Canicross Conversations

Louise and Michelle chat to journalists Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson about their new book Ultra Women

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to Emily Thomas about her new book Canicross for Fitness and Fun

The festive season is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a collection of inspiring reads? 🎄📚 In Episode 142 of Canicross Conversations, we’re revisiting some of the most memorable books featured on the podcast. From captivating memoirs and training guides, to cookbooks and stories of resilience, these books offer something for everyone, whether you’re looking for inspiration or the perfect gift for a loved one. We share highlights from: Susie Chan (Trails and Tribulations) Allie Bailey (There Is No Wall) Lucy Waterlow (The Ultimate Guide to parkrun) Rachel Cullen (Running for My Life) Niki French (Stop Walking Your Dog!) Paul Besley (The Search) Juliet McGrattan (Run Well) Merili Freear (Just Run) …and many more! Join us as we reflect on these incredible reads and the inspiring conversations behind them. Don’t miss this cosy, book-filled episode that’s perfect for the festive season! 👉 Have a favourite running or dog-related book? Let us know - we love hearing your recommendations!

In today's fascinating episode, Louise and Michelle chat to writer Paul Besley all about his experiences of finding and training his Mountain Rescue Search Dog, Scout. It's a fascinating episode full of insights into training a working dog, and the human-dog bond. Paul's book, The Search: The life of a mountain rescue search dog team is out now

We know parkrun no longer allows canicross, BUT we also know a lot of you have many happy memories of parkrun as it turns 20 years old, and we also know many of you still run with your dog there (allowing for the new rules around dogs). Canicross Conversations wants to celebrate the world of parkrun on its 20th birthday, so Louise and Michelle chat to Lucy Waterlow, author of new book The Ultimate Guide to parkrun. A great episode whether you are a brand new or regular parkrunner.

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to World Champion dog sledder Vicki Pullin. This is a fascinating dive into the training, mindset and determination of an elite athlete. 

In this episode, Michelle and Louise chat to ultrarunner Susie Chan all about her dogs, and ultra running. We find out why her dog Roy is so named in an exclusive story never told before, and hear about a dog she encountered in the desert who joined in the multi-day race with the competitors.  Susie's new book, Trails and Tribulations, is out now

Michelle has a frank conversation with author and runner Rachel Ann Cullen about running for mental health, body image, strength training, challenging oneself, owning a dog (who doesn't run), and writing books.

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to dog trainer Niki French about her book, Stop Walking Your Dog. Niki works with a lot of nervous and reactive dogs, and her training philosophy is to stop doing those things that can be stressful to your dog until you can learn how to overcome them with patience and training. It's a radical approach that goes beyond what humans feel conditioned to do with their dogs, and Niki's interview is well worth a listen, as she gears up for #DontWalkYourDogDay on 2nd April, and gives listeners plenty of tips on how to provide brilliant mental and physical stimulation without going through your front door. We also ask her what she thinks of canicross ... Find out more about Niki and the awareness day here: https://puptalk.co.uk/  

In this heart-warming episode, Louise and Michelle find out more about ultra-runner Allie and her rescue dog, Pickle, and her new book, There Is No Wall. Allie Bailey is an ultrarunner, coach, speaker and podcaster who has run in some of the most extreme places in the world. She was the first woman to run 100 miles across frozen Lake Khövsgöl in Mongolia and to run the full length of the Panama Canal. She has crossed the inhospitable Namib Desert three times, run the length of the Outer Hebrides and completed a 1,000-mile off-road version of the classic Land’s End to John o’Groats route in just thirty days. Allie has finished over 200 marathons and ultramarathons all over the world, but the most remarkable thing about all of these achievements is that she accomplished most of them while battling depression and alcoholism. Although running ultimately became the vehicle that helped buy Allie the time to recover from a number of severe mental health breakdowns, it did not save her. In fact, there were times when it made her battle all the more difficult. After a seismic mental health crisis in 2021, Allie finally admitted to herself and those around her that she was an alcoholic and started her recovery. She left behind a dream career with major record labels and adventure companies and now works as a coach with a broad range of runners and endurance athletes, helping them unlock their full potential. In 2022, she was named as one of the most inspiring female adventurers in the UK by the Guardian, and she has appeared on numerous mainstream TV programmes including The One Show and Lorraine. She lives in Yorkshire with her rescue dog, Pickle.

In this episode, Louise and Michelle catch up again with physio and ultrarunner Nicky Edwards about her recent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and how she's adapting her training to achieve her ultimate goal of UTMB

In this episode, Michelle and Louise welcome Zoe Gow from Mindspace Journey to delve into how clinical hypnotherapy can strengthen the mind–body bond for runners, with a special nod to the unique connection between runners and their dogs. Zoe shares her personal journey from discovering hypnotherapy in the pandemic to training as a clinical hypnotherapist and supporting endurance athletes with performance, recovery and mental wellbeing. She explains how hypnotherapy works, the power of trance and subconscious suggestion, and how it complements sports psychology. The episode explores topics like calming pre‑race nerves, overcoming phobias (including goats on the Pennine Way!), stress relief, improving sleep, breath‑work and EFT tapping—even for the trail‑running duo of human and dog. Zoe outlines her typical six‑week programme, how it adapts for ultra‑runners, and shares practical tips and resources—including guided recordings and grounding techniques—for listeners to start applying immediately. This episode is a holistic guide to mental resilience, focus and relaxation, crafted to support both runners and their dogs.   Topics Introduction to hypnotherapy for runners Differentiating stage hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy How hypnotherapy can help with race anxiety, fuelling issues, breathing & confidence Defining hypnotherapy & explaining trance Supporting injury recovery and pain management Evidence and acceptance in sports psychology Phobias: e.g. goats on the Pennine Way Managing runner–and‑dog anxiety Sleep support for endurance events Introduction to EFT tapping for calm Links Mindspace Journey Instagram: @MindspaceJourney Zoe’s website Guided downloads: breath‑work, sleep‑audio, EFT sequence

