The question was: Can Aliy Keep up with her dogs?
The answer: Well… not exactly. But, if you use creative statistics, sort of.
The Anchorage Running Club’s Big Wild Life Runs half marathon was the test this weekend. It was a great event in a great city. The turn out was fantastic and Aliy was one of thousands of participants in the event.
The 13.1 mile course was awesome. It started in the heart of downtown Anchorage and went out along the Coastal Trail. Then for miles, the Iditarod Route and the marathon route were exactly the same.
However, Aliy’s pace was mildly slower than her Iditarod Team usually scoots down the trail. Aliy covered the same distance the dogs do in about twice the amount of time. Considering each SP Kennel dog has twice as many legs as Aliy, one might mathematically deduce that their paces were then actually the same. And if one tweaks the numbers a little more: there are twelve dogs running the Iditarod route and only one Aliy on the marathon route… So… perhaps that puts her ahead? (I’m sure Aliy will have a mathematical discussion with Quito and Beemer back at the kennel when she is asked to explain her performance.)
The same trail, just a different season.
Aliy’s running partner for the event, Linda Steiner, has been training for her first ever marathon in Portland this October. This half marathon was a step in her training progression. Aliy decided that since she was in Anchorage for several days anyhow, why not to show up and cheer Linda on.
And, why not do that right by her side?
Good luck to Linda in October. Sorry Linda, but Aliy will be busy keeping up with the dogs in October!
Gotta love it when you can use math to your advantage!
WTG Aliy! Glad to see your smile in place. 🙂
Well done Linda &Aliy! Would you Aliy Cam the conversation with Quito & Beemer? That would be so wonderful. Good luck Linda in your marathon. And a great big circle of good luck in all of SP Kennel races starting in Oct through the end of the mushing season.
Yeah….I think Beemer and Quito need to check your math on that equation! LOL….sounds like you had a great day!
Way to go Aliy – anyone that can do a half marathon has earned my respect. Keep going like this and she will be running with the lead dog during race season.
Way to go Aliy and good luck to Linda in Portland! So the creative statistics for Aliy keeping up with the dogs – can we also refer to it as musher math? Well at least she didn't have to do the calculations after being sleep deprived for days on end like she does when running the Iditarod. Glad she had fun and still had that trademark smile on her face.
You go girl! I just love your spirit and mental toughness. Now that you've "walked 13.1 miles in their (Oliva and company) shoes, or is that paws, did it help you appreciate them? I personally don't think the half marathon was needed. You possess a phenemomally ability to understand your team.
Well done, Aliy. How heavy was the sled? 🙂
Amazing how different the trail looks in the Summer!!!
I would love to hear what Quito and Beemer thought!!! Although I'd also like to know if Ranger had anything to say to Aliy. I would guess he said "woof, woof, woof!"
ChaCha probably thinks Aliy was smart to alternate running and walking, and especially that she did not injure her various muscles, bones, etc.
–Margaret
P.S. Hope Allen is mending from his injury during Iditarod.
Well, let's see. If you convert it to strides or numbers of steps to cover the distance…..
Linda, good luck, have fun!