Kačka is our colleague who has energy to spare. She is a mother of two children, a wife, and a dog owner for whom exercise is an integral part of life. In addition to her family and work, she devotes a lot of time to sports, and her life is full of movement. Whether it's tabata, canicross, agility, or long dogtreks with her dog Rejža. She rarely turns down a sporting or social challenge. Even colleagues from our company attend her Tabata classes.
Her life motto is clear: „Together we can do it!" ♥️
Honestly, sometimes it's a bit of a logistical challenge, but when you have support, anything is possible. My parents, husband, and children support me, and even though they sometimes think I'm crazy, they know that it energizes me and that I can't live without it. So my grandmothers help with babysitting, and when I can, I take my family with me.
Just recently, I needed a substitute grandmother for a whole week. I participated in the Erasmus Sport+ program in Portugal, right in Lisbon. Every day, the other instructors from our team and I went to lessons similar to a fitness organization and learned how they do it. We shared our experiences with them. And we also had some time left over for traveling and going to the beach. It was a great experience.
It's great. In class, they have to listen to me :D Tabata has a different energy than work, and it's wonderful to see my colleagues push themselves and give it their all. I push them a little, and even though they complain, they're happy afterwards. We also laugh a lot during the classes. And that's important, not to take it too seriously. Plus, it allows us to get to know each other in a different environment—it's not just about our work roles, but also about sharing the joy of movement.
I enjoy sharing my energy and joy of movement, helping women improve their fitness and raise their bar.
We all know what it's like when we have a bad day. We're tired, and all we want to do is curl up on the couch. But we push ourselves to exercise, the class is energetic, the trainer is full of joy, and that immediately rubs off on everyone else, and everyone feels good again. We recharge our batteries and go home in a better mood and feeling refreshed. I hope that's how it works in my classes. Come and try it out for yourself.
(laughs) What's that? For me, relaxation means active movement—when I go for a run in the woods, I clear my head better than on the couch. And when I really need to unwind, I go for a massage, a beauty treatment, or a glass of wine with a friend, or to a concert.
Walking, so dogtrekking. I love long walks and trips. You get to relax mentally and meet lots of nice people. You find beautiful places, and when you come across a great café or pub, it's the best day ever.
Thankfully, yes. With a crazy mom like me, they didn't have much choice. I laughingly say that they were born with hiking boots on their feet. They enjoy sports, try different kinds, see how much joy it brings us, and we spend time together. I'm very happy about that, and I hope it lasts.
Well, sometimes he complains that I have to go somewhere again. But then he drives me to the race anyway and helps me get my gear ready. He went with us on our first dogtrek with Rejža because I didn't want to go alone after a break of several years. He managed it even without training, but he doesn't need as many kilometers to be happy as I do.
I don't think so. We're always traveling somewhere, climbing mountains, swimming in lakes, camping. But we've also gone to the movies and the theater a few times. We're just an active family, and we show our kids all the things we can experience together. I'm glad they know the world around them and enjoy discovering it.
A friend introduced me to it back in 2012. He had two pointing dogs and needed to tire them out. He knew I was up for anything fun, so I set off with my first Ridgeback, Harwik. No training, no preparation, we just packed our 20-kilogram backpacks, borrowed a harness, and went. I have fond memories of that time. It was completely different from today. Back then, it was mainly about covering kilometers within a time limit, not about speed. There was time to sit in a pub. Now everything is faster, and treks are more like runs.
Rejža and I started dogtrekking last year. But we had already done some preparation and training. Our first experience was the Extreme Dog Race virtual race. In three months, we managed to walk 620 km. In May 2024, I signed us up for our first dogtrek, and we went straight for the "long" one, which suited us fine. We managed 93 km in 28 hours and did a lot of running. It was amazing, a beautiful route, great weather, and we really enjoyed it.
The next race of the season was a bit of a surprise. I signed us up for the long race and expected the usual route of around 90 km. But lo and behold, the map showed 99 km. At first, I thought the organizers had made a mistake. It was a challenge. When you're mentally prepared for 90 km, those last 10 km are damn hard, and it really hurts at the time. I had to push myself mentally. But then the feeling when you reach the finish line is just amazing. I probably do it for that feeling. I test myself to see how much I can endure and what I can handle, and when I succeed, I'm very proud of myself.
I was so proud of our team at this year's last race. It was a 70 km race in the Highlands. So it was easy for us, and I decided that we would try it without a bivouac; we would just walk it in one day. I had also wanted for a long time to go to a race on my own and really have to rely only on myself. So my wish came true. During the whole day, Rejža and I only met one other competitor for 10 minutes. He then ran ahead, and I had to think about everything and keep an eye on things myself. But the route, the weather, and the mood were great, so we just tried to run as fast as we could. The kilometers suddenly flew by quite quickly, and I was driven by the feeling that we could actually do it and wouldn't have to suffer in the dark for too long. Walking alone through the forest at night with a headlamp is not exactly my favorite part of the race😄
And we did it! We covered 70 km in 14 hours and came in 2nd place in our category. This time, my husband and children were waiting for us at the finish line, and I cried with happiness like a baby after finishing. It was an incredible experience for me.
Dogtrekking is my addiction, and it does not need to be cured.
There isn't much special preparation—it's more about your lifestyle. I'm an active person, and Rejža chose our family, so she doesn't have a chance to slack off 😃
I walk a lot, every day to and from work, Rejža and I go running, and sometimes my husband and I go on 40–50 km day-long treks. We also do agility training and now canicross, and I go to strength training (tabata) twice a week. Rejža also goes for Dorn method treatment once every six months, and I sometimes go for a massage. We just keep ourselves fit together.
Every trek is completely different, and I'm still gaining experience. But generally, I get up around five, feed Rejža, walk her, give her an energy drink, have a little something myself, pack my backpack, hop into my harness, and off we go. Sometimes we go alone, other times we meet other competitors. When possible, we stop for soup, and then we rest or continue walking, depending on our strength. Sometimes we even run. It depends on the weather, the route, and luck.
We sleep in a bivouac, sometimes in the woods, at a bus stop, or even under a bush in the middle of a village. I carry a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat, and a blanket for Rejža. I try to walk 60 km on the first day and sleep there. When I wake up, I find out what hurts, have some sugar, and keep going, telling myself, "Just a little further, and we'll be there." The second day is noticeably harder, but after a few kilometers, my body warms u,p and nothing hurts anymore.
Don't be afraid and just go for it. You don't have to go on a long trip right away; there are shorter routes too. You get to see new places, switch off your mind (just be), and enjoy time with your four-legged partner. Plus, dogtrekkers are amazin,g crazy people and a lot of fun to be with, just like me 😊
