Mellon Stair Climb Report
By Petra
Jim Trainor, Mike Branca and Kristina
Butcher showed their stair climbing prowess on February
25 at the Mellon Bank Building Stair Climb. Mike
finished 8th out of almost 200 competitors in 8:18, Kristina
climbed the course in 9:41 to finish 33rd. while Jimbo was
timed in 16:03 in 187th place.
The stair climbers were ably assisted by a strong support
staff which consisted of Fred Kenney, Petra,
and Pat Barrett.
Still electrified from the lightening which had almost struck
Mike and Fred a few days earlier in the Wissahickon Creek Park,
Mike flew up the stairs . We only have Mike A. Branca's
word for how fast he was : "Unique race, I was happy
to break eight minutes".
Although Mike was wearing the wrong singlet which carried
a name of a rival running club, we know that, in his heart,
he started as a Wanderer. Due to this fact he did not have
to run a second time in the right jersey.
While our "Wild Team" went out to Reading to race
in the "Ugly Mudder";
Jim, Kristina and Mike got rewarded after the race with pizza,
muffins and hot coffee at the survivor's party.
The members
of the support team commented as follows: "the
baggies I had to carry were lighter this year" (Pat) and "This
was my easiest year - I took the elevator" (Fred).
The stair climb is a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. |
