the competitors medal.


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## SLB

Hopefully you can see this - a friend video'd our finish on Sunday - look at how happy Louie is!




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10157888092565357


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## MiffyMoo

SLB said:


> Hopefully you can see this - a friend video'd our finish on Sunday - look at how happy Louie is!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10157888092565357


I don't have permission to view it


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## SLB

MiffyMoo said:


> I don't have permission to view it


Thought not... however.. Here's my team page and I've shared it on there.. you should be able to see it on there.

https://www.facebook.com/teamclown6/?ref=bookmarks


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