The Empire State Building Run-Up (ESBRU) is the world’s first and most famous tower race. The 46th edition on October 9, 2024 challenges runners from near and far to race up its famed 86 flights—1,576 stairs. While visitors can reach the building’s Observatory via elevator in under one minute, the fastest runners have covered the 86 floors by foot in about 10 minutes. Leaders in the sport of Towerrunning converge at the Empire State Building in what some consider the ultimate test of endurance.

Interested and TWA-registered athletes with an appropriate sporting background may apply until July 22 for one of the limited slots in the elite heats. Selection is based on the worldwide TWA Ranking, the national ranking of Towerrunning USA, previous performances and exceptional results at competitive international stair races. Nonselected athletes then still have the option to enter the lottery.