Jon Fletcher and his dog, Otto, have been racing together since 2010. MR’s Isaac Williams caught up with the former soldier, who’s taking ‘walkies’ to a whole new level
Q. Hi Jon, I understand you’ve just returned from racing sled dogs in Alaska. What does that involve?
A. Yeah I’m pretty sure I’m having a mid-life crisis! I went over last winter to train some racing sled dogs and then, back in November, I went over to race. I was planning on doing the Yukon Quest 300 , but unfortunately family commitments and work meant that I had to pull out. The main 1,000 mile sled dog race is still on my to do list in 2016
Q. How did the idea to run with your dog come about?
A. I’ve always been pretty fit, but I never used to train enough. My friend suggested that I should start running with Otto, so we went for a few runs together and did a few 5k canicross races and I was hooked from there. From the start, it was clear from the way that he dragged me up hills, that he could do the longer distances, so we went to a few races in the Alps, then some trail marathons and our first Lakeland 50, and we haven’t looked back since.
Q. What breed is he?
A. I don’t really know! I bought him from an Albanian family when he was a puppy. He’s definitely got some Husky in him, but other than that I’m not sure.
Q. What’s your military background?
A. I was a soldier in the parachute regiment and in the military for a total of 12 years. I left the military in 2001, so before the major campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Q. What charities do you run for?
A. We’ve run for Help for Heroes, Combat Stress and now our chosen charity is Support Our Paras. We’ve managed to raise over £10,000 so far.
Q. Do you have a target amount for this year?
A. As much as possible!
Q. What’s the toughest race you’ve competed in?
A. The 30, 40 and 50-milers are always tough, especially the routes around the Brecon Beacons. But I’d say the toughest is the Lakeland 100. We’ve got unfinished business there, as I had to withdraw after 42 miles back in 2013.
Q. Is there an added risk of injury when you’re being dragged along by Otto?
A. It’s definitely not as easy as some people think it is. I’ve heard people complain that it’s an advantage, but it can be really hard on the knees. On the Lakeland 100 one year and, while descending a hill, he decided to chase after a sheep, which resulted in me twisting my knee and I was out for six months. I also needed a cartilage operation after one of the Hardmoors events. Squirrels are also a husky hazard.
Q. Do you ever race on your own?
A. No. I made that mistake once and it was very boring!
Q. Have you ever had any trouble getting in to races with a dog?
A. Not really, everywhere is really welcoming. Otto’s also got quite a strong following now, so people love to race alongside him! What we do tend to do on races is always be courteous to other runners and competitors, as at the end of the day the Ultras are not ‘dog’ races but geared around humans.
Q. What’s next on the agenda?
A. This weekend we’re doing a cross-country event and then we’ve got a really busy March ahead. There are a few trail races, before the big one: the Lakeland 100.
Q. Do you have to carry doggy treats with you as well as your own energy gels?
A. Yeah I have to carry extra kit just in case. I carry paw wax and a vet first aid kit with me, as well as a couple of snacks for him – pork pies are his favourite.
Q. Who’s more tired at the end of a race, you or Otto?
A. Me! I always need at least three days to recover, but you look at him at the end of a race and you wouldn’t know he’s just ran up to 50 miles.
Follow Jon and Otto on twitter: @airbornemuttley
Visit their website: www.airbornemuttley.com
