Stairs, stairs, stairs

Im tired just thinking about it...

While running (almost everyday this week !!) I have been noticing a lot of stairs on my running route through the new neighborhood. Being the avid internet searcher that I am, I decided to Google it. Luckily, I found out information on the subject from the Seattle Times:

Resident TH has counted 120 public stairways on MY NEW NEIGHBORHOOD. TH wisely describes it as a "fairly objective estimate." His objectivity comes from exploring on foot every corner and cul-de-sac of his neighborhood.

At last count — in 2005 — Seattle had 482 public stairways. TH points out that while MY NEW NEIGHBORHOOD is not the highest hill in Seattle... it does have both the most and highest steps of any hill in the city.

 Literally, this guy wasn't kidding. There are a TON of hills and stairways to run on. I have noticed my time only slightly improve while running 4 miles around the neighborhood. I decided to do 2 loops today and had to run up the set of stairs twice! My time was decent (9:31/pace) but it wasn't pretty. Im hoping to get this to around 9 minutes per mile (which I have done once on only 4 miles) for all 8 miles.

Here's hoping! I really do hate stairs/large steep hills!! Do you try to run on stairs, or just incorporate hills into your runs?


Photo found here from this awesome Seattle Daily Picture Blog!