Mark Trahanovsky

Birthdate: 1 February 1959

What is your occupation?  Sales / Marketing    

What/when was your first climb?  US Bank Los Angeles 2007    

How many climbs have you completed? 54     

Why/how did you start?  Knee problems and Dr said I could not do impact sports    

Do you have a favorite climb? Why? US Bank in LA. 1st climb, close to home and on a Friday night which gives you the weekend free.     

Least favorite climb? Why? Denver. The mile high elevation gets to someone like me who lives at sea level.   

Why do you climb? To model exercise and good health to others and my children.     

Are there other sports you’re passionate about?  Spin bike and elliptigo biking.   

Did you have injuries or issues you needed to overcome to climb?  Bad knees from decades of running on pavement.

How do you train? Spin bike, raised treadmill, elliptigo bike.      

Do you have a special relationship with any of your step-siblings? All of them.     

Who inspires you? Professional runners and cyclists.    

Do you have a good luck charm or any superstitions or pre-race rituals? Pray with others thanking God for the opportunity to be healthy and ask for safety.      

What's on your iPod during workouts/competitions? Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, Springstein.     

Do you have a website or blog for those interested in learning more about you? FB      

If we had numbers on our jerseys, what would your number be?  8     

What would you like to tell others about yourself and your experience with stair climbing that might inspire them in their lives? This sport is great for a busy lifestyle since it only takes 15 to 30 minutes / 4-5 days a week to train.

Sarah Johnson

Birthdate: 17 November 1969

What is your occupation? Accounting Supervisor for and Oil and Gas Co.

What/when was your first climb? 3.24.2012, ALA Race, First City Tower, Houston TX

How many climbs have you completed? approximately 15

Why/how did you start? I started climbing stairs at work to lose weight and get in better shape. I did that for about 3 years and then had a memory of a 60 Minutes episode I saw as a kid that was about the Empire State Building Climb.  I wondered if this event still happened, and soon discovered the world wide sport of stairclimbing.

Do you have a favorite climb? Why? Willis Tower.  I have only climbed it once, but I loved climbing such an iconic building and I felt particularly good the day of that climb.  The party and view at the top was also a great payoff.

Least favorite climb? Why? Fountain Place Building in Dallas Texas. The first 4-5 floors are very unusual, irregular steps.  I have tended to go out too fast on these and have had pretty rough climbs as a result.

Why do you climb? It's the best cardio conditioning there is.

Are there other sports you’re passionate about? I am very passionate about my overall conditioning and strength. I love my boot camp and I also love trail running.

Did you have injuries or issues you needed to overcome to climb? When I started climbing I had hurt knees from an old running injury.  The more I climbed, the stronger my knees got and  I now have no knee issues at all.  I am currently working through a hip injury.

How do you train? I train with my boot camp regularly, and climb in the 25 floor building I work in.  I also do yoga, spinning, and trail running.

Do you have a special relationship with any of your step-siblings? I met Scott Stanley and Dan Dill at my first race. They are my Team Texas brothers and inspire me with their passion for life and fitness.

Who inspires you? I am inspired by older athletes, in particular women athletes, who live life with passion and who are forever discovering the depth of their strength.  

Do you have a good luck charm or any superstitions or pre-race rituals?  Wake up super early, have my breakfast and coffee, warm up with a prerace workout, and flood my mind with positive thoughts.  Then just relax and have fun.

What's on your iPod during workouts/competitions? Music that moves and inspires me.

Do you have a website or blog for those interested in learning more about you? No.

If we had numbers on our jerseys, what would your number be? 17

What would you like to tell others about yourself and your experience with stair climbing that might inspire them in their lives? Stair climbing is something you can do and reap huge gains regardless of your skill level.

Martin Pedersen

Do you go by a nickname? No Padraig hasn't given me one yet.  :0)

Birthdate: 2 April 1978 

What is your occupation? Technical Assistant

What/when was your first climb? Empire State Building 2011

How many climbs have you completed? 25

Why/how did you start? It was a complete coincidence that I got started with stair climbing. I was looking at information about New York City in December 21 as I was planning on going there for a holiday in the Summer of 2011. I searched about the Empire State Building and the third or fourth result on the search engine came up with a link to the Empire State Building RunUp. As I had had the chance to walk up the stairs from the 8th floor to the 86th floor on a previous visit to the ESB and also I had started running a few months earlier, I decided to click on the link to see what it was about. The webpage stated that applications for the registration into the race was open only for the week where I visited the webpage and I think there was one or two days left to write an application. At that time you had to write a short essay as an application so I wrote a short story about who I was, what my fitness level was, and why I wanted to do the race. Upon completing the application, I was informed that I would get an answer by the first full week of January (the race was on Feb 1). I forgot pretty much all about having sent the application and didn't give it much thought that I hadn't received an answer. By the second week, I received an email from the organizers saying that they were happy to inform me that I had been accepted to race up the ESB.  Wow! I had no valid passport, no travel arrangements, no stair climbing experience, no nothing. A few hectic weeks later and with a brand new passport, I set out for New York. And the rest is history as they say.

