Met Master

I suppose I mastered the Met though I have to admit I feel more like the Met mastered me.

42 stories of stairs, one way. I started out way too fast, going 2 steps at a time. That lasted for the first 10 stories. I stopped, drank a bit of water then set out again after about 30 seconds. At 20, things were a little worse. I had to sit for about 30 seconds before I could even hold the water to drink it. At 31, I had to lay on the floor for a couple minutes. By that point the pain in my legs and sides was ramping up and the rough burning in my lungs was just an after thought. I kept thinking they needed trash cans every 3 floors, just in case. Finally, I started up the last 11 floors at a steady, even, nearly slow pace. With about 4 floors to go, I started hearing someone at the top calling my name. With 2 or 3 floors remaining, Elizabeth found me to help me move it along. I finished the last 2 floors 2 steps at a time again and in serious pain.

I was the first to start of the CrossFit Des Peres people. CrossFit St. Louis was right behind us. I was the last of both teams to finish. It took me 18:30 to climb 42 stories. Not an impressive time, but I made it. I passed at least one person on the stairs who didn't seem like she would. She was lying on the landing on the 30th floor, only 1 floor from the water station. She had a friend with her. I hope she was OK.

At the top, I could barely stand. I tried sitting in a chair for a minute but it wasn't helping much. I went over and sat in the window at the top of the Met. The view was nice. Apparently, I looked bad enough that one of the volunteers brought me a large glass of water and was concerned. My legs and side were cramping, with my legs feeling really bad. After a bit I walked around because sitting wasn't helping them.

I don't know about other people but for a while after a really hard workout, I don't feel very social. Sometimes I wish I could just hide in a corner.

To leave the party, I had to go down two flights of stairs to get to the elevator. My legs were weak and hard to control. A couple of times I almost stumbled.

Now, half a day later, my lungs and throat are still burning and the rest of my body is in shock. I just hope I don't have nightmares about the Energizer bunny - whose drumming felt like a hammer to my head at the start of the stairs.