40th Annual Empire State Building Run-Up Is February 1st
Press Release
January 24, 2017
On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, at 8 p.m., the Empire State Building will host its 40th Annual Empire State Building Run-Up Presented by Marmot. For the past 40 years, the Empire State Building Run-Up – the world’s oldest and most famous tower race – challenges runners from around the globe to race from the lobby to its 86th Floor Observatory by way of 1,576 steps in its stairwell. While visitors can reach the building’s Observatory via elevator in under a minute, the fastest stair climbers can cover the 86 floors in about 10 minutes.
This year, competitors will include actors Theo Rossi and Patrick Wilson, as well as the defending women’s champion Suzy Walsham, who is poised to become the winningest stair climber in the race’s history. Also participating in the race is Boston Marathon bombing survivor Roseann Sdoia.
In advance of the race, on Monday, January 30 at 3 p.m., the Empire State Building will host a training session in its fitness center with Sdoia and other athletes from the Challenged Athletes Foundation, the official charity partner of the race.
See below for more information and let me know if you’d be interested in attending either event or speaking with one of the runners.
40th Annual Empire State Building Run-Up Presented by Marmot
Defending Champion and Seven-Time Suzy Walsham
Poised to Become Winningest Runner in Race’s History
WHAT: Empire State Building Run-Up Presented by Marmot
Racing up 86 floors, 1,576 steps and 1,050 feet from the lobby to the iconic 86thFloor Observatory, 200-plus participants from around the world will take the long way up to the top of the World’s Most Famous Building in the 40th Annual Empire State Building Run-Up Presented by Marmot.
WHO: Celebrity Runners:
- Patrick Wilson, movie, television and Broadway actor, star of The Conjuring 2
- Theo Rossi, actor and producer, star in Netflix Series Luke Cage and FX series Sons of Anarchy
Professional Stair-Climbers:
- Suzy Walsham, Defending Women’s Champion (SIN): Last year’s victory, her seventh, continued her streak of holding the record for most victories in the women’s race. Should she be victorious this year, she will be the winningest runner in the race’s history.
- Darren Wilson, Defending Men’s Champion (AUS): Wilson took first place in the 2016 men’s invitational race with a time of 10:36. He placed second and third in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
Challenged Athletes Foundation Runners:
- Roseann Sdoia, Boston Marathon bombing survivor: Sdoia was injured, losing part of her right leg, during the second blast at the 2013 Boston Marathon. She will be running with her rescuer, now fiancée, Mike Materia, a Boston firefighter.
- Sarah Reinertsen, former Paralympic track athlete: Reinertsen, who will be returning for her second Empire State Building Run-Up, was the first amputee woman to complete the Ironman Kona. She has won accolades from the USOC and was named ESPN’s Best Female Athlete with a Disability.
WHERE: Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets
WHEN: Wednesday, February 1, 2017