Decisions, decisions.
I attacked the Grouse Grind again this past weekend, and to my own surprise, it wasn’t as bad as the first few times I tackled it. I even found I had enough energy at the very top to sprint up the last few hundred metres into the clearing.
Unfortunately, when I first set my fitness plan goals, I had hoped to do the Grouse Grind once a week. That has obviously not happened. Summer is a busy time, and with a multitude of friends coming to visit me from back east, there were much more fun things to do than torture myself climbing a mountain.
From this weekend’s adventure, however, I have been reminded of the benefits of the Grind. Not only did I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment upon completion, I sweat out all the toxins in my body (many times over), got a great (and free!) cardio vascular workout, but as I noticed on my regular run last night, breathing is so much easier on flat ground. I shaved maybe 10 minutes off my typical run time just due to the increased elasticity in my lungs.
One of my goals for 2010 is to run the Vancouver half marathon, so I think using the Grind to build endurance will be a great asset. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it back a few more times before it closes for the season. Luckily, another friend of mine arrives later this week, and she happens to be the fittest Ontarian I know, so we’ll see is she survives the Grind. This might provide some evidence to support my theory regarding different fitness standards between provinces. I’ll keep you up to date on my findings.
Those are my feet, I swear!
{ 5 comments }
please explain the baden powell sign and its connection to girl guides (if any)
Vancouver Half? Exciting goal!
According to my good friends at Wikipedia, the Baden-Powell trail was named after Robert Paden-Powell who founded the scouting movement. His sister, Agnes Smyth Baden-Powell, established the Girl Guides, as the female counterpart to the Boy Scouts.
Nothing like some old time sibling rivalry, huh?
If those are really your feet then I must say that you’ve got some well-defined calves!!!
The grouse grind sounds more like an intense trekk up the Himalayan mountain… I hope you have an automated external defibrillator for your friend!!
It must be all the hills around Vancouver. It’s a free glute and leg workout, thats for sure.
As luck would have it, Tracy, I’m trained to use a portable defibrilator. I’m sure it won’t be necessary though.
Comments on this entry are closed.