The StairTrudge, part 3

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Hello everyone, and thank you one more time for your generosity in supporting the Seattle Firefighter Stairclimb. This was a very tough year for fundraising, but my group of contributors actually managed to surpass my total from last year. As of today, we're sitting at $1,750!!! For reference, the 20th highest fundraiser (out of 1,500 participants) last year was around $2,300, so we are way way up there. Thank you for helping with such an important cause. If you come across anyone still wanting to donate for this year, I believe they hold our websites open until March 31st. Here's mine one last time:

http://www.llswa.org/goto/BenMcCafferty2009

At the climb, I was talking to my friend and fellow firefighter, John DeLanoy. He told me a bit about his dad, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001. Back then, the oncologist told his dad two things. First, he said, we don't even give odds of survival for your particular cancer anymore--I will guarantee that you will recover from it (which he did). Second, he said, if it were 1991 (a mere ten years earlier), I would have guaranteed that you would die from this cancer. The dramatic change in prognosis is the result of medical research--the very thing that your dollars go towards at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So one more time, thank you.
As expressed in my second fundraising email, I was worried about the climb this year, mainly because of the expected hard day at the fire station on the Saturday before Sunday's climb. Saturday didn't disappoint, and we all left the drill ground totally wiped out. Sunday, I just told myself that I wasn't in a race, I was just getting to the top. I took breaks about every five floors for the first 20, and then about every 2-3 floors the rest of the way. Just a quick 10 seconds or so to catch my breath and keep going. I made the top (69 floors total, 1,311 stairs) in 28:20, which is about 4o seconds slower than last year, and I have to say that it was my easiest climb yet. I was in much better shape at the top, and recovered very quickly. I have been following the Firefighter's Workout Book for some time, and it seems to be having the desired result, because I did not do any training specific to the climb this year, yet it went beautifully. If you're interested in the results, click here. John finished in tenth place in the "masters males" category, with a time of 14:38! The top male was a stunning 10:55, and top female was 14:36.

This year I carried my camera again, and took some video as I arrived at the bottle change on floor 40. We actually changed entire packs this year, but you'll get the idea of what an organized chaos that room is. I also shot video for the final three floors, complete with cheerleaders, floor signs, and the lady at the the end making huge gestures to swipe your timing chip "RIGHT HERE". Much to my dismay, I had turned on the camera but didn't start the recording. So your view of the finish line will have to wait until next year.


I couldn't get the video to embed in my blog, so click here for the bottle change video. You will have to click the "back" button on your browser to return to my blog after viewing the video.

After the first rehab station on floor 73, I took the freight elevator back down to floor 3, and then there is a long walk back to the lobby and second rehab station. Once again, the Society had cheerleaders all along that walk, and for the third year running, seeing them made me well up a tear. I still don't understand why this is. Is it the emotional release of having completed the climb? Seeing how many people are involved in this huge team effort to cure leukemia? Thinking about those living with the disease and how they don't have a finish line that's so distinct and clear? Or just physical exhaustion? Whatever it is, I know that being tired brings down many barriers we have to accessing our own feelings, and so something is available to me during those times that's not there otherwise.

Since I'm spending so much time at the station right now, I wanted to get home and so I walked down to the ferry with my gear and boarded for Bainbridge. The sky and water were blue with huge fluffy clouds, and all just seemed right with the world. As the engines rumbled into action, I dozed off, exhausted but knowing that my goal for the year was accomplished, and with a feeling of overwhelming gratitude to be around such amazing people in my everyday life.

I am grateful to have a wonderful partner and two beautiful kids, and I never take for granted what wonder and amazement they bring into my world on a daily basis. I wish you and yours all the best for the next year.
bmc