Empire State Building Run-Up

February 2, 2009

Nearly 300 runners finished the 33rd NYRR Empire State Building Run-Up, climbing 1,050 feet (1,576 steps) from the ground-floor lobby to the observation deck on the 86th floor. Founded in 1978 by the late, great NYRR president Fred Lebow, the Run-Up is an invitational event, with participants chosen from about 1,000 applicants. [Results] [Story] [Video]

The Run-Up celebrates the world’s most famous office building, which opened to the public in 1931.
Six Brokers’ Challenge teams took part, including this threesome representing Grubb & Ellis.
Each race started with a dash across the newly renovated Empire State Building lobby.
Runners jockeyed for position at the start of the first men’s heat.
Serious competitors focus on reaching the doorway to the stairwell at the front of the pack.
Meghan Newcomer of New York finished eighth in the women’s race in 14:47.
Michael Everett of Rhinebeck, NY, ran 17:03.
Alfred Almodovar of Brooklyn exited the stairwell onto the observation deck; his finish time was 20:07.
In her Run-Up debut, New Zealand’s Melissa Moon, 40, won in 13:13.
Thomas Dold of Germany won his fifth consecutive Run-Up; his time was 10:16.
Barbara Cronin-Stagnari of Mineola displayed her passion for stair races; she finished in 16:46.
Reaching the observation deck and looking down on NYC is quite a thrill.
Yukiko Nishide of Rye, NY, celebrated en route to her 18:54 finish.
Oskar Nicoloski of Italy reached the finish in 15:29.
The incomparable Ginette Bedard, 76, the race’s oldest finisher this year, ran 22:35—in style.
Roy Lamendola was one of two 72-year-old men to finish the Run-Up; his time was 22:01.
Salvatore Ferrara of Italy wore a shirt that honored the late Chico Scimone, who was several times the race’s oldest finisher.
The view looks better when you’ve taken the stairs instead of the elevator.
Jaime Kate Woo (22:11) and Napoleon Woo (15:05) of Québec proudly wore their finisher medals.
Michael Hirsch (18:33) and Carly Neidorf (19:40) competed in the Brokers’ Challenge.
A future Run-Up competitor will start serious training any month now.
The champion met the press.
The top three male and female finishers savored their accomplishments.