Another Adventure Awaits

Sometimes it's hard to separate yourself from expectations, hopes & doubts. 

Sometimes all three exist at the same time. Friday morning Bolt and I will be on our way to Minnesota for our second world team tryouts. Last year he was the youngest dog there at a year old. I can honestly say that I went there with small expectations; I hoped to make it through some courses but above all else give my young dog and I some great experience as a team. He exceeded expectations when he placed in a round and finished in the top 10, but the weekend was far from perfect. We learned a lot. I learned a lot.

This year feels a little different. It's hard not to place expectations and hopes on an event that signifies so much to me. I started this journey when I was 14 and began looking for the dog who might be able to get to world team with me. 10 years is a long time. I didn't expect to be here with this dog already.

In a lot of ways I'm still going with my 'baby dog' this year. He's two. A two year old with all the potential in the world & who has shown me that potential every single time we run together. I'm doing my best to balance the stress (because there is some), the excitement (there's much more of that) and the expectations I place on myself.

This weekend I entered just one day of a local trial so we could focus on training. Bolt pulled out QQ #10 which is a pretty cool place to be. Running on rubber flooring is never our best bet, since he looks like a sports car trying to speed on a wet race track. Either way, lots of good things-- plus we're totally in sync. A good feeling for sure.  
 

So another adventure awaits; I'll be talking to Paulette more than usual, balancing these hopes & expectations the best I can, and be spending the weekend with the greatest teammate I could have hoped for. What's better than that?

 

(Also, I'm finishing a Master's degree this week.) 

NAC Review/ Chin Up

Nationals was always going to be an incredible learning experience, regardless of outcome, for Bolt and I. We were going as a very young team— showing for just over a year total, with him still only two. While it sometimes feels like we’re a seasoned team when we’re running, other times it becomes apparent that we’re not just there yet. Close, but not quite yet.

The original goal was to get to nationals, no pressure on results at the event, just— be. But, inevitably, thoughts of bigger goals (& ultimately bigger doubts) started to creep in the closer the event got. It was hard to balance the expectations of a baby dog, and the expectations of this baby dog… who no longer can be called a baby. So I settled on a smaller goal: a clean round, see what happens after.

Our T2B round was nice, fast, clean. It was a confidence booster. But with four days of competition, with just one run a day, the stress and anticipation proved to be a lot. When the second to last bar fell in jumpers on day two, my heart sank. I knew it was my fault immediately. I clapped, praised and loved on my dog, but beat myself up. Amazing how this sport can take us from the highest high, to the lowest low in an instant. I try not to let Bolt see the low times.

Standard was one of our best runs of the weekend. Bolt’s criteria held up. Start lines (start lines!!!!) amazing, fast dog walk, running a-frame (he was allowed) and an awesome see saw despite the jumpy J&J equipment. I did a risky move in an attempt to tighten up the ending line (meat and potatoes vs. loaded baked potato). Again, praised my dog, told him he was brilliant, and beat myself up. What’s a national event if you don’t need to walk outside the building, allow a couple tears and then pick your chin up and move on?

Glad to say that by the time hybrid rolled around I had sucked it up, and worked to be the handler my dog deserved for the weekend. We had a wide turn, but a clean, fast round and placed 10th overall among a group of very talented dogs and handlers. The weekend showed me some things to work on. It made me mentally tougher, it showed me that my young dog can handle an incredible amount of stress, pressure, noise, and competition. It showed me that we’re heading in the right direction.

Chin up, game face on. Looking towards May.