stair climbs

I've signed up for two stair climbs. Originally Bonnie was going to climb with me, but with the knee injury and the hernia operation, I'm guessing that won't happen. So I'm on my own. I'm sure Bonnie will come along to eat lunch, cheer, and take blackmail photos!

The first one is February 28 in Philly at the Mellon Bank Building.  53 stories, 1,019 steps. Angel and Bug went with me last year. then we went to the Franklin Institute.

The second one is at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes Barre on March 19 in the afternoon. It's 1,224 steps up and down thru the concourse. Last year the security guard wouldn't let me bring my reusable water bottle in. If you remember, Pat sat in the car and waited for me.

Also this day, in the morning, is the Pediatric Cancer 5k on the Ironton Rail Trail. It will be a physical day and I'll need to be prepared!

Training. Hopefully the steps at Acopian. But they aren't very convenient anymore. And the other will be St. Luke's, both the 9-story part and the parking deck. Also, Lehigh if the snow melts. I'm sure they don't shovel all those stairs.

Plus my daily step-ups in my stairway.

(BTW the sun finally came out at 10:15 am. I guess it finally had breakfast.)

i can't believe i did the whole thing

 A pun on the old Alka Seltzer commercial. Like it?

Actually I thought today's arena climb was much easier the the 53 flight straight up. The downs and walking to the next concourse really gave you a nice break.

A couple of weird things. Pat volunteered to ride along. We stopped for lunch in Wilkes Barre before going in. Of all the places to eat (and there was many several who I had coupons for plus they were giving a donation of the sales to the Lung Assoc.) she picked Cracker Barrel. I was kind-of thinking salad. Not today. I went to the rest room, looked down and discovered I still had my Birks on. Shit. This was not an event for Birks.

I don't know why Pat went along. She sat out in the car for the whole thing. It was 70. She was wearing long underwear, l.s. tee shirt, sweatshirt, and winter coat.

I left her in the car and grabbed my camera, gum and 32 ounce aluminum water bottle. When I got to the door the door person wouldn't leave me bring in my water. I had to walk it back to the car. "They have plenty of water inside" he said. But the point was I didn't want to use a plastic bottle. I drank three.

When we arrived there was a hockey game being played. It was still being played at the start of the event. Like it was part of the program.

The fire people started, wearing full gear including air tanks. Then the elite climbers. Then us. The event started at 14:00, I hit the steps at 14:29:47 and finished at 14:49:48. That's pretty dang good if I must say so myself.

When I got back to the car, Pat was still alive. She didn't suffocate in the car. By then it was 75 out.

another weekend, another nor'easter

I had great plans to really pack on some miles this weekend, after kicking off 'Walking 2010'. The week has been so sunny and warm and bright.

Yesterday the rain came.

Today the Nor'easter came. Heavy downpours, high winds, the whole nine yards. At least I don't live at the shore. With the tidal flooding the beaches have to be gone. (Maybe Mother Nature will take some of those multi-million dollar beach house too. Stupid fools for building on the ocean front.)

I walked, at least a little everyday this week. It was crazy at all my jobs, so free minutes are fleeting. Thursday, I got to the College early and did the walking path in my heels, while talking to my sister on my cell. I really need to wear my pedometer again.

Hope the storm ends by Monday. I need to walk every day this week at least three miles. My 2nd stairclimb is Saturday in Wilkes Barre. I need to get in shape!

This time it's at the Wachovia Arena, so it will be more like when I climbed the stadium this summer at Fisher Field. There are 22 sets (or pairs) of stairs- 22 down, 22 up for a total of 44 — 1,224 total  individual steps, both up and down not counting the walk in-between the sets of stairs to the next set. Those in-betweens will be a nice rest point. This is for the American Lung Association and several members of my family have lung disease. Most of them self-inflicted by cigarettes. They take a finish line photo. Or at least that's what it says in the email update.

The email update also says spectators will have an area to sit and watch, and they'll be able to take pixs. So maybe I'll ask Bonnie to come along. They even gave us coupons for Red Robin. I think that's funny. A burger joint and exercise in one package!

Avon update:
Beth made reservations this week for the host hotel. So we'll be right in Times Square. That will be cool. I'm working to get our team established.

Achey feet update:
One of the reasons my feet hurt so much last weekend was an ingrown toenail. I got that taken care of Tuesday to the tune of $225.Wow what he pulled out was big. (And yes, I do support universal healthcare. If they don't give us that then there should be two-tier pricing one for us cash payers and one for the insured. I too realize that hell will freeze over before either happens.)

does shoveling snow count?

