Champions' Corner

More training runs in Alaska

By Egil Ellis / January 3rd, 2010

End of November and the first runs with sled have started. Up to now we have trained with the four-wheeler to be able to control the team and have the dogs pull hard in the lines. There is not enough snow on the ground to put in our training trails yet so we are still using a variety of roads to run on.

The roads we use are plowed so there is not much chance to control the team with a sled so we always have a four-wheeler or snowmobile following the team in case we need to stop. By now we are up to distances of 10 - 13 miles and the speed has increased to 17 - 18 mph. I still keep one or both feet on the drag mat to hold the speed down, especially going downhill.

When the distance increase the dogs start to learn how to pace themselves more and after an initial speed burst they settle into a nice, easy flowing rhythm. This is what we look for in training an Open class team. Building a high average speed into the team with dogs that can run easy and smooth, kind of resting while they run. The dogs' fitness level has increased greatly and by mid December they can run 13 - 15 miles at a good speed without stopping. However, if I see that they need a break I still use the slowing-down-to-a-trot method as described earlier. Also, I look for speed increase or at least a feel of power surge going into and up hills. The final mile or so before arriving at the truck is also considered a speed up coming home which the dogs do almost automatically by now and I encourage them on with my voice.

Back at the truck the whole team is patted down and told how good they did followed by a dog biscuit and a scoop (2 cups) of Momentum soup. The harnesses are taken off and all dogs are allowed to roam free around the truck and do what dogs do. Tails are wagging and everybody is feeling good and proud of their accomplishment. Good team spirit is important!

Soon enough snow has fallen and the trails around Willow are starting to take shape. The first few runs on new trails are usually done with smaller sized teams, 8 - 12 dogs, to have better control and to make it easier for the dogs to get used to running on a trail again with sharp corners and narrow passages. The distances keep increasing and I'm starting to get a feel for which of my team mates are going to be able to do the longer sprint races we aim for. The Anchorage Fur Rondy and the Open North American Championship. These races feature 20 - 30 miles heats at high speeds and require very talented athletes to win.

By years end and beginning of the new our runs range from 12 - 22 miles on different types of trail. High speed is not a main concern at this time but if the trail allows I like them to average around 18 mph for a 20 mile run. If the trail is soft and slow I won't push them to keep the speed up, the main thing now is to give them a positive experience of running longer distances and feeling good about it afterwards.

The more long runs I put in the more I see which dogs can handle it well and who will eventually be picked for the race team. This year we are running two 14-dog teams as our main race dogs. This might sound like a lot to some people but is really on the small side compared to some of our competitors. Therefore I have to be careful not to overdue my training and loose more dogs in the process rather than making the once I have stronger, always a fine line there.

The goal is to have 16 - 18 dogs for the start of Fur Rondy and ONAC. Rarely have I had a full team of "secure" dogs to start these two events with, there is always a couple of question marks in the mix but in the end you just have to go with what you got and like it!

See you down the trail!

Egil Ellis www.egilellis.com