Facing My Demons

I hate stairs.  I have hated them my entire life.  I have done everything I can to constantly avoid them.  Living in Denver hasn't made it any easier.  Where in other cities I could walk up two flights of stairs and be slightly out of breath, in Denver I walk up one flight and feel as if I've walked up two.  Two flights feels like four and three flights...well...get me an ambulance or an oxygen tank please.  Adjusting to the higher altitude of Denver is a challenge that may take years.

So why, do you ask, do I love going to Red Rocks?  Not only is it an amphitheater comprised mostly of stairs, but the altitude is higher than Denver making each set of 8 stairs difficult for me.  This morning Joe and I headed up there and he wanted to walk the trail while I wanted to walk the bleachers/steps.  Normally when we do this, he drives me to the top of the amphitheater and then drives down to the Trading Post for the start of his trail.  Starting at the top, I typically walk all the way down (65 rows) and then begin my slow climb back up while I take it 6 steps at a time and crisscross over the bleacher rows.

Today I felt like I needed more of a challenge, so I asked Joe not to drop me at the top, but instead that I would get out at the Trading Post with him, which starts below the bottom of the amphitheater.  On that side of the amphitheater there is a ramp.  A dreaded, not to ADA code, massive ramp.  I had to walk this ramp three years ago for a concert and I hated every minute of it.  So for some reason, today I wanted to face this ramp head on...tackle it to show it who had the power.  Me.  Not it.

My workout began below the ramp, so I had to first walk up a hill to get to the ramp and then up I started at a slow, even pace.  At about half way, my polar heart monitor started beeping, warning me that I was over my THR, so I stopped and took in the view.  The sun was quite brilliant today, but the breeze up that high was nice.  Once my THR was back within my acceptable range, I made it up the rest of the ramp.  And to be honest it wasn't as bad as I remembered it!  Don't get me wrong, I was breathing heavily, but it just seemed better this time than three years ago.

After the ramp is about 45 stairs until you are at the (almost) base of the theater.  (I say almost because it actually plants you about 6-8 bleachers up which were blocked off for a concert set up.)  I had made it!  Before I went up the ramp I told myself that if I was too tired, I wouldn't walk the bleachers and would head back down.  But getting there and seeing the other people working out inspired me to keep going.  So up I went, 6 stairs/3 bleachers at a time crisscrossing my way to the top.  I also mixed in 10 sets of 10 wall/planter push ups as I ascended and felt awesome.  Once I was triumphantly at the top, in no way I had ever done before, I unceremoniously began my descent.

I made it back to the car under 45 minutes...all of which were in THR except for the minute I was over my THR.  It felt so amazing to tackle that ramp and those stairs.  It made me feel so strong and powerful.  I can't wait to try it again next week and see how I have progressed.  My reward...cane sugar lemonade.  So delicious.