Running with the pack: the rise of canicrossing
This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to London
An owl hoots. Leaves rustle. Dozens of sheep’s eyes pierce the darkness. Then, as if flying across the black backdrop, red, green, violet and white lights stream by and add an extra touch of magic to a moonlit winter night ablaze with stars.
This is my pack: canicrossers. Dogs and runners, in the glow of their multicoloured collars and head torches, move rhythmically and soundlessly in a line along the crest of a hill. The run is exhilarating, and the below-zero temperatures refresh our faces.
Provan’s border collie Alfie (left) with pals Jasper and Gizmo at Wimpole Estate in CambridgeshireAlfie joined our family in the same year that I took to running, so the natural step was to yoke the two together. And so I discovered a flourishing community of canicrossers.
I run with Deepdale Doggers, which was created some years ago by a group of friends in Bedfordshire. Since 2016, membership, from teenagers to grandparents, has soared. Our patch extends all over Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire into East Anglia as we join regional groups with pun-filled names such as Barking Mad and Peterborough Paws. The National Trust’s Wimpole Estate, with its mansion and parklands, is a regular base.
In my canicrossing companion, I have discovered a personal trainer that is always enthusiastic, willing to go anywhere, up for adventure and, above all, ready and available at any time. It is never too far, cold, wet, early, late or dark. He will never say no.
Ian Bavin and Fudge on the Wimpole Estate canicross run. The exercise craze has soared in popularity in recent years
“Rain or shine the dogs are ready to run,” concurs Ginetta George, co-founder of UK-based DogFit, which provides kit and training. “It’s accessible to anyone and can be transformational for dogs and owners. It doesn’t matter if you are running one kilometre or a marathon. It’s about getting fit and enjoying the sport together. It 100 per cent increases the bond you have with your dog.”
Alfie, my five-year-old border collie, sees me pick up my trainers and belt and goes to wait by the front door. How can I change my mind now? His enthusiasm is infectious and soon we will be running through the woods together.
In Alfie, Provan has found ‘a personal trainer that is always enthusiastic, willing to go anywhere and up for adventure’Dogs thrive on the sport: they love being in a pack, as do we. As we gather to start our run, dogs of every colour and size go berserk. Alfie barks and squeaks with such excitement that all four paws leave the ground. He yanks at his bungee lead and spins and twirls beyond control. The noise of two dozen dogs is deafening.
A guide to assessing whether it is too hot to run with your dog is when the temperature multiplied by the humidity is higher than 1,000. Towards the end of the summer, dogs become more acclimatised and can cope with higher temperatures.
Are you a canicrosser, or would like to try it? Tell us in the comments
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This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Sarah Provan