Do you have a favorite climb? Why? One favorite climb? No.

Least favorite climb? Why? Willis Tower Chicago if I had to pick one, just because it was so brutal and steep. I've only done it once and maybe I just had a bad day but really steep steps are not my favorite thing. I'm short. 

Why do you climb? The first climb was a result of my wish to travel. When I found out that other stair climbs were held all over the world, it was a great way to combine my travels and my (at that point) rather newly refound wish to be and stay fit. I know myself well enough that I need some sort of goal to keep motivated and stair climbs are for me a perfect way to stay motivated. Having gotten to know quite a few people in the US also helps me stay motivated to be healthy and fit enough to do stair climbs and be able to spend time with them.  

Are there other sports you’re passionate about? Not really The goals of my workouts are the stair climbs.

Did you have injuries or issues you needed to overcome to climb? No.

How do you train? I haven't access to any stairwells in the area where I live so for the most part I run bike or go on a cross trainer. Basically a lot of cardio workouts. Sometimes I wear a backpack with 25 lbs of extra weight when I bike around a short loop in my city which has some incline. In the weeks before a race and if I have the chance, I travel 2 miles by train to the capital of Denmark (Copenhagen) to train in a 16 floor building.

Do you have a special relationship with any of your step-siblings? Not really but I have been fortunate enough to be invited home to some of the climbers even staying at someone's house at one climb. I have a great impression of all the climbers I have been fortunate enough to meet. Especially in the US.

Who inspires you? There are different kinds of climbers who inspire me. Some of the climbers have incredible stories of weight loss some have issues with injuries pain heart attacks cancer etc which they need to overcome to be able to climb. I have struggled with overweight and lost about 6 lbs at one point so I can somewhat relate to some of the issues In cases where serious illnesses are involved I can only be amazed of the will power of some people and this is highly inspirational.  Also the super elites of stair climbing are inspirational to me. Every stair climber knows the feeling of exhaustion after a climb and I think it is amazing that some of the elites are on a fitness level which sometimes just boggles the mind. It inspires me to keep pushing myself when I workout without being disillusionized about my own ability.

What would you like to tell others about yourself and your experience with stair climbing that might inspire them in their lives?  The stair climbing communties in Europe and the US are two very different things at the moment. The European scene is made up of a larger share of what you would call Elite athletes, meaning athletes coming from other sports like track and field, crosscountry running, cycling, mountain running, where they are also highly skilled athletes If you want to be in the top of any European races you have to be really really good! Most races are organized as a “race” and not primarily as a fundraiser as most races in the US are organized. The American stair climbing scene (and the rest of the world, too) is primarily set up as fundraising events. The majority of participants are doing the climbs as a way to support an organisation and not primarily as a “race.” A common trait of stair climbing around the world is that you will see many of the same people if you do more than a few climbs It's a relatively small community but with the amount of events, especially in the US, the number of climbers is increasing and therefore the number of climbers who come back for more will surely also increase. More and more research is also been published about the benefits of stair climbing: short workouts – maximum results. A statement which surely will appeal to many people.

Margarita Stocker

Birthdate:      7 February 1944

What is your occupation?  Interpreter/Translator

What/when was your first climb?      2011

How many climbs have you completed?     About a dozen 

Why/how did you start?    The YMCA Climb.  As a challenge to myself.

Do you have a favorite climb?  No

Least favorite climb? None

Why do you climb?   Who knows!

Are there other sports you’re passionate about?  Tennis and swimming.

How do you train?   The Metro stairs and what ever is in my way.

Do you have a special relationship with any of your step-siblings?   My daughter Veronica and grandson Mattias.   

If we had numbers on our jerseys, what would your number be?  44    

What would you like to tell others about yourself and your experience with stair climbing that might inspire them in their lives?   Don't look up at the outside of the building.  Or inside!  And don't smoke!

Napoleon Woo

Do you go by a nickname?  In my part of the woods people call me the legend.

Birthdate: 20 January 1957.

What is your occupation?  I am a restaurant owner.

What/when was your first climb?  My first climb was in 1999 in Shawinigan, Quebec.

How many climbs have you completed?  About 25.

