Stair-climbing races have gone global. A 2009 report on the physiology of skyscraper running, published in the "Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports," notes that there are 36 stair-climbing world records for tall buildings. In the longest international staircase race, competitors climb a distance equivalent to scaling the summit of Mount Everest. The attraction of stair climbing comes from its high physical intensity -- around 80 percent of the energy exerted is used to raise a runner’s body weight vertically, according to the Scandinavian journal. Calculating the distance climbed is easily accomplished.
Step 1
Measure the height, in inches, of a single step in the staircase you climb during your workout. Note this figure.
Step 2
Count the number of steps in the staircase. Write down this number.
Step 3
Multiply the step height by the number of steps and note your answer, which is the height in inches of the staircase. For example, if the step height is 8 inches and the number of steps is 20, the height of the staircase is 160 inches.
Step 4
Check how many times you climb the staircase during your workout. Multiply this figure by the height of the staircase and note your answer. For example, if the height of the staircase is 160 inches and you climb it 50 times, the answer is 8,000 inches.
Step 5
Convert your measurement to feet and then to miles. To do this, divide your answer by 12, then divide this figure by 5,280. Check your math and record the results, which give you the distances that you climb during your workout in feet and miles. For example, if your answer is 8,000 inches, the distance that you climb is 667 feet or 0.13 miles.
Tips and Warnings
- If you climb multiple flights of stairs as part of your routine, check the stair height and number of steps for each one.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Calculator
References
- Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports; Skyscraper …; G. Roi, et al.; August 2009
- “The New York Times”; Glory at the Top Flight for Runners; Aimee Berg; January 2011
- “The Globe and Mail”; Taking the Stairs is a Quick Step Toward Fitness; Alex Hutchinson; April 2010
- American Lung Association: Fight for Air Climb
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