It's time for our second article of the QRILL Pet Mushing Team stories. The following story is about Marit Beate Kasin, one of our mushing team members, and her special relationship with her dogs.
Marit Beate Kasin is one of five members of the QRILL Pet Mushing Team. She is not new to what big challenges mean, such as participating in long sled dog races, writing books, or running marathons. Marit however is certain she has her dogs to thank for that extra push towards the unknown.
"My team will run a thousand mile, through whiteouts and blizzards, pulling on a sled, still wagging their tails while enthusiastically barking all the way from start to finish. Every single day they continue to teach me about determination, passion, and the value of positive thinking", says Marit Beate Kasin, former Norwegian champion in long-distance dog sledding.
The power ingredient for Iditarod champions
The art of determination
Marit says she is drawn to various challenges that require perseverance. She likes to seek out challenges that take her to the fringes of life, as there is always a lot to learn there.
"Many people, not surprisingly, find it overwhelming to stand on the starting line of a marathon, a 1000 mile sled dog race, or to look at a blank page where you have to write your first word in what is to become an entirely new book. I personally find it liberating. If you are able to take that first step, the journey to the finish-line offers so many opportunities for self-discoveries and adventure."
Marit’s debut book, Vinterdans (2018), tells the story of her first ten years as a musher. Now she is working on her third book project. The backdrop for the new book is, of course, long-distance dog sledding.
"As a writer, I can never quite finish writing about sled dogs and the amazing journeys shared with them. It is a unique experience every time we head out into nature. Everything can quickly be turned upside down, but for me, life always feels right and real when I’m with my dogs."
A solid team
Kasin and her partner live in a cabin in the mountains in Valdres. A lot of their time is spent training dogs, five to six days a week, all year round. Several of the dogs on the team are new and upcoming talents.
"I have a great and inspiring group of dogs, who perform very well during training. We have worked hard to develop talented young dogs for the past three years and we hope that we can reap the results from that work in the years to come."
A new study reveals krill-sourced omega-3s are most effective in Alaskan Husky diet
"My four-legged teachers"
Kasin says she has learned as much from the four-legged ones as she has taught them.
"Dogs are the best personal trainers available. It is easy to think that anything is possible when you interact with these four-legged athletes on a daily basis. Because that is the energy they radiate.
They are also the very symbol of a simple and joyful life, having the ability not to over-complicate things or overthink. What you see is what you get and what they can give. They do exactly what they want at the moment, without worrying about what others might think or what waits for them around the corner. In many ways, it is that free life I think we all would want to live."
