Canicross Conversations

In this episode of our regular Canicross Stories feature, Michelle and Louise chat to Sophia Kelly, a veterinary nurse who canicrosses with her dog Dillon, who is partially sighted.
Sophia rescued Dillon in 2018, knowing he has Progressive Retinol Atrophy, not expecting him to be able to canicross, but 5 years later they are attempting a marathon together.
A truly heart-warming episode about the special bond of trust between dog and human.

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to behaviourist Emma Johnston from Speak Dog about her experiences of raw feeding* her working sled dogs. 
We chat about the different types of raw feeding: DIY; 80/10/10; 80/20 and have a fascinating conversation about the impact that nutrition has on a dog's behaviour. In the wild, dogs, who are natural scavengers rather than predators, would eat up to 44 different varieties of food and this variety is the key to build up gut microbiomes, which can impact behaviour. We also chat through options for natural treats and managing behaviour through decompression chews.
*NB Emma is not a nutritionist, so her experiences of raw feeding are very individual, and should not be taken as guidance, but she is a qualified and knowledgeable behaviourist, and she gives us a really interesting insight into raw feeding from this perspective. Emma started in dog sports as a canicrosser, and now rig races, breeds and shows her 12 Siberian Huskies. 

Do you know what it means when you see a dog wearing yellow?
This is an episode originally released at the end of 2021, before the very first Dogs in Yellow awareness day took pace on 20th March 2022, and as it's coming up again we thought we would reshare an important message.
In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to Sarah Jones, who founded My Anxious Dog, after realising her working cocker spaniel Bella was very anxious around other dogs and people. Sarah is raising awareness of her #YellowArmy of dogs wearing yellow, and how it is helping other dog owners keep their dogs at a comfortable distance so Bella can continue to enjoy her outside space without being fearful. We also chat about how canicross is helping Bella become less anxious.  
#DogsInYellow Day is happening on 20th March 2023
You can learn more about My Anxious Dog here and follow the Facebook page here

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to menopause expert Karen Weir about how to get the most out of our running during perimenopause and post-menopause, and the advice is surprising.
Karen talks through the risks to our bodies during this time of immense change, and recommends the kind of strength training and running we should be doing, and it's not what you might think. It's certainly made Louise and Michelle reconsider their own training.
We'd love to know what you think, and if you have any questions.
You can follow Karen on her Instagram @RunwithKaren or on her website runwithkaren.com

Louise is flying solo today and chats to canicross coach Emily Thomas, who also appeared on episode 48 talking about canine hydrotherapy.
 
Emily's business offers training to people interested in becoming a canicross coach, and offers a Run Leader course, a Certified Coach course and a higher Level 3 qualification in canicross coaching.
 
Emily will be at Crufts next week so if you're there, do pop by and say hello. 

In this episode, Louise and Michelle further explore mindset, and how it can relate to our nutrition, as they chat to EIQ nutrition certified coach, Wayne Barrigan. A fascinating episode, with plenty of food for thought (pardon the pun!) as Louise and Michelle both have epiphanies about the way they have approached nutrition in the past.
You can contact Wayne via his Instagram page to learn more.

Michelle and Louise chat to Harriet Innes, who describes herself as a disabled canicrosser, and is keen to emphasize how inclusive the sport can be for those with disabilities. Harriet talks us through the considerations of racing with a disability, and her kit choices.
 
Harriet also runs a rescue centre for active dogs. 
 
You can follow Harriet on Instagram @ottos.legacy
 
This episode is sponsored by the Get Stronger, Run a Faster 5k course. Sign up for the next course, starting end of February, at the following link: https://studio44pilates.com/product/get-stronger-for-a-faster-5k/

In this episode, Louise and Michelle delve into mindset, as they chat to Mental Health and Exercise Coach, Lucy. Lucy is also a personal trainer, and triathlon coach, as well as competing in triathlon herself.
She delivers personalised training plans with coaching and online strength and conditioning classes to help you achieve your running goals.
Her plans are tailored to you to ensure your training enhances rather than competes with the rest of your life, and her coaching helps you address the issues that underpin the success of your training such as mindset, nutrition and race day preparation. She also offers non-personalised plans for Half Marathon and Marathon accompanied by video coaching on the same issues. 
Visit https://www.feelfitwithlucy.co.uk/how-i-can-help for more information or to book in a free consultation call, or find her on @feelfitwithlucy on Instagram and Facebook. 

In this episode, Louise and Michelle learn about another type of cani-sport as they chat to Ash and the hounds, who race in the DR4 rig class. Ash talks us through what the sport entails, her training, and her future hopes for the sport.

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to YouTube sensation That Spotty Dog Runs (well, his owner, Duncan!). Dizzy is a Dalmatian who loves to run, and his owner Duncan talks us through their training for upcoming races, as well as the eqipment they use to film their videos.
 
Half-marathon update ... Dizzy smashed it - 1st Dog by 18 minutes! 
 
Here is a list of links to videos referenced in the podcast.
 
YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@thatspottydogruns
Half-marathon: https://youtu.be/AmtDu83nvos
Interval training: https://youtu.be/VlAWfP7fI1Y
Hills: https://youtu.be/a4kCMBxQrK0
 
You can also follow @thatspottydogruns on Instagram