Stepping Up In Style

Joyce S

As some may say, a typical New Yorker has never been to the top of the Empire State Building. Well, I guess I fell into that category. Growing up in Long Island and living the last 25 years or so in the New York City area, I am one of those people that never visited the top of the Empire State Building.

That all changed a couple of weeks ago, when I not only made it all the way to the top, I ran the whole way up -- all 86 flights, 1576 stairs, two at a time (in the beginning anyway) -- in completing the NYRR Empire State Building Run Up. Okay, so maybe I didn’t actually run. I am not quite sure what it was I did but I managed to keep a steady pace the entire way, and clocked in at 21 minutes 40 seconds.  Five other Flyers also made the climb to the top.

Not bad for a first-timer with no real strategy, except for some training in my apartment building, going up 30 or so flights a couple of times a week. Of course, looking back I start to think of what I could have done better, smarter and more efficiently to get under 20 minutes. There’s always next year. Here’s what I learned:

• Start slow, don’t lose your breath, or you will burn out quickly. I got this training tip through friends and from online reading. A good tip. During my first 20 or so flights I was passed by a number of people, all guys. On the last 20 flights, I passed a number of people, mostly women, but yes some men too!
• Hand over hand on the banister. This tip was given to me by a gal I met waiting on line who has done the stair run for several years. I am really not too sure how much this tip helped or hurt me. During my training I never held onto the banister. But then again, during my training I had to stop to catch my breath a few times. This never happened during the actual event. 
• Take two stairs at a time. For someone with long legs, this method probably works well and saves time. For someone at my height of 5’ 4”, this worked well for about the first four flights until my quads started burning and I went back to single steps.

• Don’t carry anything in your hands – you need both hands. This is good advice. During my training I always had my apartment keys, my phone, and usually a bottle of water. Knowing there would be a bag check and 2 water stops along the course, I was grateful to have a hands-free experience.
• A little anxiety is good. The adrenaline is definitely needed to get you through the event.
• It's not so hard.  It is over before you know it, it is really easier than it sounds, and there is no reason to overestimate the complexity of completing a stair climb.
• Doesn't Anyone Dust? Expect to have a dry, sore throat for a day or so. It is dusty in those stairwells!

The actual event was almost a blur, and I think I blocked out all the pain. It was over so quickly. Even a 5K takes me longer. What I remember most were all the great people I met that evening. They started the participants alphabetically, and my last name begins with an “S." There was well over an hour wait to start my wave, so I had the chance to chat with a lot of participants. Most of us got in through the lottery and most of us were first-timers not knowing what to expect. There were, of course, a few veterans happy to give us their advice. It was all good.

When I got to the top, I really didn’t care about the view, which was a good thing because it was a very foggy night. I was so just happy to finally make it to the top of the Empire State Building, giving high fives to all the people I just met that night, and getting my medal. It was definitely a night to remember.

-Joyce S.