by CARLA LEA FARINA
TRAIL
( MIS ) ADVENTURES
by CARLA LEA FARINA
Like a Phoenix Rising
She ’ s a crazy , hyperactive lunatic with four legs , a tail ( of death ) and more energy than the ‘ Energiser Bunny ’ on Red Bull , but isn ’ t that just the best recipe for an epic adventure in the making ? It ’ s time for me to introduce you to the newest member of my trail running crew .
trail ( mis ) adventures
Those of you who read my column will know that my first ‘ partner in crime ’ in terms of training partners was my beautiful boy , Comet – the boss of all dogs , the leader and instigator of adventure – and it broke my heart when ‘ little brother ’ Aero and I lost him two years ago to cancer . That year I dedicated my Comrades Marathon run to him , and raised money for a charity very close to my heart , the Southern Africa Animal Cancer Association ( SAACA ), an organisation that raises funds for and awareness of animal cancer research .
With his unique character and energy , Comet changed my life in many ways , including making me fall in love with the German Shorthaired Pointer ( GSP ) breed , more affectionately referred to on social media as GSP A-Holes ( please excuse my floral language ). And
Trail trio Carla , Phoenix and Aero so , when the time was right , I decided to get Aero ( not an A-hole ) a little A-hole sister called Phoenix . She is a real character and personality , but as she has grown , she has meshed into our little trail running family and we have gone from the trail misadventure duo ( me and Aero ) to the trail misadventure trio , with our lunatic Phoenix not just in the mix , but often leading the ( mis ) way !
Need for Speed !
This little ball of terror – don ’ t get me wrong , I love her with all my heart , but she is a ball of terror – had her first trail adventure 10km a few weeks ago at the Big Red Barn near Pretoria , and she absolutely loved it . On this run , I was reminded of a few things ... Firstly , running with a pointer is done at one constant speed : Fast !
Secondly , you also get some essential agility training , as the little hooligan bobs and weaves from side to side … probably because when your breed of dog is known for being totally ADHD ( like her owner , so that ’ s OK ), she will head straight towards any and every interesting sight and smell . And finally , you will set many PBs , because the more she runs , the faster she gets , and when she is connected to you by a leash or rope tied around your waist , you will run as fast as she tells you to ! no-one could ever replace Comet , it does feel a bit like , somehow , Phoenix was sent to me and Aero , by Comet , to keep us company on the trails . So , I cannot wait to have Phoenix join us on more crazy adventures , now that she has grown old enough , and strong enough , to tackle the longer trails on the run . And if you see all three of us barrelling towards you on the trails , I invite you to join us for a fun misadventure . Just please bring a pine cone , if you can !
Carla , friend Leigh Walker and the dogs pose for a post-run pic after Phoenix ’ s first 10km trail run
Images : Courtesy Carla Farina
I have , however , found a solution for her natural exuberance and craziness , a magic recipe , if you want to call it that , to calm her down on any run guaranteed : A pine cone . I kid you not , it ’ s like the magic wand of calming down a German Shorthaired Psycho ( as they are also often called ), and when she has one , the speed is the same , but the bobbing and weaving is controlled . Which means that your friends running with you on the trails are relatively safe from being bulldozed over …
Sent From Above ?
In a small way , it feels as though Comet is with me on these runs , because the crazy , beautiful energy he brought to the trails is in Phoenix , too . And while
About the Author
While Carla ’ s ‘ day job ’ is Head Tennis Coach and Director of Tennis at Game Set Match Tennis in Johannesburg , her second love is trail running , which she tackles with an unquenchable thirst for adventure , a never-saydie attitude , and a healthy sense of humour about all the misadventures that befall her on the trails !
41