Report from Grouse Grind

Team Frontrunners Well Represented at the Gruesome BMO Bank of Montreal Grouse Grind Mountain Run

On Sunday September 25th three Team Frontrunners athletes tackled the 15th annual BMO Bank of Montreal Grouse Grind Mountain Run. Famous for its steep elevation, this unique trail run goes nothing but up. Covering 853 meters in elevation in only 2.7km, “the trail is definitely steep” say’s local runner Stefan Jakobsen. “It was harder than I expected. Having never done the Grind, I was told to work the first quarter of the race quite hard, as this is the part of the course that is most runnable. When even this part of the course was tough to run, I realized how hard it was going to be”.

Jakobsen finished 3rd overall in the elite men’s competition, just over a minute behind the previous course record in a time of 28:34. The new course record would go to Vancouver runner Michael Simpson in a time of 26:26. Michael recently won at the LA Triathlon and is currently getting ready for the X-terra World Triathlon Championships in Maui late October. Second place went to UBC runner and Whistler Native, Morgan Titus in a time of 27:07, also under the course record.

Other Nanaimo runners to have success at the Grind were Ken Jones, Kari Macintyre and Donna Spencer. Rachel Buss of Vancouver won the elite women’s competition in a time of 34:38. Overall there were 479 finishes.

Race Stats:
Length of Grouse Grind: 2.9 km (1.8 miles)
Grouse Grind elevation gain: 853 metres (2,800 feet)
Average completion time: 1.5 hours
(Previous) Fastest completion time for men: 27:18 held by Derek Reed, set at the 1997 Grouse Grind Mountain Run.
Fastest completion time for women: 32:54 held by Kelly Matoul, set at the 2002 Grouse Grind Mountain Run.
Website – www.//hiking.grousemountain.com/grouse grind