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42 Flights For Fun, Fitness, Charity

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By PHILIP MORGAN The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 24, 2008

TAMPA - Tim Van Orden climbed the fastest up the 42 floors of the downtown Bank of America on Saturday - in 5 minutes and 11 seconds.

Don Jones was among the slowest, at 45 minutes and 32 seconds. Since Saturday was his 82nd birthday, however, he was happy just to finish the climb.

"I'm very blessed. I'm a very lucky guy to be here," said Jones, a former mayor of St. Petersburg.

He was the oldest of more than 500 people who celebrated their wind power in the third annual "Climb Tampa," which raised about $65,000 for the American Lung Association through entry fees and donations.

Jones, mayor from 1967 to 1969, has been climbing 17 floors of his condo building routinely for the past 20 years, after his doctor discovered a partially blocked artery.

In the stairwell of Bank of America Plaza, he stopped for a break every time his heart rate climbed above 130. When he got to the top, the reception room broke into applause.

"I'm really very choked up," he said. "This is wonderful!"

Participants donated $50 each to feel the sting in their legs and the burn in their lungs. They climbed for a variety of reasons.

Fitness trainer Willie Thomas, 28, brought 27 clients along for the event. Waiting for his turn, he said he hoped to finish in under 8 minutes. He certainly didn't want to come in last among his group.

"They'll hold it against me," he said. "I'll let them train me."

His time was 7 minutes, 33 seconds.

Many climbers were honoring loved ones who died from lung cancer or suffer from the disease, which kills more people each year than breast, colon and prostate cancer combined, according to the American Lung Association.

Mitch Feller, 43, a Seminole firefighter who slogged up the stairs in 50-plus pounds of gear, was doing it partly for a fellow firefighter, Linda Bjorgan, who died of lung cancer six months ago.

"Once you get up, it's easy," he said at the finish, his face soaked in sweat. "It's the 42 floors in between that's a little problem."

Firefighters from a number of Bay area communities, including Tampa, climbed in their gear. By the time they reached the 30th floor, they were taking labored steps and huffing. A few donned oxygen masks.

Los Angeles resident Van Orden, 39, decided to vacation in Florida to join in the Bank of America event. He has participated in a number of stair climbs, including two events at the 110-story Sears Tower in Chicago.

He credits his diet of raw fruit and vegetables for the strength he said he didn't have two years ago.

He bounded up the Sears Tower in a little over 14 minutes, he said, coming in third on his fastest try.

"That is the most painful experience that I've ever had in my entire life," he said.

Saturday's experience was good because the humidity kept his throat from getting dry, he said.

Something else was different this time, too. Since injuring his heel a few weeks ago, he's had to wear flip-flops. He may stick with them for future climbs.

"They were really lightweight and breathable. So, possibly, I'm going to start a new trend."

Reporter Philip Morgan can be reached at (813) 259-7609 or pmorgan@tamptrib.com.

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