Joggling up a tower

Tomorrow morning I’ll be making my way up the 2109 steps to the 103rd floor of the mighty Sears Tower. I’ve done stair climbing events before including the John Hancock (Hustle up the Hancock) and the Aon building (Step up for kids), but I’ve never done one joggling. But that ends tomorrow. I’ll be juggling the whole time navigating up the stairs. Geez I hope I don’t drop one.

If you ever feel like doing one of these events yourself, I provide the following advice.

1. Don’t go too fast! Sure, the John Hancock is only a quarter mile high. But you won’t do it nearly as fast as you can run a quater mile. Take it slow. Especially at the beginning. This is a rapid walk up the stairs, not a jog.

2. Hold onto the rail. While walking keep one arm on the rail. Use it to pull yourself up the stairs. If you rely only on your legs, you’ll be in big trouble.

3. Be prepared for the burn. Your lungs will start burning after a dozen flights or so. Just keep breathing and keep going. It gets better, but not much. The stale, sweaty air in the stairwells is awful.

4. Enjoy the view. When you get to the top, be sure to look out at the vast city below. You earned this view now enjoy it. And if you feel like puking (most people do) don’t worry. That will pass.

For more tips, check out this article on stair climbing in Chicago Athlete.