A walking challenger dare of sorts...

Sunday I received this message in an email:

" I'd be curious what you'd think of this little 'walk.' (At Lafayette College) Go down to Simon Center, inside all the way down to L3 in the basement, then up and out and up the hill to Pardee, then to the fourth floor across the fourth floor and back down."

Seemed easy to me. I've been to the Simon Center and up the long front stairs of Pardee. That little hill is at a 65 degree angle!

So I emailed the colleague I walk with at lunchtime and asked if she was game. She said sure.

Then on Labor Day I received the second email. "This little hill kills me every time I go to class. I normally leave Farinon and rush down the hill. Not the steps, the grass. (no doubt in 3-4 inch heels) My class is in L3 which is way down. Two floors down. With split stairwells. After class today, I had to go to the fourth floor of Pardee, so I left the basement of Simon and climbed the steps on the little hill, went in the middle doors to Pardee, swung left, went up to the fourth floor (and seriously wanted to die) "

Tuesday we did it. We climbed the stairs out of Watson Hall, crossed the Quad at a rapid pace, went around Pardee and down the stairs to Simon. Then we had to find the stairs to the basement. it only went one floor down. I though L3 meant that Simon had 3 sub-basements like the Linderman Library at Lehigh.

So we began the challenge up the stairs from the basement of Simon, up the stairs to Pardee, and thru the lobby to the staircase. That's when things got interesting. The steps are narrow and they are steep. I do six flights at ACE easier. I was breathing hard and moving slower when I reached the top. My colleague has 20 stairs in front of her home, then a 3 story house. She was breathing hard also. Up was nothing compared to down. Don't take those stair if you have vertigo. We both used the banister.

So physically it wasn't as big of a challenge as I expected. But it was hard. But I think it had nothing to do with physical fitness. But more to do with 100 year old staircases being steep and narrow.

If you want to have fun climbing, try the ones to my sister Elin's basement or attic. I pity the furnace repair guy.