Lung health research
Friends pace the mountain and make it count
Six friends from Greater Vancouver put their lung capacity to the test this summer in support of lung health and clean air. Their challenge: to scale the Grouse Mountain Grind as many times as they could. The result: more than $3,500 in donations to the BC Lung Association!
They call themselves the 'Super Grinders,' and they're members of the BC Lung Association's SUPERTEAM! for Clean Air, an initiative which challenges British Columbians to design their own fitness goals to raise money in support of the cause.
"This is the first charity challenge I've taken on - and it's great motivation," says Super Grinder Will Chen. "I grew up in Taiwan where the population is dense, garbage and pollution is always a problem and the air pollution we had gave me a lot of breathing problems. As a result, I have always been an advocate of recycling and doing what one can for the environment," said Chen. "If every one of us can do a little, it will add up to a lot."
"We created what we call the SUPERTEAM! for Clean Air Challenge," said Jessa Blades, Events Coordinator for the BC Lung Association, "because we believe a lot fo people are concerned about clean air, as well as about keeping physically healthy. And if you think about it, when you ditch your car and start walking, running or climbing, you're not only improving your lung health, you're also doing your part to improve the quality of air we all breathe."
Often referred to as 'Mother Nature's Stairmaster,' the Grouse Grind is a 2.9 km trial leading hikers up the face of Grouse Mountain. "It's not for the faint of heart," said Super Grinder Jason Chong. "The Grouse Grind is physically challenging but it's worth the effort. You feel great when you reach the top, and if you pace yourself, it's really not so bad. Of course, it's getting easier for me now that I climb the mountain nearly every day."