🐾 Weekly Club Social Run 🐾
We are going to once again hit the Riversands Trails this weekend. I will soon be able to start switching it up with some REALLY COOL new trails for you all to explore but for this coming Saturday it’s going to be easier to stick to our well known trusty fave at Riversands once again.
📅 Date: Saturday 21st February
⏰ Time: 07h00
📍 Location: Riversands Farm Village
📌 Meeting point: On the field between the coffee shop and the dam
🗺 Route and venue info:
The route is a well marked and maintained lap. The trail starts at the dam. Turn right for the 5 km route or continue straight for the 2.5 km option. The 5 km route leaves the property through a large gate on the perimeter, does a circuit close to the SPARK high school, then tracks back into the Riversands property, going around the perimeter before heading back towards the Riversands Farm Village area over the pedestrian bridge.
🚨 IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The gate between the pedestrian bridge over the river and the field at the start and finish area is now being kept locked. When you go over the pedestrian bridge at the end, continue straight up past the car park and return to the Start and Finish field via the main entrance gate.
You are very welcome to join us afterwards at the outdoor seating area at the Farm Village where we can enjoy a well deserved coffee together ☕🐕
🌦 Weather forecast for Saturday morning:
Cloudy with a chance of early morning rain. Temperature around 18°C at 07h00, warming slightly as the morning progresses.
⚠️ Important reminders
- Runs are postponed if temperatures exceed 25°C or if there is lightning nearby
- Please arrive slightly early, at social runs we run together as a group and share key info before departure
- Reactive dogs with yellow collars go ahead, please give them a wide berth
- When overtaking, call out “passing left” or “passing right” loud and clear to the other team
- Reinforce the “on by” cue and remember to praise when your dog reacts to it
- Allow dogs to settle into the environment before the start, mill about calmly
- Redirect fixation immediately with a calm “leave”, gentle upward leash tap, change direction and move away. Avoid dragging your dog backwards on the leash as this escalates tension
- Dogs must not interact at any point when in Canicross mode, keep two leash lengths between you and other teams
- Water bowls will be available at the finish. Bring a fold up bowl if your dog may need a small amount of water mid run
- I always have first aid, extra water and sunscreen and will stay at the back. Hang back if you need anything
- Please advise me beforehand of any changes to you or your dog’s medical information, any new injuries, any updates to your emergency contact info, or if your bitch could be in heat
- Ensure vaccinations and tick prevention are up to date 🕷️
- Warm up properly including pre run massage, start slow and cool down well after
- No food and start limiting water 1 hour before running. Offer small amounts of water post run until your dog has cooled down sufficiently
- Bring poop bags and clean up after your dog
💡 Top tip:
Arrive with your dog in a normal walking collar or harness, switch into Canicross gear at the venue, and remove it straight after the run. This helps with conditioning and signals the return to normal social mode – perfect for post-run coffee and brekkie when we want them to stop pulling and start heeling so we can drink our coffee in peace ☕🐕
🐾 Canicross guidance
In any Canicross activity, your dog should be running happily ahead of you. If your dog falls behind and you end up pulling them along instead, it’s instant disqualification.
You’re a binomial team, you need to move together at the pace of the slowest teammate. If your dog lags, stop immediately and check why. If it’s unusual, or you notice tiredness, injury, or illness, get your dog checked by a vet before Canicrossing again.
If it’s a fitness gap, slow down and build your dog’s fitness up more gradually.
And to address the more common reality in this regard, to our enthusiastic four-legged teammates: we ask that you please follow this rule closely too. Listen for the ‘steady’ cue or your human’s heavy panting, and be gentle with your human. You will need to gradually increase your human’s fitness levels over time.
🐾 Social run reminder
This is a social run, not a race. Enjoy the pack, practice skills, and condition your dog in a relaxed, supportive space. Go at your own pace, there is no official timing.
That said, we do keep track of team PBs and times, so after the run please send your 2.5 km or 5 km time so we can update the log ⏱️
Really looking forward to seeing you all.
LLLLEEEETTTTTSSSSSS GGGGOOOooooooooooo… 🐕🦺🏃♀️