Rooftop track a first

Written By MARK PAVILONS

The sky is the limit at Core Athletics.

The state-of-the-art fitness club in King City has officially unveiled its new rooftop track and workout facility, the first of its kind in Canada.

“It's something we just came up with when designing the facility,” said Mary Triano, owner of Core Athletics. “Our winters are so long, that we figured it would be nice to be working outside when you can.”

Inspired by her own experience with outdoor boot camps and training sessions, the fresh air would always do the body well, yet they still lacked the professional atmosphere of a proper workout facility.

“It would often be in places like parking lots, where you have to move when a car comes, or it's dirty…we wanted to give people the opportunity to work out in a proper facility, but still with the open air.”

The building was designed with the rooftop track in mind from the start, with special flooring installed to accommodate for the plushy turf that would soon serve as the track's surface.

With the club opened last fall, Triano had to wait until May for her rooftop vision to begin coming to fruition, opening last month to serve the club's members.

“We do the majority of our classes outside as well,” said Triano. “We have the rooftop yoga, we do boot camp out there, Pilates…the only classes that we don't are spin, and the TRX,” which require equipment only available indoors.

This motto seems to have boded well with the club's members, of whom Triano said have given plenty of positive feedback.

“The members all love it. There are a lot of runners that love it as well, especially those that can't run on cement anymore.”

The turf track gives support that running on a hard surface cannot, which Triano said can be hard on a runner's hips.

“Because we use all turf, instead of rubber for the track, it gives the runner padding for a nice, cushy feeling beneath their feet. It's therapeutic.”

Designed with the short summers, and long, long winters in mind, Triano is hoping the all-turf facility will be able to withstand the conditions as late into the year as possible.

“As long as we can keep it open before it actually snows,” said Triano.

Located at the King's Ridge Marketplace at King and Dufferin, the facility also boasts state-of-the-art cardio, strengthening and functional training equipment, free weights, infrared saunas and the Core Café.

To learn more visit www.coreathleticclubs.ca.