Our Paragon/Marmot Team raced up the Empire State Building’s 86 flights Wednesday evening for the 2015 Empire State Building Run-Up sponsored by Marmot. Usually a minute-long elevator ride, some of the best runners reached the Observatory in under 10 minutes, while others took closer to 30 or 40 minutes to climb the 1,576 stairs.
The iconic Big Apple skyscraper has been challenging elite runners around the world for the last 37 years. Professional tower-runners find both the mental and physical challenges of the course to be the ultimate endurance test. At the top of the tower, climbers are rewarded with the beautifully lit-up NYC views, and plenty of high fives and hugs from fellow finishers.
Paragon Running Specialist Nirvana and many others who participated was all smiles the next day, showing off their shiny medal and photos of the team. As it was her first time racing the Empire, she was extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Paragon/Marmot team.
Released one-by-one, racers were relatively alone for the vertical course. When asked how the race went down, a few runners share their insights.
“I didn’t mind. You focus on your own rhythm and didn’t have anything to throw you off like people coughing,” Brian McGregor, a Paragon Sports Running Specialist says.
Although it was a great overall experience, the enclosed staircase caused some throat and breathing issues for runners, but Brian had been tipped off to pop a cough drop at the halfway point, and he’s happy he did.
Nirvana and fellow running specialist Vivian prepared with a virtual dry run at LIC’s YMCA the weekend prior. Tsahai Gilchrist, Associate Store Manager, took stairs everywhere she went and made use of her 6-story apartment building by running it in full 10 times once a week before the Run-Up.
“There were parts where I kept thinking, ‘this is so hard’ and would look up feeling like I was in a trance,” Tsahai says about the stair-ridden course she conquered.
She could hear the music and her friends at the top, and that’s what kept her going. Her team greeted her in celebration. After enjoying the unbeatable city views and taking plenty of selfies, runners gathered inside to party down to a DJ, food and friends for a warm celebration.
Overall, sore quads, shiny medals and big grins were the result of the Empire State Building Run-Up. Come in and congratulate the team at our next Tuesday 6:30 p.m. run club!
Paragon Sports Run Club 