Stairs

Well, I did half of what I said I was going to do today and I think it wasn't a bad way to go about it.
I said I was going to go to Boot Camp and then go to my mom's and do the stairs.
As it turns out, I only went and did the stairs and I wound up doing them with my sister who is in MUCH better shape than I am.
There are 288 steps from basement to roof. We did them twice with a 10 min break in between.
I have video but honestly I think it's only worth putting up here if you are into heavy breathing. The lighting is very dark and all you hear if my huffing and puffing.
I will show you this though:

That is the view from my mom's roof deck. The top of her building. (I'll resist any "Top of the world ma!" jokes)

I had to rest twice and both times I let my heart rate go from 165 to 150. Once it hit 150 we got up and moved again.
I'm SO not a cardio gal. Give me weights, give me strength training and I will gladly push myself to the point of exhaustion and beyond. I will always set weight related goals and be super excited to reach them (45 pound kettlebell and your pal the monster truck tire better get ready. I'm coming for you!)
The cardio stuff, not so much.

I'm strong and have decent endurance for weights but when it comes to elevating my heart rate and getting into the cardio end of working out, I'm a MESS.
My sister hits the gym and so she's in way way better shape than I am. She did the stairs too at the same pace and I was the only one breathing heavy and exhausted. My muscles weren't tired. They were fine. It was the huffing and puffing and elevated heart rate that had me sitting on the stairs twice.

I get so frustrated by how out of shape I am that I loathe Cardio and avoid it at all cost. It's also the reason I signed up for the Climb to the Top event.

There is no way in hell I'll ever finish if I'm not in decent shape and if I don't train I might as well not even bother.
Training is forcing me to get my up until now ignored cardio workout in.

I'm also hoping that it will help me see a quicker loss of the 30 pounds I've promised myself I'd shed.

Looking a little more long term, I'm also thinking that getting in better shape, getting stronger, getting more fit will help me finish the 5 boro bike tour this year.

If I can do THAT, then I can do all the other bike events I want to this summer and come next September I'll be a total bombshell. (Okay, I get that that isn't realistic, shaddup. I'm on a roll!)

Above and beyond the physical benefits, mentally this will all teach me to stick to it and to value the small results as well as the large. To embrace the little goals.

Sometimes it's all about taking that step after you swore you couldn't. One more stair, one more flight. A second or two faster than the day before. Only one rest on the staircase rather than two. Little things. The little things add up over time and become bigger things. I have to remember that's all part of this as well.

Tomorrow is Boot Camp and then Wed I'll go and do the stairs again.