Skijoring at the World Championship

This years Sled dog world championship happened in Daaquam, Quebec. Some way I made, sneaked, my way to the competition. I say sneaked as sijoring is fairly new to me, I wouldn't of expected to race at the world championships when I started, two years ago. The events happened over a week, Marley and I were there four days. Our first race was a 16 km skijor....ooch. The second was a relay in which we entered a 8 km pulka leg. We stayed in a nice house with 5 to 8 friends, it changed over the week. More of the Canadian skijoring team members were spread in other houses or hotels but a few times we all got together at our house for some enjoyable evenings. It was a particularly cold week, which made our days outside exhausting...a few degrees extra is all I could of wished better.

I don't quite know how I justified to myself participating to this event. I said it was to run my Bouvier threw a world class event, a bit of a joke. It was clear we had no chance to get anywhere near a podium, we are not world class caliber, but I was still on for the challenge of running the course and arriving with my head up. To do so I had to set myself a clear goal and I'm happy to say that we reached our objectives. What were they? It doesn't matter, because what I found out my gains threw this event were much else.

First there were the people; maybe should I even say: mostly there were the people.
So what was it about them? Something strange...we were all those competitive monsters, all of much divers strength, but set in this race environment where, at this point, non of us could expect to win. We were all there to do our best and all wished the best for each other. I felt a real team spirit with those people who I had just met or, up to then , known as acquaintances. Strange thing competing in a sport that is rather solitary. I felt a strong team spirit from the morning wake up until bed time, as much on the race site as at the house. Such a group of different people but all so fun and generous.

Next there was the challenge.
I discovered a different way to face competition. Up to now, for me, competition meant winning. I'm not saying I always win but not being the best has always caused me disappointment. I think we are all a bit like that, but doesn't this attitude cause us to level our challenges from the bottom? Lower the challenge, most likely we are to win. This time I felt like I threw myself in a competition so clearly above my level. I wasn't going to train to win but needed to train so I could make it. Failure wouldn't of been to not win but to say "I can't do it". Marley and I worked hard and we made it!