stair climbing

I have used steps as a useful training tool off and on for years [as I live in a hill free area], and I have even taken part in a couple of stair climb events [and worked as a safety man on the Shelter Vertical Rush Tower 42 event for a couple of years; EIGHT times up during the day behind the last runner, 932 steps once an hour in 2013-14].

In May 2014 a colleague and I tried a challenge to complete, in steps, the same height as Everest [from sea level] between us in one go. We got a little past the height of Kilimanjaro in 7.5 hours of continuous running [30 seconds each alternating] and this, as well as needing to train for safety man duties, reawakened my interest in stair running as challenge rather than just as training. [I completed HALF the Everest climb/descent in 2015 with two other runners completing the other half].

Towards the end of 2014 I joined a stair climbing challenge group on FB and soon found myself as an administrator setting challenges.

Here were some of the challenges for 2015:

The Seven Summits
[highest peaks on each continent].

[With the tallest mountain in the world as a Bonus 8th Peak]. Each can be completed individually or all can be completed [and within certain time frames] for the overall 7 summits award. Most took 1-3 weeks to complete.

A Monthly Buildings challenge.

More of a time trial than endurance challenge, based on the number of steps in different buildings around the world. Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum badges for completing 3, 6, 9, or all 12 monthly challenges in 2015.

Any time challenges.

A selection of challenges which can be completed over, any time frame / within a month / within a week / within a day / best effort against the clock. These challenges can also be undertaken at specific times as ‘events’ with others.

Distance and Time Goals.

Step amounts and heights that can be undertaken at any time over any time frame or as specific ‘events’ with others. Duration based stair climbing in hours.

Given the need for hill legs for challenges coming up, 2020 seems the time to reboot the stair training and therefore both old and new challenges.

New for 2020

3 peaks challenge

The required distance and climb for visiting the UKs 3 highest peaks Ben Nevis [10.5 miles, 4,450ft] Scafell Pike [6 miles, 3,250ft] Snowdon [8 miles, 2,400ft] during the National Three Peaks Challenge in under 24 hours, could provide fun training aims. These heights are based on the elevation climbed during actual summiting rather than the height of the mountains [as journeys do not start at sea level]. Nicely the total for the three peaks is roughly 10,000ft.

The required distance and climb for visiting the Five sections of the Bob Graham Round can also be used as fun training aims. Threlkeld [5,500ft 14 miles] Dunmail Raise [6,000ft 14 miles] Wasdale Head [6,500ft 16 miles] Honister Pass [6,500ft 11 miles] Keswick [2,500ft 11 miles].

Beyond straight forward stair climbing and step counting these new challenges combine stair climbing and distance running in one session to more closely approximate actual attempts on these off road events.

Challenges by height/distance:

To complete against the clock as time trials?
Decent targets resp. are 30, 40, 50, 75 mins.

BGR broken down into sections [3-6hrs]

Challenges with running up to 16hrs.

Challenges with just stairs for up to 16hrs.

Recent ‘best’ stats [21/2/22]:
hills in one day 4,500ft [Dec23 2020]
in a week 8,500ft [Dec21-27 2020]
stairs single session 6,000ft [Jan3 2021]
within 24 hours 10,488ft [Feb20-21 2021]
stairs in a week 12,500ft [15-21 Feb 2021]
two days 10,500ft [20-21Feb 2021]
hills/stairs week 16,000ft [17-23Aug 2020]