Running up the stairs - where'd my wind go?!

I just love the Subway system here in Boston. For the most part, I mean that seriously and not facetiously. But when I have to teach class and it's on the fritz, that's a whole other matter entirely. Let me tell you my tale (check back for yummy food stuff tomorrow, Wednesday's my resident exercise post day).

I would normally try to duck out of work on Tuesdays around 4:45 because I have to walk across the park, catch the subway (T), take it to the end, then walk for 10-15 minutes to get to the gym where I teach Spinning (cycling) at 6:15. If I leave at 5 and everything goes peachy, I usually get to the gym around 6 (or just before) and then change and set up the bikes (the spinning studio doubles as a yoga studio, so all the bikes are out in the hall when I get there. Thankfully there are only about 7 to set up).

But as you've probably gathered, everything didn't quite go as planned.

I walked across the park (check), got on the T (check), made it to the 2nd stop from the end of the line (which is where I'd get off to teach at the other gym where I work, too bad this didn't happen on monday). The train sits at the stop with the doors open. I waited for about five minutes (it seemed like longer), chatting with a couple women on the train. I knew that as soon as I got off the train, it was going to pull away from the station. They came over the loudspeaker (or in this case, softspeaker) to tell us what sounded like police action at the next stop (they were apparently searching for something, but I can't find out what through a google search). Finally, I get off the train, because at this point it's 5:50 and the bus takes at least 15-20 minutes (it actually didn't leave).

Here comes the fun exercise part - the train station where I got off has this immensely huge escalator/stairway to get outside (kind of like the ones in DC if you've ever been there). Normally I'd just stand on the escalator and happily read my book. But this time I ran to the top. And damn was I out of breath! I called the gym when I got outside to tell them I'd be late and ask them to set up the bikes for me, and they could barely understand me (I tell myself there was wind blowing across the mic too, but I think that it's probably really because I was out of breath). And I ask myself - how is it that I teach anywhere from 1-4 step classes a week and I can't run up one big (huge) set of stairs? I know step goes up and down rather than up up up up up up up, but still. Shouldn't doing step aerobics train me for climbing stairs? Geez.

I didn't see the bus, so I started walking towards the gym, figuring I'd catch the bus when it came. And it came when I was just about halfway there. I got on and traffic was at a standstill. So I got off because I figured I could walk faster than that. And I ended up getting to the stop at the gym at exactly the same time as the bus did. So I could've taken the bus, but at least by walking I felt like I was getting somewhere.

Turns out two of the people in my class were stuck on the train too, so they got there the same time I did. It all worked out in the end (and I was nice and warmed up for class to boot).

But I ask you, where'd my wind go?