Flying Poodles

Well, that might have been a mistake…

I left Portland Friday morning, daughter pretty much on the road to recovery… came home, unpacked, did laundry, and drove down to Argus for two runs Friday evening–the opening night of the RAT NADAC trial. Dancer and I were running. Jay came along to help out–set up the tent, hang out with Elly, talk to me in person for the first time in days…

She Q’d in Hoopers , fourth place–she should have done better but I was late on my cues.

She made course time in Tunnelers… despite the four extra tunnels she took out of sheer excitement. I was late on my cues–she should have done better. Still, I was thrilled that she was running with enthusiasm and looking ahead to the next obstacle.

This morning we were over time in Weavers, although it was a clean run. She gave me a lot of attitude about the weaves, probably because I was so late on my cues that I told her to weave AFTER she was in the weaves. (I could see her thinking: “Mom, I am weaving! What more do you want!”)

Notice a theme here?

After a Jumpers run in which she made time–despite two extra jumps and an extra tunnel–I decided that I just didn’t have it together enough to do her justice. She took the two extra jumps and the extra tunnel, not because I was late on my cues, but because I failed to see that from her point of view, it was the right line to take given where I was at the point. I’d spent most of the walk-through figuring out the line of the first four jumps to the tunnel (I must say, I did that part brilliantly)… and neglected to notice how to handle the curve from 11 to 12.

So I came home, to take a nap, go to bed early, let the dogs rest… and tomorrow I will be alert, timely with my cues, and fast–and I will deserve my wonderful dog.