dog & sport international 01/2015

Leire Fernandez Abete
In the beginning
have very much liked dogs since I
I was born, but I never owned one. I
remember when I was 14, I was doing
mountain races and I saw near
my city that a Canicross race was organised.
So I took part with my
friend’s dog (Txanpi). Since then I
haven’t stopped practicing it. And
after that race Txanpi stayed with
us and I kept doing Canicross with
him.
In spite of the problems I had to
compete at the time, because I was
very young and the rules did impede
me to take part, I was sure that I
wanted to learn more. And that I
wanted to grow and go on in this
sport.
After this, my father also wanted to
take part in Canicross and Bolt became
part of our family.
I am still young. So I have to learn, I
have to live, I have to see, I have to
make mistakes… and I want to experience
all that. Bolt is my teacher
and he shows me the values of this
sport: “I am nobody without my
dog”.
Training
don’t have a coach and I don´t follow
any training programme. Neit-
I
her do my dogs.
I run feeling my sensations, the way
I like in the moment, or as is best for
my dogs. For example: When I go
running in the mountains, the dogs
always come free running with me.
During the summer they don’t compete,
but they do many kilometres
and climb in the mountains. They
are always free, running up and
down.
And during the Canicross season, I
am at school, so during the week I
do my homework and we normally
go for a short run on Wednesdays
and on the weekends we do Canicross
competitions or skijoring, and
we teach them anything they don´t
know or they still have to learn during
the races. So we don’t do many
kilometres, but we do more speed.
We have never done intervals or planned
training. We only go to the
mountains, run and enjoy. While I
am running, I speak and play with
them. In my opinion it’s very important
for their mind. They have to be
motivated. When they see the harness,
they need to want to run. That
is incredible!
Competition
What I have achieved with Bolt?
I go to Canicross races really very
happy and comfortably with Bolt
(my leader). Because he doesn’t
make mistakes, he is a great worker,
and he has something which transmits
real thrill.
I don’t like to speak too much about
the races we have won. We have taken
part in Spanish and International
Canicross races. And what I like
most isn’t the victories. What I like
the most is to be a partner with him
and share with him the moments
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