650 people take on the Empire State Building Run-Up, with the champion reaching the top in just 10 minutes

Last updated 2026-09-25 — Competitors start from the ground floor of the Empire State Building and must climb a total of 1,576 steps to reach the finish line on the 87th floor. With 1,576 steps and 87 floors, reaching an altitude of 381 meters, it’s no wonder that local New York media have dubbed the annual stair-climbing race at Manhattan’s Empire State Building as “self-torture.”...