Stair Climbing

For something different a met two of my running group buddies on Canada Day morning for a stair climbing workout. I have never done one before but have heard of other people incorporating it into their training.

We met at the Chedoke Golf Course in Hamilton, ON. We did a short warm up and then headed up the stairs! The first set we did had approximately 325 steps! Whew! At first you think, "this isn't so bad" and then you climb higher and higher and just getting one foot in front of the other feels like a feat! We walked up the stairs - I can't even imagine running up them.

After a nice light jog down the first step of stairs we ran a bit to the next set to go up and down those twice. This set of stairs had accurate numbering every 5 steps so I know we went 289 steps each time!

Chedoke Stairs

According to the Hamilton Public Library local history site there are currently 5 city built stairs up the escarpment. Might be a fun challenge for me before we move to have done them all! 

I did a quick search for stairs around the Toronto area and the Baldwin Steps appear to be another popular spot for fitness stair climbing.

Baldwin Steps Toronto, ON

There are also 5 sets of stairs in my home state of Minnesota that I have heard friends talk about in Stillwater. 

Stillwater, MN stairs

What stairs have you climbed for fitness? Do you do it regularly?