The Fight for Air Climb 2023 was a smashing success! Thank you to everyone who donated, those who cheered us on with words of support!
I enjoy these fund-raising activities. It’s a chance to stay in shape while also doing greater good.
This is one of the more difficult and brutal events. I can only keep pace up to the 10th floor, then I’m gassed. This isn’t like running or cycling, where maybe you can catch a break going downhill. Nothing happens, you make zero progress, unless you exert yourself. It’s short but tough. And the firefighters who blitz by with all their gear on? Impressive as (REDACTED).
One year ago, at the same event, I was irritated. I had concluded that my time at my then-workplace should come to an end. (I always and still liked the people – well, most of them.) I poured my frustration into the climb.
Now here we are a year later, marked by the same event, and I am enjoying my workplace. My career is great, and where I’m at is much better fit for me. Same view, different attitude. Weird thing. This year the climb was much easier.
This climb I took a chance and wore my scooter helmet with GoPro camera. (If interested, follow my scootin’ adventures on TikTok as @scooter_bae). A few folks said I shouldn’t do that – it would be weird, but of course, that only made me want to do it more.
The helmet and camera worked better than expected. I met someone who needed live race footage for a video they were making of the event, so he gave me his contact info and I sent him the videos. Another said, “I was going to do that, too. But I just didn’t.” I hope next year he does! I even snagged a cameo on the FFAC PHL Insta. Ha!
Lesson for me as I compare FFAC 2022 to FFAC 2023. That picture from the top of Three Liberty Square from 2023 looks exactly like the picture I took in 2022. One year I was frustrated with my career, and one year I was loving it. But that view stayed the same. Same view, different attitude.
Ups and downs come and go. I’ll have to remember that next time I’m frustrated. Until then, I’ll hang out here in the clouds.