Tower running - the latest painful craze in getting fit

by Amy Judd | June 3, 2008 at 10:57 am

1980 views | 5 Recommendations | 17 comments

A new craze is starting to take off in the world of extreme sports and intense fitness training. It's called 'tower running', and it involves running up hundreds of stairs in the world's tallest buildings in the quickest time possible - racing against others to win.
This sounds horrible to me, but I can't imagine anything else being better for your legs to be honest.

It has become so popular that races are held in some of the world's most iconic buildings including the Empire State Building, the Sears Tower in Chicago and the planet's high skyscraper, Taipei 101.

The Taiwanese building has 2,046 steps and was completed by Italian Marco De Gasperi in 10 minutes and 29 seconds.

The world's longest stairway is in Switzerland at Niesen Treppenlauf in Mulenen Niesenbahn and has 11,674 steps.

Training is simple. On towerrunning.com, the guidance simply says: "Find stairs - then climb 'em (sic). Should you not be able to find stairs - then please substitute with a very steep hill."

Tower running is so tough that even elite athletes used to running long distances struggle.

Austrian Andrea Mayr, who holds her country's record for the women's 3,000 metre steeplechase, has won the Empire States "Run Up" twice, as well as the Taipei 101.

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Beaulieu

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:27 on June 3rd, 2008

amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.

That's been done before. The Hash House Harriers (more of a drinking club than a running one) do that but they don't exactly take it seriously. To win, generally you have to come last.

g.ra

at 06:31 on June 4th, 2008

Wow, tower running up any of these NY city hi-rises? I wouldn't make it past 4 flights. It is an easy and non-expensive form of exercise though..

g.ra has contributed a photo to this story.

Slingerx5

at 06:58 on June 4th, 2008

Wow, I wouldn't make it past the 6th floor!

doug.siefken

at 07:29 on June 4th, 2008

It's a long run up the John Hancock Center in Chicago.

doug.siefken has contributed a photo to this story.

pballantyne3930

at 07:34 on June 4th, 2008

Sears Tower, Chicago
May, 2008

pballantyne3930 has contributed a photo to this story.

lafleen

at 09:03 on June 4th, 2008

The walk to Green Fest Chicago 2007 started roughly here at Halsted and Chicago with a great view of the Sears Tower

lafleen has contributed a photo to this story.

Felipe BorbaT

at 09:42 on June 4th, 2008

CN Tower is something fabulous and beautiful. Its many meters of pure art.I loved know the famous CN Tower

Felipe BorbaT has contributed a photo to this story.

gsm0610

at 12:54 on June 4th, 2008

CN Tower, Toronto. Beautiful from any angle and with cloudless skies even more amazing.

gsm0610 has contributed a photo to this story.

kapaxian

at 13:46 on June 4th, 2008

Resting on my back at Union Station in Chicago while waiting to board our train, I looked up and snapped this photo.

kapaxian has contributed a photo to this story.

koncasj

at 14:04 on June 4th, 2008

Taipei 101

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El_Mojo

at 19:44 on June 4th, 2008

Picture of the Sears Tower taken in 2005 from the Adler Planetarium.

El_Mojo has contributed a photo to this story.

johanroggeman

at 10:53 on June 5th, 2008

the sears tower in Chicago,
a magnificant building made of big and smaller squares.

johanroggeman has contributed a photo to this story.

Jennifer Sedberry

at 19:44 on June 5th, 2008

This is a view of the CN Tower from the front of Union Station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Taken on June 1, 2008.

Jennifer Sedberry has contributed a photo to this story.

MEE•KAH!

at 08:26 on June 8th, 2008

Oh wow this article is pretty awesome i am so doing this, it actually seems like fun! Pushes you to the limit an all :DMEE•KAH! has contributed a photo to this story.

Nancy Palo (not verified)

at 12:57 on January 9th, 2009

Tishman Speyer and <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Rockefeller Center have teamed up with the National MS Society to provide a unique experience for ONLY 1,000 people to participate in our inaugural Climb to the Top stair climb event on Sunday March 1, 2009.

All participants are timed with personal timing chips, start at the concourse of the Rockefeller Center and then run up the stairwells 66 flights to the Top of the Rock where they will be greeted with magnificent views of New York City! After a trip around the observation deck and photograph, participants are treated to breakfast back downstairs on the concourse! There will be rest stops every 10 flights or so - for those of you that need it!

Climb to the Top at Rockefeller Center is a fundraising event and open to the public (with elite and firefighter divisions). We are expecting it to become the premier Stair Climb event in the country and you can be a part of it from the very beginning!

How can YOU be a part of it?
Register today at www.climbMSnyc. org

The event is limited to 1,000 participants and will close when we reach capacity! Registration is $35 until January 31, and $50 February 1 - 27. The fundraising minimum is $250 and must be fulfilled by February 28, 2009.

We are in the process of adding an elite division. In honor of Rockefeller Center's 75th anniversary we are reserving 75 spots for elite climbers. If you are an elite stair climber please contact Kelly Kerins at kkerins@msnyc.org or 212-453-3256.