TAKING it one step at time, repeat that 20,100 times.
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That is the plan this Sunday for Bathurst trio Jess Hammond, Phil O'Brien and Natalie Newman as they tackle the Stadium Stomp at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Described by organisers as the 'ultimate stair climb', participants run up an down the stairs of the Sydney Cricket Ground and between each 'lap' of the stadium, run a circuit around the boundary of the oval.
There are different options competitors can tackle, but the Bathurst trio are aiming big. They are, literally, stepping things up from what they conquered in their stomp debut last year.
"Last year we did it together as well, we did the long course. That's approximately 6,400 stairs, we did one lap," Hammond said.
"This year we thought we'd go back and do the unlimited stomp, so you just keep on going around and around and around. We are aiming to do three laps.
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"You are actually doing all the flights of stairs. Some are little narrow stairs, some are great big stairs, some are long stairs - you are going up and down each isle.
"At the end of each lap you actually do a whole lap of the cricket ground and, believe it or not, that is the hardest. Doing that lap your legs are shaking and are just jelly."
A personal trainer who works at Healthworld and runs Keep It Real Mobile, Hammond has not only been preparing herself for the stomp but helping O'Brien and mother of six Newman as well.
Together they have contested a Tough Mudder, spent countless hours on a step machine and run up and down the stand at the Bathurst Sportsground. It is a process that has helped O'Brien shed more than 20 kilos over the last 18 months.
Even with a solid preparation the Bathurst trio know Sunday's event will be demanding both physically and mentally.
But what will help them as they climb and descend the stairs at the SCG will be the motivation to raise funds for Beyond Blue.
It is organisation working to address issues associated with depression, suicide, anxiety disorders and other related mental disorders.
"We are the leading fundraising team, at the moment we are sitting around $800 for Beyond Blue," Hammond said.
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"So we are aiming to climb 20,000 odd stairs for a cause. Mental illness is huge, it's underestimated how bad mental illness is, I've dealt with anxiety and depression myself. It's hard and we want to create awareness.
"That's going to keep us going, we'll have a whinge, have a cry, but we will just take it one step at a time.
"We want to prove that anyone can do this and that it's 90 percent mental. If you don't train your mind, you can't train your body - you just mentally have to push through it."
