Up, up and away: Racers climb NYC’s Empire State

by The Associated Press
February 6, 2013 at 8:05 am

600 people are going to race up 86 flights of stairs at the Empire State Building tonight.

How does one pass? Can you use the handrails? What if somebody slips and falls? This race sounds dangerous!

Up, up and away: Racers climb up the stairs at NYC’s Empire State Building

NEW YORK (AP) — It’s a race to the top — well, to the 86th floor, anyway.

People from around the world are taking part in a vertical race — up 86 flights of stairs at the Empire State Building. That’s a total of 1,576 steps, starting at the lobby and finishing at the observation deck.

The annual Empire State Building Run-up is being held Wednesday night.

More than 600 people are registered for the event, including some world-class elite athletes. Seven-time champion Thomas Dold of Germany is going for his eighth victory in a row. Among the women, four-time winner Cindy Harris of the United States will be taking part.

Other contestants come from countries including Belgium, Japan and Papua New Guinea.

Empire State Run Up Up, up and away: Racers climb NYCs Empire State

Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. Users may not download or reproduce a substantial portion of the AP material found on this web site. AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing.