Even as daylight grows shorter, the days feel longer than ever. We wake early, whether we want to or not when the sun is still sleeping.
In the summer, these early mornings were refreshing. We had plenty of sun, and the naturally long light was motivating. It was also nice having a moment of peace before our property came alive with workers and guests, but as daylight grows shorter and we find ourselves in the dark, I wish Elias would sleep just a little longer. I’m sure every parent knows this particular struggle.
Mornings are cold, but just barely. The frost only lingers briefly after the sun peaks her head over the horizon. We try to take advantage of the cold. Travis will run teams while I make breakfast and play with Elias, but we both move slowly. I always thought that racing the Iditarod would prepare me for the sleep deprivation of being a parent. How naive. Now I know the truth: being a parent to a toddler is the ultimate training for racing the Iditarod. It doesn’t matter that Elias sleeps through the night. He’s wide open when he wakes, and we had better be ready.
When I was in high school, I was terrible at waking up. In either a moment of brilliance or frustration, my dad got an alarm clock that rolled away before it went off. Genius? Yes. Evil? Yes! Bleary-eyed, morning coffee cup in hand, I find myself thinking that our child is a lot like that alarm clock—always on the run forcing me to be more awake than I’d really like to be.
Before 7, the toys we neatly put away the night before are scattered across the house. We trip on trucks and dog toys and anything else that his tiny hands may have found. (You truly don’t know what you have in your home until you have a curious toddler roaming about.)
When it warms, I bring Elias into the dog yard in a backpack. He enjoys the sled dogs, and, truthfully, I want the reprieve from the worry that comes with watching a small child. We say hi to all the dogs and wait for Dad to come in with a team. Fall training is the foundation of any dog team’s success. We work on building endurance back and working with the team. Tours help keep the dogs in shape, but they are akin to summer camp and lack a true mission the way training does. Racing shapes our season and gives us goals to work towards.
By the afternoon, it’s still hitting 50 degrees. It feels warm for this time of year. Usually, I relish the quick chill brought on by fall, but the slow transition this autumn brings is helping our little toddler adjust.
Soon, it will be cold. I feel it calling. And like the dogs we love much, our bones are itching to run.
