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02X Summit Challenge takes it to the max

Grouse Mountain hosting race organized by Navy SEAL duo
02X
02X Summit Challenge events kick off up at the O2X Base Camp beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. with the race starting at the base of Grouse Mountain on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

O2X Summit Challenge, BaseCamp at top of Grouse Mountain, July 10 and 11. For details visit o2x.com/challenge/grouse.

The 02X Summit Challenge takes place at Grouse Mountain on Saturday, and as race organizers Paul McCullough and Adam La Reau say, "It's got nothing to do with the Grouse Grind."

The 02X Summit Challenge will appeal to adventurers who might already have participated in Spartan or Tough Mudder style events, except, as McCullough and La Reau point out, "all of the obstacles you'll face on 02X Summit Challenges are naturally occurring."

Participants can look forward to vaulting over fallen logs, scrambling up rocky chutes, splashing through shallow creeks and generally getting sweaty, dirty, and being thoroughly knackered by the time they complete the eight-kilometre course and its grueling 840-metre elevation gain.

The two American race organizers served their country for over a decade in the elite U.S. Navy SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) forces. As McCullough explains, "SEAL training is not about physical deprivation as much as it is about mental preparation and teamwork."

In a sense, McCullough and La Reau want to bring the inward lessons learned during their extreme SEALS training to a broader audience.

The O2X Summit Challenge stands out in other ways. The O2X Rise Higher Award recognizes the most inspiring racer story as nominated by fellow participants and spectators prior to the event, and participants are encouraged to reflect upon and share their experiences—once they recover. Race participants and their friends are encouraged to attend an outdoor campfire session on Friday evening that will feature an inspiring presentation by Paralympic gold medalist Josh Dueck, the first paraplegic skier to complete a front flip. 
 
Competitors will utilize the Flaik, a GPS-enabled route tracking program that allows racers to review their pace and progress along the course, and to re-live their race and share it on social media at the end of the day. As an incentive to go faster, there’s a $500 first prize for the top male and female finishers. 
 
With plenty of space for hosting both race participants and spectators, Grouse Mountain promises to be a great venue for the O2X Summit Challenge. Public relations and social media manager Jacqueline Blackwell says, “Vancouverites love a good challenge and our staff have been working with race organizers to create a race course that take participants to places on the mountain that not many people get to see.”
 
Lululemon Athletica has signed on as the title sponsor for O2X’s three-race series, and participants will receive a limited edition Metal Tech short sleeve shirt. Karen O’Connor, Lululemon athletica’s Global Events manager says, “The O2X Summit Challenge Series is an event created for the whole athlete (mind and body) and isn’t exclusively a physical challenge. O2X embodies a parallel approach to mindfulness as lululemon, making this a natural partnership.”