Stair climbing - the recession beater
Tucked away in the last 10 minutes of the Radio 2 Chris Evans show last Friday (1hr 48 mins in) was a piece on Vertical Rush
It’s UK’s first stair climbing race and the race is part of the growing global trend to run up towers and very tall buildings, according to the BMC it’s really good for you:
The study confirms that accumulating short bouts of stair climbing activity throughout the day can favourably alter important cardiovascular risk factors in previously sedentary young women. Such exercise may be easily incorporated into the working day and therefore should be promoted by public health guidelines.
(although we would recommend a bit of ‘stair training’ before you have a crack at the Empire State run up or similar!).
The more you think about it the more you realise that this could be answer to all of those recession and red-tape issues that will face race and event organisers over the coming year or two. No need for: Marshalls (you cant really get lost), portable loos (there is probably one on every floor!), road closures, fencing / race tape / gantries – the list goes on. Your training ground will also be pretty familiar too, i.e your house or place of work, so no long commutes to the track or hills…
Something like this will do
Speaking about Vertical Rush last Friday SAAB Salomon Outdoor Team member Andy Symonds, said:
Its great that Shelter are bringing this event to the UK, there are plenty of Brits out there who are willing to have a go at this race. It lends itself to mountain runners, its the same as running up and down hills, the same muscles are used, quads, calves and a bit of arm work. Its gonna be new for a lot of people – all I can suggest is to start getting out there and start running up and down stairs!
Andy Symonds
