3 News sports presenter Michelle Pickles' Sky Tower Challenge

  • Breaking
  • 13/05/2013

3 News sports presenter and reporter Michelle Pickles took on a challenge of a lifetime, to race up 1100 stairs while wearing a full fire fighters kit weighing up to 25kg in the Firefighters Sky Tower Challenge. She’s did it for charity, to raise money and awareness for the Leukaemia & Blood Cancer Foundation.

Wow! I did it! I climbed the Sky Tower - 1103 stairs, in full firefighter's kit, weighing around 20 kgs. It was possibly the hardest, but most amazing thing I've ever done. 

I have to admit I was very nervous beforehand – especially when we were given our kit, and then given a safety briefing. What to do if we came upon someone who had collapsed, what to do if we felt like we were going to collapse – it was then that I realised just what I was taking on!

I had only ever climbed in training with 10kgs in my backpack. Now I had a tank weighing 13, a helmet which weighed around 2 kgs, and the firefighter’s uniform. All up around 20 kgs I think. The only thing we didn’t have that the firefighters did was the steel capped boots and the breathing apparatus.

To be honest the hardest part of the climb was probably the first 20 floors. It was so hot, the gear was so heavy and I was already exhausted. Mentally, realising I still had so far to go, was really tough.

I stopped for the first time at around the 17th floor, because I could hear a firefighter coming up behind me, and I wanted to let him go past. But in fact, he stopped too, and as we both stood there panting it occurred to me that they were hurting just as much as I was!

I had wanted to try to tweet my progress as I went. I have no idea why I thought I’d be able to do that. Just trying to get my phone out of my pocket was exhausting! I did send one from halfway – and to be honest it was actually nice to rest again for 30 seconds! See there was a method in my madness.

I only stopped once more after that – at about ¾ of the way up. After that, even though I was physically wrecked, (I sounded like Maria Sharapova on steroids – my breathing was so ragged!), mentally I felt really strong because I knew the finish line was close and that I was actually going to cross it. 

When I did, the relief was enormous. That soon turned to a feeling of absolute exhilaration that I had done it. It really was an amazing sense of achievement. 

I can honestly say I’m really glad that I took this on, and succeeded. The most important thing is that it was for a great cause – Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ. Overall – more than $450,000 was raised! An incredible effort. So to all the amazing firefighters, and the other “civies” in my squad (squad 7) – congratulations! You guys and girls rock. 

Of course I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of my training partner Hilary Barry. To think she climbed more than 1100 stairs with me, every week, just to help me prepare is outstanding.

And I also have to thank the lovely people at the Vero Building – because without them neither of us would have been able to train. Have to admit though – I won’t miss those stairs!

Finally a big thank you to Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ for the opportunity. I feel truly privileged that I was given the chance to take on such a challenge, and succeed.

It’s not too late to donate – if you’d like to give a few bucks – here’s my fundraising page.

http://www.firefightersclimb.org.nz/view_event_profile/2359

3 News

source: newshub archive