Myself

Staircase to stamina. 

I used to live in the 9th floor of my hostel building. Soon after I rejoined civil school here, I noticed that a few of my co-mates always took the stairs especially while going up and down. This seemed like a good way of sneaking in a mini-mood out. So, whenever I was not tired of anything , I started using the stairs instead of the elevator to go up and  down. I continue to do so till date.

Thanks to my persuading (okay, fine, nagging), I usually get anyone who is accompanying me to use the stairs as well. Sure, these being long flights of stairs, we all sound huffy-puffy a few floors in, but with company, the climb does not seem quite so long.

Last evening, a couple of friends and I were heading back to roam after suffer in the late evening. As usual, your truly steered them to the stairs and we started climbing. We had just crossed the fourth floor, when one of their hostel workers said to the other, "Look at ''Siddartha'', he is not even out of breath." and then to me, "Do you do this regularly?". That was when I realized that, I was indeed not sounding like a leaky tire. Before I could respond, to the hostel worker added in an impressed voice, "You are still looking fresh as well - not even broken into a sweat". True, I was not feeling *that* winded out either. I grinned and said that I take the stairs almost everyday and apparently the effort was finally paying off.
Somehow the students and mates comments made me feel ridiculously pleased with myself. I try to sneak in extra activity wherever I can and tell myself that every little bit helps me be fitter and build up stamina as well. While I can see that for myself at times, it was still very nice to get unsolicited validation from someone else.

So continuing with stair-climbing it is. Too bad for anyone who is accompanying me to any place with stairs.