The autumn canicross season is here. Is your gear ready?

Whether you're fine-tuning your form for the trails or preparing for the World Championships, check your gear and let's get started.

Cool morning mist and falling leaves can only mean one thing for every canicross runner – the best time of the year is finally here! Temperatures have dropped below 15°C, so it's time to stop simply jogging and kick off the autumn season.

Whether you have an enthusiastic hobby dog at home and run purely for fun, or you're chasing every second on the race course, in canicross we're all pulling in the same direction.

As we head into the new season, let's remind ourselves of a few things that make canicross what it is.

Check your gear: the holy trinity of pulling sports

We all know that you can't do it without the holy trinity – a canicross belt, a bungee line and a properly fitted harness for your dog. Before the season gets underway, take a moment to check each piece of equipment.

Dog harness: does it still fit after the summer?

Dogs often change shape over the summer – they may build muscle, lose weight or shed their coat. Check that the harness fits snugly without putting pressure anywhere, allows the shoulders a full range of motion and does not dig into the soft tissues around the abdomen.

Running belt: the pull should sit low on your hips and rear

Inspect the straps and fastenings on your running belt or harness. A properly adjusted belt should keep the dog's pull low on your hips and rear. If it slides up towards your waist while running, you're potentially setting yourself up for back pain.

Bungee line: test it under load

Every piece of equipment takes a beating during intense training, so test your bungee line under load before the season starts. Check that the bungee still provides the right amount of resistance to absorb sudden jolts and that the carabiners close securely.

Autumn is also race season

The autumn season brings a packed calendar of canicross events. Whether you simply want to experience the atmosphere of a race or you're looking for a serious trail challenge, there are plenty of great races taking place across the Czech Republic.

See you at Brodský Camp

The next event where you can meet us with the MANMAT stand is the sled dog racing event at Brodský Camp near Červený Kostelec.

Canicross is open to experienced professionals with a racing licence, but runners who are just discovering the world of pulling sports with their dog are more than welcome too.

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Write to us at dog@manmat.cz or call +420 603 596 848. We'll reply with a specific recommendation on model and size. We do this every day — for customers in the Czech Republic and abroad.

Two notes. I used British spelling (colour, recognise, orthopaedic) since manmat.eu targets a broad European market — say the word if you'd prefer American spelling and I'll switch it. And the RUN LONG / SIBERIAN model names carry over exactly as in the Czech version, so the same check applies on your end.