Loves me some hills!

Just got back from teaching one of my outdoor bootcamp classes.  I love teaching outdoor bootcamp!  I feel like the bossy kid in the playground who everyone listens to.  I tell them to run to that tree and do burpies and they run to that tree and do burpies.  I tell them to run up a hill, they run up that hill.  I tell them to run up the same hill backwards, they run up that same hill backwards - it's great!

Speaking of hills here's a fun drill for you to do, or if you teach outdoor bootcamp do this with your group as a fun drill.  Find a shortish hill (the steeper the better), start from the bottom and have them run forward 10 steps then come back down to the bottom.  Next they run forward 20 steps then come back down to the bottom.  Then 30 and so forth until they do enough steps to reach the top of the hill.  It keeps everyone focused because you have to count, and it's a great way to use up some time.  Also you can either run it or walk it so it's great for any fitness level.

I did something today I don't normally do.  This weekend, as I mentioned in my last post, I'm doing the Kelowna Gran Fondo.  Today I was looking at the site and for some reason I looked at the description of the course.  Normally I like to go into these types of rides ignorant of what's to come - that way I can't obsess and stress out about what I have to do.  So here's what I found out: there's a hill that has a 22% grade!  Say WHAAAAT????  I don't think I've ever climbed a hill that steep!  They tried to sugar coat it by saying it's only for 3 blocks, but I'm betting it's going to be the 3 longest blocks of my life!  And there's another hill that's not quite as steep (starts off at a 14% grade) but it's about 7km long!!  And then I have to go down the other side!!  What have I done!

Oh well, nothing like a good challenge and some sheer terror to make you feel alive : )  Good thing the friends we're visiting up there own a winery (Rollingdale Winery) - I think I'll need a bit of wine after all that (or maybe before would be better).

Speaking of wine, I'm off to have a delicious glass of shiraz and some dinner.