Hot weather, canicross and Dalby race dates (CHANGED)

The organisers of the Dalby Canicross races have announced a change of dates which means the June race has moved to April - this is really good news because with the recent weather trends there's a real risk of overheating dogs with serious consequences.

These are now the confirmed dates and distances:
17th February 2019 - 5k
7th April 2019 - 7k
8th September 2019 - 5k
3rd November 2019 - 8k
Price: £25 per event
Season Ticket (for all 4 events) - £85

Enter here: https://www.northyorkshiresport.co.uk/events/2019/02/dalby-forest-canicross-1


Dogs, canicross and hot weather

For anyone interested, Anne Carter's team at Nottingham Trent University has been working on heatstroke in dogs with a specific focus on sports and canicross. So far they've completed initial studies on normal versus post-race temperature, and explored the factors that affect the potential for heatstroke.

Some of their main take away findings has been that

"The recommendation to not run a dog if ‘ambient temperature (oC) x humidity (%) >1000’ did not correlate to canine body temperature in any way, so its continued use cannot be recommended for the general pet dog population.

Dog owners need to be aware of the factors that can impact their animal’s exercising body temperature. An unfit, poorly acclimatised, dark coated male dog may be at greater risk of heatstroke running in late autumn, than a pale coated, female dog in regular training, running in warmer conditions."

They are now exploring "cooling post-race, effectiveness of cooling methods used and how quickly dogs cool down under different conditions."

What this means for us is that acclimatisation and fitness is really important - while we can't change our dog's coat colour we absolutely can help them to adjust to the changes in temperature.

I think this also suggests that we might make quite different decisions on racing in early versus later summer, when the dogs may have had more time to acclimatise.

I personally do generally continue to run during the summer BUT it's often very early in the morning and always at a slower ultra-shuffle pace rather than a fast 5k speed.

Happy running folks, and I’ll see you soon! 

Morag and the #dreamteam, #beautyandthebeast 
 

Be More Active With Your Dog – Weekly Events*

Sunday CaniRun Social 8.30am weekly (FREE)

Currently we’re at Allerthorpe Woods to avoid the worst of the mud. Join us for a 5k loop over varied terrain, and the option to run an extra loop for bonus fun at the end!
Download directions, route map and gpx file here
 

Weekly Canicross Classes (start Tues 15th Jan at 7pm) 

What could be more fun than running in the mud, at night, with a headtorch – right? Especially when you’ve got expert coaching and skill building sessions too.
Join us for the whole block (10 classes for price of 9) or just book individual weeks.
Full information, class locations and booking links here
 

Bodywork & Relaxation Classes (start Wed 23rd January, 6.30pm)

Learn how to help your dog relax even in the most exciting situations using massage and bodywork plus some extra techniques. Banish the start line anxiety, or excited screaming, and save that energy for the race!

• If you’ve attended anything with us before, grab your place and attend with your dog
• Not sure your dog will cope, but want to learn anyway? Sign up for a spectator place and practice on the other dogs in class.

Questions? Email me! morag @ wellconnectedcanine.co.uk

 

Be More Active With Your Dog - Workshops 

Sunday 27th January Introduction to Canicross (half-day workshop) 

Expert kit fitting, basic skills tuition and a short guided run to put it all into practice!
Wigginton near York 

Book Intro Workshop

Sunday 27th January Improvers Canicross Workshop (half day) 

Survive running downhill with your dog, and learn to love those ascents, more advanced skills and lots of personal coaching for your running technique
Welburn, nr Castle Howard 

Book Improver Workshop

 

Be More Active With Your Dog – Races*

Dalby Canicross – Forestry Commission 
A series of 4 races have been announced for 2019 and you can find more details here: https://www.northyorkshiresport.co.uk/events/2019/02/dalby-forest-canicross-1

Running Riot (Skipton) 5k Race 14 April 2019 
Several of us attended last year and it was a great experience. While the field margins were tricky for novice dogs, the event was well organised and the water crossing added some extra excitement too. More information here: https://www.sueryder.org/support-us/fundraise/events/running-riot-canicross-skipton-2019 

Tail Trails Events (Lake District) 
Another new series of events aimed at people running with their dogs but this isn’t quite a canicross focused event yet. Worth checking out if you fancy a trip over
First one is 27 January 2019, and more to follow. https://www.tailtrails.org.uk/ 
 

Other places to find out about races 

Canicross Events FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/165126597013777/

K9TrailTime event listings: https://www.k9trailtime.com/information/national-canicross-events 

*if you know of any events that might be of interest to the canicross community PLEASE do email or message me the details and I will add them in!