One Step at a Time
AdventHealth Team Member Enjoys the Benefits of Taking the Stairs
When traveling to the top floors of a high-rise building , most folks are happy to simply push a button and wait for an elevator . Troy Alston , however , isn ’ t like most people ; he prefers taking the stairs — two or three at a time and at record-setting speeds .
For Alston , a graphic designer and multimedia coordinator for AdventHealth ' s Georgia Market , it ’ s about more than just getting in a few extra steps and burning additional calories . Leg power is actually the preferred mode of transportation in competitive stair climbing , an activity the 35-year-old has been pursuing with a passion for the past 12 years . “ Towerrunning ,” as it ’ s referred to within the sport , is a physical challenge in which Alston views himself as his own biggest competition .
“ You ’ re not racing against other people . You ’ re racing against the clock and against yourself ,” he said . “ It ’ s just you and those four walls in a stairwell . It teaches you to explore your limits and to push past them .”
Prior to the pandemic , Alston was leaving his limits in the proverbial dust at an average of 10 to 12 events each year . The past couple of seasons have presented him with fewer competitive opportunities , but the intangible rewards have remained .
SUMMER 2022 | ADVENTHEALTH . COM | 13