The Sport of StairClimbing
StairClimbing in the 1970’s
Stair climbing races really started to attract attention in the early 1970’s. It started with elite runners wanting to develop more endurance for their sport and the popularity grew to include other elite athletes from other sports including boxing, cycling, running, track, marathon, ironman triathlon, swimming, strength building sports, aerobic sports, rowing, kayaking and Olympic sports.
The increased popularity in running and endurance sports helped increase the awareness of climbing stairs for higher levels of lung capacity and health. Many recreational runners began climbing up tall buildings to increase their own fitness levels and help improve their running performance.
At this time thou, stairclimbing had not been exposed to the mainstream general public and it was more considered a training tool to be used for runners and endurance athletes.
The First StairClimbing Race
In 1978 the former president of the New York Road Runners launched the inaugural Empire State Building Run-up where a total of fourteen competitors (two women and twelve men) raced up the tall tower. The winners were Gary Muhrcke in a time of 12:33 and Marcy Schwamm in a time of 16.04. The era of competitive stair racing was born!
Stairclimbing as a Sport
Since the inaugural Empire State Building run-up in 1978, there has been an overall expansion of stairclimbing races. Stairclimbing is now classified as a sport. A sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive, and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. It is governed by a set of rules or customs.
Competitive stairclimbing has risen out of the darkness to become more then just a fleeting pastime or a way to better ones health. Thousands of individuals all over the world compete in the sport of stairclimbing and try to become faster and quicker each time they compete.
The Explosive Growth of StairClimbing
From the 1980’s to today stairclimbing has grown tremendously. There are over a hundred set races around that help give back to charitable organizations. Stairclimbers are now seen as amazing athletes with tremendous amounts of stamina, lung power and leg endurance. We now are seeing these athletes even as heroes and many people idolize stairclimbers for their physical abilities and mental strength.
Competitive Races
Competitive races are usually linked with a charitable organization. Usually the organization is health related. The American Lung Association and The Cystic Fibrosis Organization are two of the predominate charities for stairclimbing events. The events also feature fire fighters, policemen and military personnel who want to challenge themselves to climbing a very tall building.
Don't get me wrong, you do not have to be a competitive athlete, firefighter or super elite fitness athlete to compete in a stairclimbing race. You can be the mother who wants to try something new, a father who wants to raise money to donate back to a worthy cause or someone who just wants to try a new activity and meet some great people. Stair racing is for everyone!
Stair climbing races really started to attract attention in the early 1970’s. It started with elite runners wanting to develop more endurance for their sport and the popularity grew to include other elite athletes from other sports including boxing, cycling, running, track, marathon, ironman triathlon, swimming, strength building sports, aerobic sports, rowing, kayaking and Olympic sports.
The increased popularity in running and endurance sports helped increase the awareness of climbing stairs for higher levels of lung capacity and health. Many recreational runners began climbing up tall buildings to increase their own fitness levels and help improve their running performance.
At this time thou, stairclimbing had not been exposed to the mainstream general public and it was more considered a training tool to be used for runners and endurance athletes.
The First StairClimbing Race
In 1978 the former president of the New York Road Runners launched the inaugural Empire State Building Run-up where a total of fourteen competitors (two women and twelve men) raced up the tall tower. The winners were Gary Muhrcke in a time of 12:33 and Marcy Schwamm in a time of 16.04. The era of competitive stair racing was born!
Stairclimbing as a Sport
Since the inaugural Empire State Building run-up in 1978, there has been an overall expansion of stairclimbing races. Stairclimbing is now classified as a sport. A sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive, and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. It is governed by a set of rules or customs.
Competitive stairclimbing has risen out of the darkness to become more then just a fleeting pastime or a way to better ones health. Thousands of individuals all over the world compete in the sport of stairclimbing and try to become faster and quicker each time they compete.
The Explosive Growth of StairClimbing
From the 1980’s to today stairclimbing has grown tremendously. There are over a hundred set races around that help give back to charitable organizations. Stairclimbers are now seen as amazing athletes with tremendous amounts of stamina, lung power and leg endurance. We now are seeing these athletes even as heroes and many people idolize stairclimbers for their physical abilities and mental strength.
Competitive Races
Competitive races are usually linked with a charitable organization. Usually the organization is health related. The American Lung Association and The Cystic Fibrosis Organization are two of the predominate charities for stairclimbing events. The events also feature fire fighters, policemen and military personnel who want to challenge themselves to climbing a very tall building.
Don't get me wrong, you do not have to be a competitive athlete, firefighter or super elite fitness athlete to compete in a stairclimbing race. You can be the mother who wants to try something new, a father who wants to raise money to donate back to a worthy cause or someone who just wants to try a new activity and meet some great people. Stair racing is for everyone!
