New Yorkers race to the top

About 450 New Yorkers will face a daunting task Tuesday morning when they participate in the 34th Empire State Building Run-Up, a race up the stairs of the Empire State Building to its 86th floor observation deck. A pre-race favourite has emerged in German business consultant Thomas Dold, the world’s pre-eminent tower climber.

No stranger to obscure running events, Mr. Dold has also set World Records in the sport of backwards running – covering one kilometre in a time of 3:36.07.

You can read more about this event in a New York Times article, here. Don’t be too impressed, though; the 1576 steps to the top of the Empire State Building are no great feat when compared to the 1776 step CN Tower Climb, held twice a year here in Toronto.