Climb to New Heights at a Tower Run

Channel your inner King Kong at a tower run, or stair climbing event, this year. Join thousands of other runners, triathletes and endurance junkies for 10 to 40 minutes (depending on your fitness) of quad-thrashing, oxygen-depleting gratification. Famous tower climbs include the pioneering Empire State Building Run Up (this could be the first race of its kind in the U.S.) and Go Vertical! Chicago, a 108-story climb up the Willis Tower. There are over 100 tower runs in the U.S., and 60 more worldwide.

It can get crowded in the stairwells, but racers are released in heats. Etiquette at most events dictates that climbers pass on the left. Many events raise money for charities. Registration fills up fast at these wildly popular events, so sign up early.