The Rehab Rover Canicross and Trail Race - 10k, 5K, Casual Dog Friendy 5K and Virtual 5K

The Rehab Rover Canicross and Trail Race powered by Veterinary Rehabilitation Services of Virginia and Harness Canicular LLC presents the 2nd Annual Canicross race in the Commonwealth of Virginia! Whether you are joining us for fun or competing for a top spot on the podium, your bond with your dog will be strengthened as you navigate the trail together! Join us on October 4, 2025, for the best day with your dog!

The day is not just about running, walking, hiking, or hobbling on the trail. Join us for the Rehab Rover Finisher's Festival from 9 am - 2 pm (spectators and family welcome). The festival will be held near the historic Clifton house on the property, which is the hub of all of the operations and features The Dog House Biergarten, food trucks, music, and the Vendor Village with local craftsmen and dog products throughout. Cool off from your race, grab some food, and enjoy the relaxing environment and views from Clifton House.

Are you new to Canicross or have a dog in training? Join the 5k Dog-Friendly Trail run and take all the pressure off- just get out there and have fun with your dog. Do not have a dog - come join us with your friends and family!

We will start runners in teams of 3 at 1-2-minute intervals to eliminate crowding/bottlenecking on the course. The event is fully outdoors with ample space to distance. 

Every Participant will receive a logo race T-shirt and a finisher medal! *Note: T-shirt/size is not guaranteed if you register after August 31, 2025. 

Are you coming from out of state, or do you have a long drive? Make plans to Camp or bring your RV the night before or stay one night after the race. Do not forget to sign up during registration!

Not into camping but need a place to stay on the property for the event? The Clifton House  (www.cliftonhouse.farm) will have limited rooms available for the event. Please contact april@cliftonhouse.farm for reservations. 

Whiskers 2 Toes Canine Massage Therapy will be on site for the event, offering canine massage appointments for participant dogs. If you would like to book a therapeutic massage for your dog before or after the race, please contact Nancy Lilly at Nancy@whiskers2toes.com or call 540-846-3961. Laser and PEMF mat therapies are also available upon request.

Race Day Schedule: All races will be chipped-timed and have a rolling start based on event size. Canicross will have two-dog start lines in 10-second intervals. We will break up people into groups based on estimated finish times to pace our runners and prevent competitor congestion.

Packet Pickup will begin on-site on Friday at 4:00 pm along with a 7:15 am day of registration check-in. 

8:30 AM 10 K Canicross Start

9:00 AM 5k Canicross Start

9:30 AM 5K Casual Dog Friendly Run Start

Running Virtually? You will have until October 31, 2025 to submit your results online and see how you did against our other Virtual participants!

There will be 3 water/aid stations on the course at 1.0 mile intervals. 

We will have a professional photographer located at different points on the course. 

Although this is a dog event, we have a "NO GREET" POLICY. Dogs must be kept on a leash, and owner/handlers control at all times, both in the parking lot and event area. Dogs should not interact with other dogs or humans while attending our event. Reactive dogs will be directed to a special parking area to minimize their stress and contact with others. MUZZLES are allowed and can be worn on the course if the dog has ample room for panting. 

Volunteers Needed! If you can help during race day, it would be much appreciated! We will need help with both setup and breakdown and during races. If you would like to run and participate, we can accommodate you and offer our volunteers a discount on registration for participating. 

Event Area: Stick around for some of our vendors and dog-related sponsors! If you are a business and are interested in vending or sponsoring our event. Vendor form will be posted soon.

Sponsors: The Rehab Rover is excited to feature vendors and sponsors that support dog-related sports and activities. If you want to become a sponsor at our event, the form will be posted soon.

Weather contingency plan: The race committee feels that aside from a particularly extreme weather event, the race should be able to proceed as planned. However, in the event that conditions prevent the race from proceeding as planned, the first alternative will be to delay the start of the race until the weather event has cleared the area. The second alternative option is to convert the race to virtual if there is no way to continue as planned. 

Medical Response Plan: The Race Directors have considered a full spectrum of possible incidents and injuries in planning the event. The nature of dog-friendly and canicross racing requires competitors to be cognizant of their own and their dog's needs. Additionally, emergency response planning is required to address potential human and canine issues. Competitors will be allowed to carry their own cellular devices on course to call for help if race personnel are not in sight. Additionally, all race personnel must always carry a cellular device while on race grounds. 

Safety Briefings: Competitor briefing: participants will be briefed before the race starts. The race brief will include course details, known hazards, race rules, and emergency procedures. In the event of a minor injury to a human competitor, participants are to locate an aid station volunteer to seek access to first aid care. In the event of a significant injury to a human competitor, participants are to use their phone to contact 911 or contact the nearest course official or aid station volunteer. In the event of an injury to a canine competitor, participants are to work with the vet tech volunteer on-site to determine appropriate next steps.