I've been back in Alaska for a couple of weeks. I'm getting settled into the swing of things at the kennel. Our days here are starting to feel like nights with so little light during the awake hours (5:23 hours of light as of today). We tend to sleep as long as we can when we are not on training days. We all know that sleep is scarce when series training and racing come into play. A series mimics a race schedule: run for 6 hours, rest for 4, run for 6, rest 4, and so on until we meet our time or mileage that is needed for training.
This year we are lucky to have extra hands on board to help at the kennel. Skylar and Olivia helped us last year during Anna's Iditarod season. They come with quite a bit of kennel knowledge and it has been a blast watching them come into their own as they train up the yearlings!
About yearlings:
When sled dogs are learning to be sled dogs, they don't run as many miles as the race team since they are so young and their bodies aren't ready for the big times yet. They need to learn how it feels to be on a gangline, how to trot forward, and not how to pick on their running mate for miles and miles. The first time they get into a harness, it feels like getting your preschooler to keep their shoes on when all they want to do is be barefoot in the dirt. They bounce around and try to get out of it, or chew it, or flop on the ground as if they're professional WWF wrestlers trapped in a full nelson by the harness! I assure you that harnesses do not hurt dogs in any way. It is a helpful tool to keep their bodies safe as they run. They eventually learn that the harness means adventure and that their running partner can be their friend. I have come to love the yearlings, but not enough to train them and an Iditarod race team. So we leave that up to Skylar and Olivia.
I've missed being here. I love Alaska in the winter and it will always have a fond place in my heart. When the plane flew over the sound on my way in, I felt in my heart that this is the place that I am meant to be in this season of my life. And if anything brings peace, it's knowing that where you are is where you're meant to be.
All of the dogs are doing well! Their bodies are becoming stronger every day as they run and rest.
As always, we can use financial support throughout the remainder of the season. If you'd like to donate or know someone who would like to donate, head to emilyontrail.com for options. Other options are Venmo (emily-ford-63) PayPal (emilyontrail@gmail.com) or send a check to Emily Ford PO Box 68 Willow AK 99688. I'm looking for about $15,000 to round out our season!
I'm off to the yard to get chores done, but more stories will come later! Iditarod is only a few months away!
Glad your enjoying your time in Alaska, Emily! Have fun with the Iditarod.