Hi

HOw do you all keep fit enough for agility? I ran Vince today and was absolutely knackered!!

Next week I am running both Tess and Vince and don't know how I'm going to do it!! nailbiting

I don't really have time to go to the gym so I'm thinking of trying some walking / jogging on their morning walks. This will be a killer for me.

Anyone got any tips on what to wear to stay warm but not become boiling hot and how to get fitter?

I've got the same problem having given the dogs a month off training, then Christmas, and general apathy!! I've started training again and am I unfit or what?!!

What I'm doing is combining my evening walk with the youngsters with running - we run two lamp-posts, then walk two lamp-posts. Hopefully I'll be able to build this up and it'll also help the dogs' fitness. I don't take the oldies because it would be too hard for my old boy, and two dogs on-lead running down the pavement is quite enough - so they have a separate short walk.

I keep having big ideas of going to the gym or swimming but it seems such a waste of tiime when I could be involving the dogs! Also I know I'd do it for a couple of weeks then stop going.

That's what I thought Carol I'd rather be exercising with the dogs than without!

I am so unfit that I will start with walk, jog walk and build up to running.

Silly question - what will you wear? I'm always freexing when I leave and boiling when I get home!!

I go on a 8 mile road walk 3 times a week with the kai and Moss, and a 4 mile jog every other morning with Kai.

Re: clothes, two pairs of trousers seems to be good.. and body warmers are good for layers but not too hot! :)

Oops, when I said run, I meant jog!! I just wear what I wear walking, but maybe a layer less - bodywarmers are great if it's not too cold. The only difference is I wear trainers.

its the agility thats gettin me fitter hehe

Yes, you'll gradually get fitter as you keep doing the agility.

I just do the very brisk walking and make sure you do some hills and uneven ground too. You can burn just short of 300 calories an hour walking uphill.
I walk really quick and I often experience a "High", when I do it. You get a strange but nice feeling in your chest and a strong uplifted feeling and you feel like you're moving ten times faster than you are and floating along. Almost like you are running but are only walking. I never tire out walking like this. It gets the blood pumping but without tiring me out. I can walk like that for hours....so long as I had some food, haha.

I think that coupled with just doing the agility like Lou said will help you improve.

I also train in martial arts and some of the warming up stuff we do there helps keep me fit.

I don't run all that much but I don't have much of a problem running when wearing the right stuff like trainers rather than my heavier cloddier dog walking boots. My main issue is in winter when trying to run when you have all your heavy clobber on and it tires you out quicker and makes you boil up. In the warmer months, this isn't such an issue.

I go to the gym on the treadmill and cross trainer. The dogs don't get that much exercise over winter as it is dark before and after work so they are only getting street walking - there is no way I am jogging with 4 dogs round the village lol! In summer I jog and run (a lot of agility is sprint) over the fields when the dogs are off lead.

I have found agility so much easier when I am fit, especially with Ember as she gets so frustrated when I am miles behind and it means I can push Rum as the faster I go the faster he goes - Ember and Cas just go as fast as they can no matter what I am doing lol!

The problem with running in the summer is eating/breathing in flies jawdrop