Doggie Du Dash Race Report

Cricket and I participated in the first ever Austin Doggie Du Dash. This race consisted of a 375 meter swim (and there were buoys!) and then a one mile run. We all know Cricket can run but I was a bit apprehensive about the swim.

Not because she can't swim...but because I'd never swam with her. They gave every dog a life jacket.

I was kinda hoping they'd give the humans one, too, but no such luck.

We set up our towel and shoes in transition (How cute...Doggie Du transition) then walked around sniffed the competitions' butt.

At 7;30ish we had our pre-race meeting. We were told there would be 2 waves...1-10 then 11-25. We were #14 so we were in the second wave. The waves would be 3 mins apart. At 8am the first wave was called. Everyone eased into the water. The horn went off and the thrashing began. Our wave moved fwd and I heaved Cricket, by her life vest, into the water. I then hopped in after her. "One min till go" I heard. Cricket was trying to swim for shore already. I was trying to convince her to turn around. The horn blew, I called "Cricket" and we were off. The first 50 meters or so, to the first buoy, I thought, "this is going to be great"! Cricket was totally swimming with me. Then as we got up the the first buoy and headed east to the second buoy

Cricket kept trying to swim back to the dock.

I kept having to stop and call her. I was literally hauling her around the course. I have never worked so hard in a swim in my entire life. I stopped at one point to comment to another girl who was having the same problem, "this is not going well".

Thankfully when we turned and headed home Cricket took off like a bat outta hell. I actually dropped the leash and was sprinting to catch up with her so I could grab it.

Outta the water and off to transition. I had to take the life jacket off of her and put on my shoes all while keeping hold of the leash. Once the shoes were on and we took off Cricket was all about the business of running. We were 4th to last out of the water and three mins behind the first group and we passed everyone on the run except for four people and three of those were in the wave before us. Cricket was flying!

We won 1st Human Female finisher and I'm pretty sure we got 3rd over all.

I heard somebody say that there is going to be another one in 6 mos or so. As long as the schedule permits, I'm sure you will see Cricket and I out there, again. We loved it!