| The Empire State Building Run-Up is an annual race held in New York
that is not so much known for its long distance (about 0.2 miles or
0.3 km) but for its great height differential. The race starts at the
foot of the Empire State Building, and goes up all 86 flights of
stairs (1576 steps, or an ascent of 1050 feet.)
The race has been organized by the NYRRC
every year since 1978. Although several other cities have copied the
idea and organize stair-climbing competitions, the
Empire State Run-Up is considered to be the semi-official world
championship.
Currently, close to 200 runners compete in the event, split up in
three heats to avoid overcrowding of the 40" wide stairs. The first
runner at the top wins. How fast do they go? There's an
Australian lad named Paul Crake who won the race three
times in a row. In his second victory, he was the first person to break
the ten minute barrier (9:53 to be exact). This year (2001), he
sharpened his record to 9:37. That's an average of 163.8 steps per
minute!
| 
