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Total Motion have announced their 5th edition of The Broadgate Tower run up for 2020! For anyone who doesn’t know too much about this event, let me tell you about this new (ish) craze of ‘stair climbing’.
I first heard of this type of training around two years ago when I first moved to London. A friend told me it would compliment my running, so I decided to give it a shot. As someone who enjoys long distance running, I was a little sceptical. Climbing stairs should be something that anyone is capable of doing… However, this climb would be over 35 floors (877 steps). Was it going to be super tough?
The first session is always free (check out the Total Motion website for more details) and it is normally scheduled for a Tuesday evening in east London. Quite a few people show up for this endurance training session, with a twist.
Training Sessions
The participants have one hour to train, in any way shape or form. With a choice of going for time or distance… I chose to see how a single climb would feel like. Let me tell you now, it is A LOT more difficult than you may think! Especially for someone who was competitive with themselves, I definitely had a lot of work to do.
This type of training builds stamina and lung power; great for both elites and beginners alike. Tower climbing is different from any other sport and it can help with the mentality of training too. Getting to the top of Broadgate tower after working so hard is a great boost for the self esteem!
After a few sessions, I was asked to join the gang and attend The Broadgate Tower Run Up 2019. Of course I said yes, I love a challenge and I needed to see how far I could push those boundaries.
Race day!
The event is held at The Broadgate Tower and they have a few race choices to tackle. First up is the single climb, as mentioned above. Secondly, the 1/4 mile (3 times up) and the full vertical mile (12 times up!)
For the real adrenaline junkies, 2019 had an extra test – 16 ascents – the ultimate climb! Which is the whole sha-bang! You would be able to collect all three medals for this distance, plus a bonus prize. Which distance would you choose?
This event is like no other; it is where the elites and beginners swap strategies. It is a laugh, a challenge or a chance to raise funds for your favourite charity! The day was very well organised and I decided to volunteer as well as to race so I could get a view of both sides of the coin. This isn’t like the other races that I partake in, which is quite refreshing.
Beginners looking for a new challenge or wanting to raise money for charity, get yourself involved. Running is not quite your thing but you want something physically challenging to achieve? Sign yourself up! Wanting to catch the elites and see how fast you can get yourself up 35 floors? Then check out this page HERE.
Personal performance
I got a personal best for the single climb (as I also climbed in 2018) so I will be looking to [potentially] get that sub-6 minute goal in the next event!
Hopefully I will be returning for the 2020 edition; if you have any questions or are wanting to get yourself involved than please do not hesitate to get in touch! Links left below…
Find out more at the Total Motion website HERE.
I was kindly gifted a spot in this race for a review, but I also got chance to volunteer on race day to pay it forward. If you are also interested in volunteering, visit the website above and get in contact!
Thanks to Ben for some of the photography used in this post. Check out his website HERE.
A special thank you to founder, Matt. Thanks for making me feel welcome and part of the team! Until next time.
