Wow did I have wakeup call today. It was really illuminating, my first unofficial “training” for the Stair Climb event in March.
I work in a building that is 18 stories (ie 36 flights) high. I thought it would be interesting to climb the entire height of it after work, just to get a sense of what it would feel like.
WELL. It was … interesting.
First, it felt like pain. Like after the 2nd story. My thighs were screaming out, like, WTH are you DOING TO ME?!!?!? in chorus. Secondly, I was definitely “fighting for air” and not in the metaphorical sense. In the real sense. Pant! Pant!
But the weirdest thing was how fast it went. I mean, I went up to the 21st story (ie roof) so actually climbed 20 stories (40 flights) in about six minutes, or two songs’ worth on my iPod. That was just… weird. I guess I just expected it to take me at least half an hour. But a flight of steps, although STRAIGHT UP, is not that much actual distance. So. That was just a strange thing to wrap my head around.
So I guess I’m gonna have to roughly do my building times 3. All at once. Hmph. I was really not sprinting, I was pretty much walking steady. It was hard. It hurt. But it went… FAST! Which is I guess the very good thing about this activity.
Speaking of the Stair Climb, have you put in your donation yet? So you can win a pretty quilt? Please please do!
foodfoodbodybody 
February 9, 2011 at 7:29 am
uh wow.
you, lady are HARD OF CORE.
February 9, 2011 at 9:27 am
I did 20 floors two years ago and it was incredibly hard! As you say, pretty much from the start it hurt and robbed me of my breath. But yes, it was over so quickly!
Good job on six minutes!
February 9, 2011 at 4:37 pm
I am only on the third floor of my office building, but its amazing how out of breath I get climbing the stairs – way more huffing and puffing than a treadmill!
My husband is out of work, having cancer surgery next week – if I had any extra cash I’d love to donate to you – best of luck though!
February 9, 2011 at 8:32 pm
biz, sending best wishes to you and your family. oxoxo
February 11, 2011 at 9:54 pm
I feel your pain! I ran up 12 flights of stairs today and seriously thought the Grim reaper wasngonna hook me right there. I’m at a conference with a LOT of older people and not enough elevators, so I hoofed it. Yay me!
February 12, 2011 at 2:17 am
You are a stair climbing maven!!! Have a great weekend.
February 13, 2011 at 7:48 pm
Funny how you can be a good runner, maybe have great stamina swimming and hiking and then you tackle stairs and are brought to your knees!!! OUCH.
There was a time when once or twice a week I would spend a good 50-75 minutes on the stairmaster at the gym. I’d be drenched in sweat and burned tons of calories. It takes practice to build up stair stamina. It’s so unique to anything else!
March 10, 2011 at 8:40 pm
I have bad knees so I tend to avoid climbing too many stairs. I don’t mind climbing stairs, I’d rather do that than take an elevator, it’s just I get mesmerized walking down, & have trouble not falling. I’m on the 26th floor at work, so I kinda have to take the elevator, else it takes forever. One evening the other yr, the elevator broke, and I had to walk down 26 flights. That wouldn’t have been as bad, except I had a bad cold that was really a lung infection and could scaresely breathe just walking. By the time I got done those flights, I tried walking to the gym and collapsed onto a side walk after just a block, and had to give up & go home. Yukky stairs! Good luck on your stair climby thingie!