ORLANDO, Fla. — If you love running 5ks, 10ks, or marathons, listen up, there is another fitness fundraiser in Central Florida that sets an even higher bar - 25 stories high.
It is the American Lung Association’s ‘Fight for Air Climb.’
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With pointy spires and its trademark stair-step shape, the City National Bank Tower is one of Orlando’s most recognizable buildings.
It’s also the site where this weekend once again, Heather Earl will climb her way up all 512 steps to the top.
“If you’re fast, I’ve seen people do it in three or four minutes,” said earl.
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Her team is now on their sixth year doing the ‘Fight for air climb.’ raising more than $22,000 for the American Lung Association for lung disease research, education and advocacy.
“It really gives you an idea of what it may be like if you were experiencing a lung disease no matter how fit you are if you run up 25 stories you’re going to be huffing and puffing,” Earl said.
For the nearly 3-million Floridians live with lung diseases, like COPD, lung cancer and asthma, fighting for air is a daily task.
So, Saturday, Feb. 17, more than 200 climbers’ will ‘Fight for Air’ as well as the climb - beginning in the tower’s lobby, then into the building’s ‘stairwell b’ steps. From there, it’s a 25-floor climb to the top, and when they’re done, some will go back down and do it over and over, and over and over again.
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“And the fun part is you’re climbing alongside firefighters in full turnout gear, and elite athletes and you’re also climbing alongside people who have survived lung disease and they’re climbing to support people have gone through the same thing that they are,” said Earl.
While Earl’s team is committed to fighting occupational lung disease, from workplace exposure to chemicals, other climbers, volunteers and donors’ motivation is different.
“Everybody knows somebody that has a lung disease of some kind so everybody’s touched by this, that’s why it’s so important,” Earl added.
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There’s still time to join the ‘Fight for Air Climb.’
Online registration is open until Friday, and onsite registration is open day of.
To register, CLICK HERE.
Channel nine’s George Waldenberger will be climbing on Saturday, as well as emceeing the morning event.
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