For the first time in this two-year journey, on my ninth stair climbing event, I experience the elation of actually pacing myself to meet a specific time goal!
While my original goal when I started to climb, was to be first in my age group, I've come to realize that usually the women who take those titles are leaders in fitness, or have been athletes for many years. Four years ago I walked into the gym for the first time ever, at age fifty-seven.
Finally, I learned...
I'm working my way through this learning process,
and, it doesn't happen overnight...
...but, I can do this.
I break the climb in half, with my goal to reach the top in 37 minutes. Half way, I should be at 18.5 minutes. I choose the first three songs for my stair-climbing playlist to total almost 19 minutes. Next, I time three more songs for the second half, to get me to the top in 37 minutes.
I develop a steady pace for each step. Completely steady, if I am climbing at the correct speed, this will work. As a musician, if there is one thing I can do, it's keep a steady beat. However, there is no conductor or metronome in the stairwell setting the tempo.
By floor 8, I'm already breathing hard, in spite of my slow, steady pace. But I'm encouraged by having a plan.
Numerous people pass me. As I approach the first water station at floor 16, I notice a forty-something marathon runner I talked to before the race, standing there drinking. It's his first stair climb. He passed me early on. My foot hits the landing, pivoting around to the next flight with my slow, metronome-like pace, passing Mr. Marathon Man as he stands panting and drinking on the landing which is now behind me.
Climbers can reach their maximum heart rate by the fifth floor. All climbers reach it by the tenth. From that point on, one must continue at that heart rate, body looking for relief in different ways, and, if you go on, not finding it.
"...within 60 seconds of [starting] the stair climb you are at your maximum heart rate and your breathing is very labored,” Schramm says. “If you’re a runner, you can ease into it or you can get your heart rate down and keep that pace going for however many miles you want to do. But with this, you’re at maximum heart rate and there’s nothing you can really do about it except stop. As long as you keep climbing the stairs your heart rate’s going to stay right there.”*
You climb, knowing it's going to be like this for 80 or 90 more floors, only becoming more and more uncomfortable with each floor.
I need a drink as another water station is coming up around floor 33. Ok, just a quick stop and a quick drink. They hand me a bottle--Yikes! Precious time lost screwing the top off. I take it and let a few sips fill my parched mouth before taking off again.
I realize my IPod is playing the song that's supposed to take me to floor 42. Can I make it in time? The water stop was too quick to catch my breath at all, and I'm parched again already. And, why is it suddenly taking three or four flights to reach the next floor? I try to think of something positive, but come up blank. Can only lift one foot and then the other, take one breath and then the next. I finally reach floor 40.
The song is winding down--almost over. Two more floors--four more flights...unless the building throws another three or four-flight floor at me. Hope not.
The song is at the end. I keep climbing, hoping the last note lingers. Just as the song goes silent, my left foot comes down on the landing of the 42nd floor! I did it! Oh. My. Goodness. I'm timing the pace of this climb perfectly, and I'm sticking to it.
What a boost, as this smile of achievement spreads across my red, sweaty-struggling-to-breath face. Even though I want to stop at the next water station, this new feeling helps me pass it by, to keep my pace going.
It's sinking in now, I have another half of the tower to go. Thoughts questioning my Math arise. What if floor 42 wasn't half way? What's half of 94 anyway? Pretty sure two times 42 is 84! So, it's not 42? I may have been an Honors Math student, but something this elementary is too much now. Can't remember why I thought 42 was half way. Was it Stan's diagram? Did Jesse tell me the bottom half is more challenging in this building? Or, did I just get mixed up? Do I have to go faster? Or not? ...on this second half.
I keep stepping, relying on my subconscious to choose the pace and carry out this repetitive task I know it loves--like keeping my heart beating. Counting on it to take me to the top in the 37 minutes I told it to.
My IPod is silent! What happened? I reach down to push the arrow for the next song. Will this throw everything off? Doubting I can do this. In the 70's now...the worst...so far from 94...but so exhausted.
Joe Cocker starts to sing, "I Get High With A Little Help From My Friends, " and I know how I'll make it!
I remember the words of encouragement and support I've received and begin to name my friends and family with each step. They're with me in the stairwell at this hardest part--Carisse, Faith, Leslie, Gayle, Marge, Justine, Carol...and many more...Lois, Peg, Norma, Jackie...I get high with a little help from my friends. One floor after another. I think of Kristin and double-step a few flights as if she is here with me like at the Aon Center last month. I remember David Haley, who tried to gently tell me that shaving 5 minutes off my time, might be too ambitious. So, for another two floors, I climb saying, "David Hanley," on each step--determined to finish on time so I can tell him I did it!
Floor 84, only ten more to go. Yes!
Not even aware of my IPod, just 10 more floors, nine more...and are these flights getting shorter? What's done is done. Five more and the song that's supposed to take me to the end is playing now. Can it last five more floors? Can I last five more floors?
I quicken my pace. Yes, going faster now than the whole climb so far...
The song is ending.
One floor away.
The last note is playing.
Will it hold on?
Long enough?
Silence.
I run up the last flight,
out into the observatory's sunny blue Chicago sky,
into the joy
of my family and friends,
into the relief
of no more climbing.
~~~~
Early Sunday morning I wrote the time I wanted to be half way, and the time I wanted to finish, on my arm next to the songs which would end at exactly those times.
A few hours after the climb, I discover my official time is 37:31 --
I'm on cloud nine!
Later, while relaxing and posting photos on Facebook, I look down at my arm. My goal was to climb the John Hancock Building in 37 minutes. Reading the numbers on my arm, I consciously realize for the first time, that the finish time for the last song--the time I'd written to be at the top--was actually 37:27 !
My subconscious took me to the top
in 37:31 --pretty darn close.
Also, I shaved 4:75 off last year's Hancock time.
I can do this.
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*Above quote from following article:
P.S. The first one to name all the correct titles with artists, of my playlist songs based on the one-word descriptions I wrote on my hand for the climb, I'll send you a Chicago treat!
Absolutely exciting!!!!!! Congratulations Cheryl!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Carisse! It was the best day.
ReplyDeleteAnd I still have the Stratosphere experience from this last weekend to write about next! :)