Year 3 – what a difference!
I started my fitness and strengthening programme in the previous year, with sprint training and fitness work. It was fab and I got a good buzz from it. I was feeling stronger already – but there was something missing. The injury niggled on and I knew I couldn’t ignore it any longer! I was lucky enough to find support from an incredible lady Stacy Weeks, a Biomechanics and Pilates Coach, who has assessed me and stripped my training programme right back to basics. We have essentially been doing strength and fitness foundation and boy, what a difference it has made to me. The devil really is in the detail!! 7 months of strengthening, core, fitness and nutrition work with Stacy, helped me go to the EOs with a new confidence.
I was much better prepared for the types of courses, for the weather, the travel and for the skills needed. Now it was all down to mindset as I stepped onto the line with Piixie. The first run was so frustrating – an elimination in my Team run – due to my handling error – I thought I had connected with her but I had just lost her for a split second. The second run was Team jumping – it was a really fast course with some tricky blinds we needed to do. I was determined to handle this one better and to stay connected. We had a great run in a fast time too. Just a pole – which, when I look back, could have been my handling or a little mistake by Piixie. Either way, I was much happier with how I ran and I made all the handling positions comfortably.
The next day was our Individual runs – I was really focused and had 2 great runs, with our Agility placing putting us comfortably in the Top 40 and into the Final! Big relief!!! So from a few years before, where we had never even heard of the European Open – we had made the Final for the second time! And this time I was so much better prepared.
We had an amazing run – Piixie gave it everything. It was such a great feeling to know I had made it round the course essentially clear – Piixie had been marked on her up contact on the dog walk. Our time would have put us 11th in the world on that day! Pretty cool result!!!
Every time I run in these competitions, I am learning more and more about myself, about what is needed to achieve the highest level in Agility. It’s incredibly exciting to look back and see where we have come – I am proud of our achievements. We have had a great team around us and have had some amazing support. I definitely could not do this alone and I think that is one of the biggest things I have learned. Piixie has already made my dreams come true – but we keep going – because we just keep changing the dream!
