Some Memories and 56 Flights of Stairs

Me holding Tiff with April looking on

Yesterday marked the 23rd anniversary of my sister April's death.  Typically, I write some memory about her here on this day but this year, I can't think of what to add to what has previously been written.  So if you want to share in some April memories with me, look here and here.  I still miss her and think about her a lot. 

Yesterday, Kevin and I participated in the Anthem Fight for Air Climb, an event that benefits the American Lung Association.  Kevin and his friend from work, Mary Jo, do this event annually, and this year was the first year I participated.  The event is a stair climb up 56 flights of stairs to the top of the tallest building in Denver and it occurred to me while climbing the stairs that it was somewhat fitting to be doing an event benefiting the Lung Association on the day that the cancer in my sister's lungs took her life.

Here we are getting ready to race.

The guys hanging with a woolly mammoth (why there was a woolly mammoth mascot for the Lung Association completely mystifies me).

This was the first race type thing I have done since hurting my back and it was a lot of fun to get back out there and to do this with Kevin.  Although, after running marathons and half marathons, it was kind of odd to do a race that is over in like 15 minutes.  Quite a big difference from an endurance event where you have to ignore a brain screaming at you to please end the agony and stop running.  I was pleased to see that my lunging and walking or elliptical workouts have paid off and I made it to the top with no thigh burn and no real huffing.