by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
On any normal Saturday there isn’t a lot of sweating and cheering occurring in the Bank Of America Tower Downtown, but climbing 42 flights of stairs without being chased isn’t normal.
The commotion was a result of the first “Climb Jacksonville” race to benefit the American Lung Association in Florida, which pitted participants against the building’s 42 flights of stairs. Of the 340 people who raced up the stairs, only one didn’t cross the finish line.
“I thought it would take longer than it did,” said Mike Fackler, an attorney with Milam Howard. “I didn’t have a concept of how long 42 flights would take. I give a lot of credit to the people who ran in full gear.”
“The people” Fackler was talking about were members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department who climbed all 42 flights in full firefighting gear: boots, pants, jacket, helmet, air mask and tank. Lt. Jim Kane, 40, led the department’s team of three with a time of 10 minutes, 24 seconds. The overall winner was Chad Kreiley, 31, at 4:56 and the top female finisher was Nicole Nevins, 36, at 7:14
“I’ve done road races before, but this was my first stair climb,” said Judith Setzer, 45, an attorney with an office in Ponte Vedra. “I was looking for something different to do that was challenging. It was definitely some extreme cardio.”
This extreme challenge included 42 flights with 838 steps, which is like running the length of three football fields, vertically. It was the first event of its kind for the American Lung Association in Jacksonville and organizers plan on making it an annual event.
“I want to make it bigger and better next year,” said Nicole Payne, American Lung Association in Florida program and development manager. “Corporate sponsorships are going to be tough in the coming years which means we will need to reach out to more individuals and form more teams.”
Sponsors set up booths inside the lobby of the Bank of America Tower the day of the event and participants and their guests could get massages, oxygen therapy from Exhale Oxygen Bar, food and drinks from Whole Foods Market, find out about training techniques from The HIT Centers of Jacksonville and learn about the services offered by Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care.
Saturday’s event was a culmination of fundraising efforts of the group of 340 participants. The group raised just over $79,000 by race time, but donations can be collected until Feb. 27.
“We are shooting for $80,000,” said Payne.
The event is modeled after similar events the ALA has held at other cities throughout Florida and the country. The next stair climb is scheduled for March 21 in Tampa’s Bank of America Tower. Stair climbs are also held in Miami and Orlando.
The races may be held throughout the country, but the money raised at each event stays in that community. The mission of the ALA is to prevent lung disease and promote length. This mission is achieved through research, advocacy and education. The educational programs offered locally include:
• Open Airways for Schools: Education classes offered to elementary school students with asthma. The OAS program is offered to all elementary schools in Duval and surrounding counties.
• Better Breathers Clubs: Lung health support groups which cater to the unique needs of those with lung disease. There are currently four clubs in the Jacksonville area.
• Freedom from Smoking: A smoking cessation program with the nation’s highest success rate. This program is currently offered at area hospitals.
The success of the event couldn’t have happened without the volunteer efforts of over 50 people from Southeast Toyota and the Jacksonville Junior League.
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