Sunday morning I participated in Climb to the Top at Rockefeller Center! Climb to the Top is a charity event which raises money for Multiple Sclerosis. MS affects the central nervous system of the body. The symptoms can range from mild to paralysis, and it affects everyone differently. There is currently no cure for it, which is why the National MS Society is working hard to raise funds for research and to provide programs to help individuals living with MS. Participants in this race had to raise at least $250 by event day. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to raise the money. Surprisingly, I raised almost $500! I wasn’t aware that many of my friends and family members know people affected by MS.
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| Rockefeller Center |
My wave time was scheduled for 6:55am, so I had to head toward Rockefeller Center bright and early. Sunday morning (when everyone else is still asleep) is my favorite time to walk around the city. It’s so quiet and peaceful.
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| No crowds or honking taxis! |
Once at Rockefeller Center, I left my bag in bag check and waited a couple minutes for my wave time to be called. They took about 100 people each wave. Because each participant had to enter the stairwell via a single door, we had to be spread out by about 10 seconds each. I was surprised by how empty the stairwell was when I entered! Other than volunteers who were stationed on each floor landing, I only saw about 10-15 people on the stairs the entire race! Around the 30th floor/halfway point, there was a floor open for construction. They set up a table with water, Gatorade, crackers, and candy. The Gatorade caught my attention, but what really interested me was the amazing skyline view. It was breathtaking (or maybe that was the 600 steps I just climbed…)
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| How amazing would it be to see this everyday while working? |
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| I stopped for a photo op around the halfway mark. 33 more flights of stairs to go! |
Not only was this my first real fundraising event, but it was also a new type of physical challenge for me. I’ve done lots of horizontal running, but this was my first vertical race.
Do you enjoy mixing fitness with a good cause? Let me know your favorite organization and thier fitness-related fundraising events in the comments below!
I think it’s awesome you do so many races (of any kind!). And I thought hiking up the Eiffel Tower in Paris would almost kill me! (Although, I am also afraid of heights, so that made it extra challenging!) I hope one day to make it to NYC, but it’s not exactly Hubby’s cup of tea. I will take the elevator though. Esp. if we have a kid with us!
I felt the same way after climbing the stairs of the Eiffel Tower! It’s tough!
Yes, come to NYC!!! I will play tour guide!