Outside USA - September 2019

46 OUTSIDE MAGAZINE

09/10.19

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Dispatches Training

Alex Borsuk and

Otto backpacking

on the Oregon

Coast in May

Six-Legged Relay
HOW TO RUN FARTHER WITH
YOUR ADVENTURE DOG
BY JOE PURTELL

ENDURANCE ATHLETE Alex Borsuk special-
izes in type-two fun, and so does her border
collie, Otto. Together, Borsuk and Otto have run
ultramarathons, climbed and skied volcanoes
in the Cascades, and fastpacked through the
Pacific Northwest. Borsuk’s previous pup, Peanut,
helped her explore Oregon’s trails when she
was new to the state. In 2015, Borsuk shifted to
running and began taking on bigger challenges in
the mountains; in 2018, she ran her first 100-miler,
the Cloudsplitter 100. She credits her dogs with
keeping her motivated when the training intensi-
fies. “They’re always happy, which pushes me

through these tough endeavors,” Borsuk says.

We asked her what to keep in mind when includ-

ing your pooch in outdoor adventures.

“Talk to your vet about when you can start

bringing your puppy on long runs. Otto is active

and medium size, so I was able to start him off a

little younger than a year. A bigger dog might not

be able to run until much later.”

“Active dogs need to eat more. Otto weighs 35

pounds, and he eats as much as a German shep-

herd. I don’t pay much attention to what the food

bag recommends for a dog his size. We run 50 to

70 miles a week, so he’s burning a lot of calories.”

“Make your dog—and other people—as comfort-

able as possible with good leash and recall train-

ing. Your dog should be able to run well on-leash

without pulling you. Off-leash it should stick by

your side, so it doesn’t end up running double or

triple your mileage.”

“Dogs get tired when they’re out of shape. You

can’t expect yours to keep up if it’s active only

on weekends. Make sure it’s training during the

week, too. Then it can hang on for longer trips.”

“Humans might walk or give up if they’re tired.

Dogs will not stop. They want to please their

owners, and they might need a rest even if they

don’t look like they do. Be sure to always bring

enough water and food for them.”

“Choose your activities wisely. Dogs make some

things harder, like ice climbing, so I don’t bring

them on those trips. But they can be a perfect

fit for skiing. It’s give and take.”