First Stair Climb Completed

[dukelover3130]

This past weekend I participated in the American Lung Associations Fight for Air Stair Climb at Rainier Tower in Seattle, WA. 

 

The building has 40 floors and participants could climb up to 4 times. I opted for just climbing once, as this was my first stair climb and I didn't want to overdo it. When people asked me how fast I wanted to finish, I told them 15 mins, since that was the average and I felt like I could do that. Secretly though, I wanted to climb it in 13 mins. I don't know why 13, it just seemed like a good number.

 

I was extremely nervous on race day because I'd been working towards this for a while and wanted to "succeed", whatever that meant. I told myself I had to keep my emotions and adrenaline in check so I didn't get gassed too quickly. My plan was to take two stairs at a time the whole way up, since I'd been training like that. As soon as I got into the stairwell I could tell these steps were steeper than normal so taking two at a time would be difficult. However, I knew my legs were in good enough shape that I could stick to my original plan. 

 

About halfway through the climb, I could taste irony bits of mucus in my throat and I thought I should take a break to catch my breath, but I was so focused on time that I kept going. I only stopped 2 or 3 times as a person needed to pass me. Once I got to the top I guzzled down any water I could get my hands on. I had no idea how fast I had just completed the climb. I didn't know exactly what time I started. All I knew was that my Jawbone UP told me I had finished a 23 min workout, but I had started the timer on that much earlier than I got into the stairwell.

 

As I was riding in the elevator back down to the first floor, I realized that my legs felt pretty great and debated climbing again; however, I knew that my lungs could not do it. My throat hurt so bad and I just kept coughing to try to loosen the mucus in my throat. 

 

I checked the race results religiously for the next hour or so with no luck. At this point I was having a mini freakout thinking that my timing chip had not worked or something. I checked one more time at noon and much to my delight, the scores were posted. I searched my bib number 105 and was incredibly happy to see that I'd finished the race in 10:01!!!!!!!!! 

 

I was 3 mins under my secret goal time and 5 mins under my publi goal time :-). Out of the 80 people who climbed 40 floors, I finished 32nd and I was 7th out of 16th in my division (females 20-29). 

 

I am so proud of myself and grateful for everyone that helped me get to that point. I'd participated in a couple of 5ks before, but they were nothing like this. Probably because I didn't fully run them and hadnt trained for them like I'd done for this stair climb. It is so rewarding to have found an exercise that I truly enjoy and get so much out of. 

 

I'm now going to start preparing for the next climb, whatever it may be. I'm hoping to get signed up for a climb at the Sears Tower in Chicago in November!

 

[Moriartea_time]

Hello fellow Washingtonian! Grats on your climb!

[dukelover3130]

Thanks Moriartea! :-)