Why/how did you start?  I started stairclimbing to rehabilitate track and field injuries.

Do you have a favorite climb? Why?  I usually train on a 398 step, stair case outside.  I started at about 15 years old, just getting up one time was hard enough.  I like all the climbs because each one is a unique experience. But if forced to choose one I would say it's the Cap Blanc staircase where I train.

Least favorite climb?  My least favorite is the one in Frankfurt because they had timing problems and I was listed as finishing 4th.

Why do you climb? I climb because it's hard and not for wimpy people.
Are there other sports you're passionate about? I also like track and lifting weights to prevent injuries.

How do you train?  I train approximately 6 times a week from an hour to an hour and a half sessions.

Do you have a special relationship with any of your step-siblings?    I would have to say Mark who approached me and my daughter to have supper after doing the empire state building is a special person with his positive personality.

Who inspires you? Any athlete who overcomes odds and wins inspires me.

Do you have a good luck charm or any superstitions or pre-race rituals?  I don't have any good luck charms but I always make sure to tie my laces tight.

What's on your iPod during workouts/competitions?   I don't listen to music during trainning or competition because it is a distraction and I like to feel the grains of sand I am running on.
If we had numbers on our jerseys what would yours be?  If I had a number on my jersey it would be 8.

What would you like to tell others about yourself and your experience with stair climbing that might inspire them in their lives?  If they want to excel to be constant in their trainning and not find excuses not to train but to find excuses to go out and train.  Stair climbing is one of the few sports where you have to go up to achieve your goals.

Sproule Love

Do you go by a nickname?   B. (within my family)

Birthdate:  17 August 1971

What is your occupation?  Senior Housing Developer

What/when was your first climb?  ESBRU 1999

How many climbs have you completed?   35-40 

Why/how did you start?  It sounded bizarre and I was curious.  

Do you have a favorite climb? Why?  Willis Tower - I grew up in St. Louis and visited Chicago as a schoolboy. It was the first skyscraper I had ever been in. And I hold the record.

Least favorite climb? Why?  ESBRU - although it’s getting better, this is by far the most stressful of all my climbs. It’s the most well-known climb in the world and it’s my home course. I see it every day!

Why do you climb?  There is something very appealing and visceral about seeing the height of land and getting to the top to survey your surroundings. And after 25 years of endurance sports, I can admit that I’m a masochist.

Are there other sports you’re passionate about?  Cross-country skiing, cycling and sea-kayaking.   

Did you have injuries or issues you needed to overcome to climb?  Too many injuries to mention, but the squeakiest wheels are plantar fasciitis in both feet, a shoulder and an elbow.

How do you train?  I run stairs in a 40 story tower where I used to live (with and without weight) lift, rollerski, cycle and meditate.

Do you have a special relationship with any of your step-siblings?  "Stair race training buds" are generally great people, but I’ve become especially good friends with Jesse Berg, David Hanley, Jason Larson, Madeleine Fontillas Ronk and Stephanie Hucko. Above all, though, I have to give Mark "The Godfather of Stair Racing" Trahanovsky credit for introducing me to this exceptional group and for being such a key supporter of my own racing.

Who inspires you?  My children, people who have changed their lives through tower running and the beneficiaries of the many charitable organizations that put on stair races.

Do you have a good luck charm or any superstitions or pre-race rituals?  I use the same shoe bag I’ve carried my race shoes in since high school. And yes, I adhere to exactly the same meals, timing and training in the days leading up to a race. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.   

What's on your iPod during workouts/competitions? I rarely exercise with music...I feel too cut off from the world when I do. Before races, I have a playlist that includes The Method, Robbie Williams, Everclear, David Garza, Bill Withers, James Brown, The Beatnuts, MC Solaar, The Rapture, Tom Petty, Iggy Pop, Penelope Houston, Paul Oakenfold, The Heavy, Jeff Buckley and Elvis Presley   

Do you have a website or blog for those interested in learning more about you?  At the dawn of the digital age, I decided that I would rather be out enjoying my sports than spending even more hours in front of a computer enhancing my digital presence.      

If we had numbers on our jerseys, what would your number be?  8    

What would you like to tell others about yourself and your experience with stair climbing that might inspire them in their lives? Life is hard enough as it is...don’t put any more limitations on what you can achieve. I’ve had some good stair climbing results with more years and less talent than my competition simply because I was tenacious about setting lofty goals. And embrace your inner masochist - suffering is clarifying. The first time I heard someone say, “pain is weakness leaving the body,” I thought it was motivational bullshit. But the more time I spend racing, the more I realize that as long as you’re not injuring yourself, pain lets you know you’re alive.