Climbing Stairs at High Tower Court

It’s the last day in April, which means two things: 1) Almost time for a weigh-in (look for that in an upcoming post), and 2) my next stair climb race is now 1 month away. I haven’t yet mentioned this race on the blog, mainly because it’s so intimidating that I prefer to just not think about it. I will mention it soon, though, I promise!

Ever since my Aon Center race 3.5 weeks ago (recap and video here), I haven’t been on a StairMaster or trained on actual stairs, and it’s been great. I haven’t slacked on working out, I’ve just been doing other things. After doing three big races (Aon Center, San Diego, and Las Vegas) in a little over a month, I was due for a little stair hiatus. But with my next race on the horizon, exactly one month away, I decided to kick off my training by going somewhere new. And the place I found has an awesome view!

I was in the Hollywood Hills, baby!

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Las Vegas Prize Package GIVEAWAY!

It’s been nearly two months since I went to Las Vegas and raced up the stairs of the Stratosphere tower. I received some awesome freebies while I was there, and I’m going to give them away! Keep reading to learn how to win my Las Vegas Prize Package GIVEAWAY!

Me and the Stratosphere.

The prize package is basically a free meal and a free show for two people in Las Vegas.  I’m giving away four coupons for free stuff.

Easter Veggie Ribbons with Ginger and Rosemary

On Easter, I headed out to my aunt and uncle’s place for lunch with them and my cousins. My aunt Annie had already said that she was making a ham and some sort of potato dish, so I offered to bring a veggie-based side dish, and she took me up on my offer. Here’s what I came up with: Easter Veggie Ribbons with Ginger and Rosemary!

What’s a veggie ribbon? It’s a vegetable sliced into ribbons by your vegetable peeler.

Two Gym Visits… and 2,500 Legos In Between

On Friday evening, after work, I headed to the gym to complete my second-to-last workout of the week. I lifted weights, focusing on lower body, and did a ton of squats, walking lunges, leg presses, and more. I enjoy Friday nights at the gym, because it’s not very crowded at all, and it was a good workout. With that workout under my belt, I only had my upper body weightlifting workout left, and I love that feeling of being so close to reaching my weekly goal.

The rest of my Friday night involved embracing my inner nerd (who am I kidding? I’m a nerd on the outside, too), by doing something that combined two loves from earlier in my life.

Big Dave

Flashback Friday! A photo from ’97 or ’98. I was a college freshman.

I’ve never had a nickname. Up until high school, I even objected to people calling me Dave instead of David, but that doesn’t bother me anymore. For a couple years, a roommate called me DG (my initials), which evolved into Deege. I remember a couple of her friends occasionally calling me Deege too, but that never really caught on outside our apartment. By the way, writing it out like that reminds me of DJ Tanner from “Full House,” who also went by Deege (which, and you can use this to impress your friends at a cocktail party, is a nickname for DJ, which, in turn, is a nickname for her birth name, Donna Jo).

A Cheesy, Sappy (and True!) Open Letter to My Stair-Climbing Friends

Dear Friends (you know who you are),

Me and Mark.

Sometimes when I stand at the bottom of a skyscraper’s stairwell, I can’t help but wonder: What the hell have I gotten myself into? As you all know, racing up dozens of flights of stairs is no easy feat. It’s difficult. Grueling. Exhausting. Punishing. Yet somehow I’ve slowly become a guy that analyzes past performances and plans for future races. A guy that’s dedicated to training and preparation. In broader terms, I’ve embraced an excitement and enthusiasm for a sport that I’ve never had before… and lately, the question on my mind has been: WHY?

My Wine Glass Dilemma

Check out my kitchen cabinet – one whole shelf is dedicated to wine glasses:

I have 15 wine glasses. There’s only one problem: I don’t drink.

Race Recap (and VIDEO!): Is the Third Time a Charm in the Aon Center?

Another weekend, another stair climb race! For the third time in six weekends, I’ve opted to race up an ungodly number of stairs for fun.

Whether or not these races are actually “fun” is debatable. (It’s a debate that still rages in my own head!)  What’s not debatable is that they’re intensely difficult, extraordinarily challenging, and immensely rewarding. In other words, totally worth it!

Saturday’s race was at the Aon Center in LA – the 63-story building that I’m pointing at in the photo. This was my third time competing at the Aon Center – in a race that benefits the American Lung Association – and I was determined to set a personal best time.

Plus, this recap has something that none of my recaps have ever had: a VIDEO! I filmed my entire climb and made a 4-minute video that takes you along for the ride. So go make some popcorn (hold the butter) and settle in. Are you ready?

March Workout Calendar and April Weigh-In

Physically speaking, March was a very successful month for me. It started with a very challenging stair race in Las Vegas, and ended with another stair race, equally challenging, in San Diego. All in all, I exercised 25 out of 31 days in March, and I know this because I log all my workouts on my calendar.

Race Recap: San Diego Fight For Air Climb 2014

Sunday morning was a little dreary in San Diego – it even rained a little while I was driving in – but the sun started peeking through the clouds as I approached the 500-foot One America Plaza building.

With 34 floors, One America Plaza is