Today was a wicked workout. I rested for 2 days, having just done a streak of great workouts all in a row of days up the mountain steps. I felt horribly today before I started, but it was the kind of workout that gets me excited once I do the first couple of minutes because I almost always start feeling good when I do sprints – on flat or up the stairs.

I did sprints up in groups of 100-140 stairs at a time and rested for 40-60 seconds then sprinted up the next 100. It was a great workout – I’ve never done that before. I made it to the top in 12 sprints – 1,256 steps. I timed each sprint and it worked out to 478 seconds of sprinting up the steps. I didn’t add up the resting seconds yet.

That’s 7 minutes and 58 seconds of running up the steps. That is by far the fastest I’ve ever gone up them, as I said, I’ve never attempted this speed workout on the stairs before.

That wasn’t enough though…

I gave myself 3 minutes rest at the top and then headed back down the steps to step #840. From there I did 10 very fast sprints from 15 seconds to 24 seconds. I was lightheaded and felt like maybe I was going to take a tumble down the stairs.

Breakfast this morning was meusli cereal, oats, raisins, dried bananas – and soy milk.

Lunch was 300 calories in pretzels with salt.

I was literally running on empty. Oh – I did have a 1 liter of GatorAde on the first climb up – so add 150 calories I think that is.

After the 10 sprints I was TOTALLY TOAST. I had trouble just walking down the steps to the bottom. My legs were just mush.

So, 2,106 steps at 3-5 steps per second climbing. A great workout… will need to try it again at some point soon, but I need to stay off the steps tomorrow. Will see if I can run tomorrow at the park – on the flat.

My feet are even killing me…

Here’s to amazing workouts, beating the hell out of myself. I do love the feeling…

Cheers!

Vern