I have not been exercising much at all lately. And I've been eating out a lot. But I have shoveled lots of snow. Does that count?

Over the weekend we had about 8 inches. Philly had about 15. I did three sidewalks, two parking spaces, the path thru my yard and the garage. I did the sidewalks three times. I'd rather shovel two to three inches three times than  eight inches ones.We also had a lesser snow about a week earlier. That time I just did the sidewalks.

I  did one walk with Betsy and the dogs last week. And I did the stairs maybe once each week.

I also hiked up the trail and cut a Christmas tree. Does that count?

Nope. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Next week I have off and I've got to come up with a winter schedule. The First Night run/walk is the 31st and Betsy and I are doing it together.

I need motivation to keep me going thru winter. So I will sign up for the stair climb I mentioned before in Wilkes Barre. And perhaps a Philly one too or the Empire State building. (Beats paying $20!)

It ain’t the LINC but I did it!

You'll remember (or maybe not since I think no one reads this) that a few weeks ago I decided to add to my exercise routine by climbing the stairs at of Fisher Stadium at Lafayette College at lunchtime.

Yesterday I did the whole thing. Nine concourses, about 100 steps in each direction, in about 20 minutes. Walking of course. I've got my moms knees and my father's heart, this fat girl doesn't run. I was pretty damn proud of myself until my niece asked how big the stadium was. Nothing like taking the wind out of my sails. Okay, so it not the LINC.

Now I'm going to add the visitor side. Or maybe do the visitor side one day, and the home side once and then start of working my way back. Maybe by the end of football season I can go across and back. We'll see.

Almost...

It's gorgeous today. Warm but not humid. The whole week has been great, but this is the first chance I really had to enjoy it. School has started on-ground, my online classes are a grizzly bear, and my hours a mess. It happens every fall.

My walking routine also changes. I keep long walks to the weekend, and shorter walks, sometimes really short during the week. On NCC days I park at the remotest lot and walk in to assure that I get to at least 10K steps.

Last year we walked at lunchtime, but a large project in the office keeps everyone in. I was determined to go out today. When I walked to Pfenning for a meeting thru the football stadium I decided I was going to to the stadium stairs. I tried it once before, and reached the 50 yard line before I was out of breathe and my chest was pounding. I haven't tried it since. However, my weekend walks have reached 14 miles, and my BP meds are adjusted, could I do it? Not quite.

So I put on my Simple shoes, left my office and told Allison if I wasn't back in 20 minutes to call for help. I was serious. With my sky high BP a stroke could be around the corner.

After the warm-up walk to the stadium, I did the home side starting at the scoreboard end, which I assume is the home end. It's about 100 stairs down, then another 100 back up. I did seven concourses. About 1400 stairs. It brought me to the visitors 20 yard line. Since about the 50 I had to stop once on each trip up. My knees were sore and I was tired. I finished the 20 and wanted to push on. I think I could have forced myself to do one more, I would have been breathing like daddy and my heart would have been pounding. I was nearing the 20 minutes and Allison would have come looking for me. So I was sensible for a change and stopped. Shocked, huh?

I'm going to do the steps at NCC, and keep doing ACE. Maybe I'll walk up to St. Luke's and do 8 floors. I'll be walking about 30 miles this long weekend. Maybe, just maybe, next week I can do the whole thing. A fat girl can dream.

New crazy fitness idea to battle stress/BP

I just walked to the Pfenning Alumni Center (Lafayette College) thru the football stadium concourse and had a crazy idea.

I've been doing the six flights of stairs at Acopian Engineering building at lunch time for about two months now. I can now get to the top without breathing like my father. I'm still tired, but not totally out of breath and gasping for air.

So the new plan is to walk (and maybe run later) the home side steps of the football stadium at lunch time. (Dare I dream to do both sides?) I totally understand that at first I might only do two sections, maybe a bit more. But if I continue by the end of fall I should be able to do the whole home side, right? I certainly won't be able to do it when it HHH in August. I'd be so stinky and sweaty after lunch that I couldn't go back to work. That's counterproductive.

I have closed shoes here at the office and socks. Not quite sneakers (and last time I wore them to walk I got bloody icky blisters) to wear. The kind of look like bowling shoes. I got them from Simple shoes. They're recycled, of course. (Hmm, maybe my blisters were recycled?)

Am I nuts?

Hmm...maybe I'll be able to do one of those stair climbs in February after all. (As long as there is no fund raising. I am so over fund raising.)