41-Story Climb

Last Thursday our firm had its emergency-drill "walkdown." People were supposed to walk all the way down the stairs from our floor-37 and higher offices to the street. I think about 20 people did it. Last year it was a third of the firm, and I thought that was pathetic, so this year I don't know why they even bothered doing it again. Erika and I walked up again, as we did last year. Last year's times: 6:52 down, 8:28 up. This year: 7:04 down, 7:54 up. Erika passed me in the last five flights and beat me by five seconds. I found that last five flights exhausting, and started to get the feeling I wasn't getting enough air, which I sometimes get when running. I think my time was faster this year because I took the steps two at a time at first, though without running, and because Erika was right with me the whole time. Last year she was behind me a bit more.