Races in Funny Places: The Vertical Marathon (Racing to the Top, Literally)

Welcome back to "Races in Funny Places," where we look ar the quirkiest and most unexpected race venues around the world. Today marks our fourth installment, and we’re taking things to new heights, literally. Enter the world of vertical marathons, also known as tower running. While most of us would balk at climbing more than a few flights of stairs, these runners take on entire skyscrapers, charging up dozens, if not hundreds, of floors in a single race. From the Empire State Building Run-Up in New York to the Shanghai Vertical Marathon, this subculture of runners, scattered across the globe, proves that “uphill” is just the beginning.

Picture this: you’re stretching at the base of a towering building, staring up at the stairwell that spirals endlessly out of sight. For most people, this is the kind of thing you see in a nightmare where the lift is broken. But for vertical runners, this isn’t a horror film; it’s a challenge, a 21st-century playground where “going the distance” takes on a whole new meaning.

The Pre-Race Vibes: Stretching Your Calves and Neck

The atmosphere at a vertical marathon is an odd blend of nervous energy and mild disbelief. Runners gather at the base of skyscrapers with the usual pre-race rituals: stretching, sipping water, checking their watches. But there’s an added sense of anticipation, and maybe even dread, as everyone cranes their necks skyward, eyeing the distant upper floors they’re about to reach, or, let’s face it, crawl towards.

At events like the Empire State Building Run-Up in New York, held each year with over 1,500 participants, or the annual Shanghai Vertical Marathon, the crowd is a mix of hardcore enthusiasts and curious daredevils. People chat nervously, with one eye always drawn to the skyscraper looming overhead. Some bring the same determination they’d bring to a marathon, while others are here purely to see if they can make it up 100 floors without requiring a nap or an oxygen tank halfway through.

The Race: Up, Up, and (Don’t) Away

And then, with a sharp tone, they’re off. Unlike a traditional race where the crowd spreads out and heads forward, here everyone surges towards the same narrow stairwell. The stairway becomes a theatre of sweat, elbows, and in true vertical marathon spirit, the occasional deep-breathing existential crisis.

The early floors are deceptively easy, with people moving confidently up the first dozen or so flights, sometimes two steps at a time. “It’s not so bad,” you think, until somewhere around floor 20 when the calves start burning, your quads are on fire, and your brain starts whispering, “You could have just taken the lift.” The stairwell echoes with the sound of heavy breathing, and every flight begins to blur into the next as you ascend, muscles aching and heart rate soaring.

For the veterans of the sport, there are tactical tricks to master. In tower running, the pace is slower, but the intensity is relentless. Experienced runners know when to hold the railing for balance or how to alternate steps to avoid burning out too quickly. And with events like the Sydney Tower Stair Challenge in Australia or the Broadgate Tower Run-Up in London, there’s a real sense of technique and pacing involved, you don’t want to go full speed until you’ve conquered at least half the building.

Mid-Race Realisations: Stairway to Exhaustion

As you reach the midway point, a strange combination of endurance and delirium sets in. At first, counting floors is a distraction, but as you ascend, it becomes a mental game just to remember which floor you’re on. Somewhere around floor 50, every floor begins to look identical, each stairwell an endless loop of concrete steps, dim lighting, and the distant, muffled sounds of your fellow runners gasping for breath.

If you’re in one of the Asian skyscrapers, like those in Hong Kong or Shanghai, there might be the occasional small window teasing you with a view of the world outside. But mostly, it’s a world of endless staircases, leaving you to ponder the mysteries of life… or at least to wonder why you ever signed up for this. The stairs never seem to end, and at times, it feels like you’ve left the real world behind and entered a surreal endurance labyrinth of concrete and railings.

The Finish Line: The Sky’s the Limit (Literally)

Finally, after what feels like a journey to the edge of sanity, you see it: the top floor. Stumbling out of the stairwell, you’re met with a sweeping view of the cityscape below, the ultimate reward for the dizzying vertical climb. At the Empire State Building Run-Up, runners get the iconic view over Manhattan, which almost makes the burning legs worth it.

And, in Shanghai’s Jin Mao Tower race or the Taipei 101 climb, participants emerge to a dizzying, skyscraper-level panorama that feels more like a victory lap than a race finish. It’s a surreal feeling to go from the claustrophobic stairwell to a 360-degree view of the skyline. And while traditional marathons may leave you feeling euphoric at the finish, there’s something uniquely satisfying about conquering a skyscraper one painful step at a time.

Post-Race Cool Down: A View from the Top

After catching your breath (and probably leaning against a wall for support), you’re left with a mix of exhaustion, accomplishment, and the bemused realisation that you’ve just climbed a building for fun. Some runners take in the view, snapping photos that prove they didn’t just take the lift. Others collapse in a mixture of euphoria and disbelief, secretly swearing they’ll never look at another staircase again.

It’s a niche sport with a growing fanbase, and with more and more high-rise buildings popping up worldwide, tower running seems to be on the rise, quite literally. From Hong Kong to London, Sydney to New York, these races continue to attract runners who crave the unusual challenge. And in a strange way, it’s hard to beat the absurd thrill of knowing that your race route didn’t just span a certain distance, it rose vertically, hundreds of metres in the air.

So, if you’re looking for a race where “going the distance” also means defying gravity, maybe it’s time to lace up and take on a vertical marathon. Just remember: this isn’t your average run. Here, it’s all about the climb, and the satisfaction of finally stepping off that last flight of stairs.