Training with the Race In Mind

September 22, 2001

Snowcrest Racing Sled Dogs, Seeley Lake, MT--Jim Gallea

Jim and team on a training run.  The conditions remain hot and dry, so runs are only done during the cool hours of the morning and evening.  Note the dust on the shoulders of Jim's black coat.

    We are continuing to train in the mornings and late evenings as the daytime temperatures can still get fairly high, and the forest conditions are very dry.  During the night, the temperature often drops below freezing, leaving a layer of frost on car windshields and the four-wheeler.  The leaves are starting to turn red, golden, and brown, and gardens are being harvested quickly.  The first snows have already fallen in the mountains around my house, and everyone is anxious for winter. 

    For the dogs, we are gradually increasing the distance of the runs, but we are also working to increase the resistance they are pulling.  We are starting to put the four-wheeler into lower and lower gears while the dogs are pulling it.  The lower gears make it harder to pull the four-wheeler because the engine has to turn faster at high speeds when in low gear.  We don't apply throttle to the engine to increase the speed, meaning that the dogs have to pull harder against the engine when the four-wheeler is in the lowest gears. 

    The idea behind having the dogs pull harder is that we want to get the dogs muscles back in shape after spending most of the summer away from training.  Since our dogs don't get to pull throughout the summer like Seavey's dogs do, we spend a lot of time building muscle strength and tone in the initial part of training.  If the dogs muscles are strengthened, and the ligaments and joints are tightened, then the dogs will be able to run faster and farther with less risk of developing any kind of soreness or injury.  This is analogous to the off-season weight training done by the best human athletes.  By always keeping in mind what our goals for racing are, we are able to structure our training so that the dogs will practice exactly the same way that they run in races and build the physical and mental strength needed to make the trip.

    I would also like to take the time to point out that I am also attending classes at the University of Montana.  Mushers are a varied group, and some of us get to devote most of our time to solely training dogs, but many also must devote time to other professions and means of making a living.  For me, this means that I am working to balance school with training the dogs.  Obviously I cannot spend adequate time training the dogs and simultaneously spend adequate time studying.  Luckily, my parents are very generously helping me out with training (and with school from time to time, too).  During the weekdays while I am attending my 8 AM physics class, my parents are already in the dog yard harnessing dogs and going on training runs.  We keep in touch over the phone as to how training is progressing and what we think of differing training ideas and strategies.  I can't thank them enough for their help and support over the years.  Thanks, Mom and Dad.

    Additionally, I would like to thank my friends and the excellent faculty at the University of Montana and the Davidson Honors College at the University of Montana who are being so supportive of me this year.  Thanks a bunch everyone!

    And thanks for checking in.  We'll have more updates, including a lot more pictures and stories, coming up in the next week or so.  Please keep coming back.

Jim Gallea