In this episode, Michelle Mortimer and Louise Humphrey welcome Professor Dawn Carnes, an expert in musculoskeletal health and chronic pain psychology. Dawn introduces a cognitive-behavioural approach to help runners and canicrossers break through mental barriers. She explains how thoughts, emotions and behaviours are interconnected and offers practical strategies: insight into automatic negative thinking, goal‑setting with SMART objectives, problem‑solving, self‑visualisation, and self‑compassion.   Through a live demonstration, Michelle and Louise explore addressing motivations, reframing “chore” workouts (e.g. running intervals) into enjoyable alternatives (like netball), and challenging negative automatic thoughts mid-run. The episode concludes with encouragement to tackle fears one small step at a time, reinforcing that change is achievable by breaking tasks into manageable chunks.   Topics Cognitive‑behavioural triad: thoughts, feelings, behaviours Behavioural activation: how exercise lifts mood with dopamine/cortisol Finding enjoyable alternatives to boring workouts Problem‑solving demo: overcoming injury with strength training SMART goals explained Challenging negative self-talk & predictions Avoiding perfectionism & embracing fluctuations "Compare and despair”: the impact of social media Five-step action plan for sustainable change

In this episode, Louise and Michelle quiz podiatrist Kate Hammond about all those things you've always wanted to ask about looking after your feet, but have been too embarrassed or squeamish to ask. We cover: What size shoes to buy Does gait analysis matter? Socks Blister prevention and treatment Athlete's foot Losing a toenail Plantar fasciitis It's a fascinating episode, and we certainly learned loads!

In today's special episode, we're diving back into an insightful chat we had with Karen Weir, an expert in menopause and strength and conditioning. This clip, recorded in March 2023 explores how the natural changes in our bodies during menopause affect our running. Karen breaks down the physical shifts we experience and offers advice on the way we train and eat. You can listen to the full episode (55) here: https://www.canicrossconversations.co.uk/e/why-is-strength-training-so-important-to-runners-during-perimenopause/

In this episode, we chat to Dr Juliet McGrattan, author, speaker and former GP, about running and alcohol.   We answer all the common questions, such as: - is a daily glass of red wine really good for our health? - is that post-race beer helpful? - can you sweat out a hangover? - how does alcohol affect sleep quality and recovery? - is there a safe amount of alcohol consumption for athletes that won’t hinder training or performance? - how does alcohol impact our hormones?   NEW - Stay tuned for our newest feature, Myth Buster, where we tackle common misconceptions.   You can follow Dr Juliet McGrattan on Instagram    If you need support with your alcohol consumption, the NHS website is a good place to start

In this episode, Louise and Michelle welcome back journalist and business coach Rachel Spencer for a chat about how to build good habits. We chat about what a habit is (and isn't!), how to make habits stick, and how to overcome the obstacles that keep us from making long-lasting changes. We also talk about strategies to stop habits that might not be so helpful to us as well. Whether you're working to improve your fitness, build consistency with your training, or set yourself up for success in any other part of life, this episode is packed with insights that are bound to help.   About Rachel  Rachel Spencer is a freelance writer specialising in the pet industry for national newspapers and magazines focusing on human interest stories, health, trends and technology. She works with pet business owners helping them raise their profile in the media and clients have appeared in the Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, BBC Breakfast, Mail Online, Daily and Sunday Express, and a host of pet titles like Edition Dog, Your Dog, Your Cat and industry titles including Pet Gazette and Pet Business World. Each week she shares tips on how small businesses can secure coverage on the Publicity for Pet Businesses podcast. Rachel provides consultancy services and runs a publicity coaching programme helping pet businesses stand out from the competition.    Find out more at www.publicityforpetbusinesses.co.uk    You can also find Rachel here:   https://www.instagram.com/rachelspenceruk https://www.facebook.com/rachelspenceruk https://twitter.com/rachelspenceruk https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelspenceruk/   Recommended Reading Atomic Habits by James Clear This is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to make small changes that lead to significant results. Clear breaks down the process of habit formation into actionable steps and shares practical tips for building habits that last. It’s all about focusing on small, 1% improvements that compound over time. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg The book explains the ‘habit loop’ - a cue, routine, and reward - which drives human behaviour. Duhigg discusses how we form habits and how they can be reshaped to achieve goals. It’s a great read for anyone looking to create lasting change for personal growth and business success.

In this episode, Louise and Michelle chat to Nicky Edwards, a physiotherapist and experienced marathon runner. Together, they question Nicky on the key aspects we should be focusing on in training to help us prevent injury, including: strength training mobility recovery adapting training as we age the dangers of overtraining optimising training around hormonal changes, including menopause how to avoid common running injuries

Louise and Michelle chat to Kate Percy, a nutritionist with three best-selling cookbooks who helps people discover that magic link between what you eat, good energy, vitality and happiness. Lots of great information in this episode for runners, those experiencing menopause, and those finding cooking for a family challenging! We also want to know: does your dog eat a healthier diet than you?!  https://www.katepercys.com/

Today's planned guest has lost her voice, so Louise and Michelle chat about the one thing that is missing from many runners' training: accountability! Could accountability be the one thing that takes your running to the next level?