
I started out on September 4, a Saturday. I decided to start at the basement and see how far I could go. After eight minutes, I was up on the fifth floor, and I thought I was going to die. My legs throbbed, my lungs felt heavy, and it hurt to breathe. I didn't think I would be able to make 26 floors in just a little over a month.

I made a chart and planned out my daily stair routine, gradually increasing the floors. After over a month of training, the morning of October 10th came. My sister and I headed downtown for my event, and as we boarded the Blue Line, the marathon runners were passing by, starting mile 16. It was profoundly inspirational, and I hope to be one of them someday.

We met up with Lorelei (a friend of mine from work), my cousin Sarah, and Sarah's boyfriend Marty, and we all headed into the building.

I think it's important to note again that the first day, I did five floors in about eight minutes. I wasn't really interested in timing myself during the race - it wasn't about speed, just completion. I wanted to set a goal and meet it. Unofficially, though, I prayed I would be able to finish it in less than an hour. After the first day, I was really concerned that I would not be able to make it.
I started up the stairs, and everyone else headed to the elevator to meet me at the first rest point (the fourth floor).

I passed all the landmarks I had come to notice while training - like a used dryer sheet in the corner of the landing between floors 7 and 8, and a sticker someone stuck to the wall between floors 15 and 16.

Finally, as I charged up the stairs to floor 26, I was overcome with a feeling of success. I did it. Me! Mary! The girl who used to take the elevator up one floor to see the secretary! I raced up twenty-six floors - or fifty-two flights - of stairs. I freakin' did it!
Everyone was there, cheering me on. As I reached the stop, I called out, "Time!" Sarah had gotten distracted for about a second or two, so she quickly went to check the stopwatch.
Nine minutes, 0.82 seconds.
It would have been under nine, but that hardly matters. A month and a few days earlier, it took me almost that long to do five floors. Now, on 10/10/10, I did nearly the whole building. It was incredible. I didn't cry, though I kind of wanted to. We walked around the 26th floor, and I didn't think about being publicly sweaty or wonder if the pictures Kate was taking made me look extra fat because of bad angles.

But remember, my building is 28 floors, not 26. I had done nearly the whole building, and I was feeling unbelievably powerful. Unstoppable, even. So, after finishing walking a lap around the 26th floor, we headed back to the stairs, and I (untimed) went up to 28. We couldn't get in to walk around and take pictures out the incredible scenic panoramic windows they have up there, but it hardly mattered. We walked back down to 26, then took the elevators to 16 (where my office is) for a small party in the conference room. I had wanted to bring cupcakes to celebrate, but they came out completely awful (my baking skills are getting rusty - which I am mostly okay with, except that it was kind of wasteful), so I brought everyone apples (and a banana for me!).
I stood at the lectern and gave a little speech - I had thought about speaking, but I didn't prepare anything.

I also used that opportunity to tell them that since the stair challenge has been met, I am planning my next big personal challenge, which is starting the Couch-to-5k program this week - with the eventual goal of running a 5k at Disney World in the end of February! It's a big goal for someone who hasn't ran a mile without stopping in ages, possibly ever. But you know, a month ago, the stairs were an insurmountable feat, too...
6 comments:
Great Job! It is amazing what we can do when we put our minds to it! You will love the 5K at Disney! I have done two Disney Half Marathons and earlier this year ran the Princess Half...it was so fun! I highly reccomend it! Good luck with the couch to 5K - it is a great program :-)
Congrats!! I am so happy you were able to complete your goal... and in an amazing amount of time too!!
I have total faith in your couch to 5k challenge!!
Yay! I am soo proud of you!
WOW!! What an awesome story! I am so thrilled for you and proud of you!! And how wonderful for you that you have such loving and supporting friends to share that moment with! The smile on your face says it all.....you look so happy and proud and you should be...WAY TO GO!!! I look forward to hearing all about your C25K challenge. And by the way, I love that you took fruit instead of cupcakes for celebrating.....Yay for ruined cupcakes!!
Aw, this made me tear up a lil' bit! Way to go!
There's an annual 41-flight stair climb here in my town as a benefit for the American Lung Association - it has always sounded like torture to me, but you just made it seem so much more possible. :)
Congratulations!!! Wooo Hooo!
<3 Katie
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