I travel the world racing up the shortest and tallest buildings (sometimes free standing structures) in a sport called Towerrunning (aka competitive stair climbing). I started my journey October 9, 2010 as an alternative training method for the 400meter hurdles. I have always lived by the motto, "If you want something you never had, you have to do something you never did to get it". For me "something I never did" was Competitive Stair Climbing.
Since my start in the sport I have had the honor and privilege of racing around all over the country and around the world setting several course records along the way. I was also awarded the “Key to the City” in Niagara Falls, Canada for breaking a 32 year old course record set by Canadian Olympic Cyclist Gordon Singleton.
How did I get started
My first race was the Orlando Fight for Air Climb which consists of a 25 floor / 512 step building. I end up finishing the race second overall. After that race I begin to seek out other races and found another climb in Ft. Lauderdale. This climb marks the beginning of my stair climb career. Not only did I finished 1st in this race but I set a new course record. A course record that I would go on to reset many time in the future. Today I own every course record in the state of Florida and many others around the US and in Canada.
What is Towerrunning
Towerrunning also known as competitive stair climbing is a sport in which individuals race up the stairs of a building or free standing structure. Races can range anywhere from 10 - 120 floors. Every building is different which means the stair count and layout can vary per building (for example, both the Tampa and Jacksonville Bank of America Towers contain 42 floors. However, the Tampa building is (42 floors /914 steps) and the Jacksonville building is (42 floors/838 steps). This difference in the building layout is also apparent in the time it takes to complete each (visit the Life on the stairs page for race results). Most races start runners in staggered intervals ranging from 15 - 30 seconds. However, there are a few select races such as the Empire State Building Run-Up Invite that has a mass start.
My hopes
This sport has taught me that hard work pays off at some point in life (maybe not when you want it to, but eventually). The work you do behind the scenes may seem like it goes unnoticed but eventually it will pay full dividends.
It is my hope that my efforts rather on the stairs or the life I live daily will be an inspiration to others to find and follow the passions of their heart. Rather that is scaling up a 40 floor building or finding the cure to one of the world's most deadliest diseases. Truth is we all can learn something from someone else, I hope you learn to never quit or give up.
