Racing stairways to heaven
Iowa attorney finds challenges at new heights
by Lynne Voelliger 
| Tom Waterman is pictured conquering the Principal Building in
Des Moines (seen in the background) during the
801 Grand Power Climb last February. |
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Tom Waterman, 45, of Pleasant Valley, Iowa, is truly a "weekend warrior." By day, Waterman is a Quad Cities attorney. But on the weekends, Waterman is an endurance athlete, looking for his next sport to conquer.
Since taking a dare from his brother in 2001, Waterman has completed six marathons, three Ironman triathlons, two half-Ironman races and several century bike races. Waterman added yet another endurance sport power stair climbing to his race repertoire when he competed in the 801 Grand Power Climb in Des Moines earlier this year. Sponsored by the American Lung Association of Iowa, the vertical challenge
took place in Iowa's tallest building, the 41-story Principal Building in downtown Des Moines. The power climb was a first for Waterman, who signed up on a whim. Unsure of what to expect, Waterman anticipated finishing the 630-foot ascent with a time of over eight minutes. "Prerace publicity stated that you could
expect to finish this climb in eight minutes if you could run a 5K race in 20 minutes," he said. "I'm not that fast." Waterman's four daughters, which include triplets, helped him train for the race using the 12 flights of stairs at his law office, located in downtown Davenport.
"Since I trained on just 12 flights, I had no idea how to pace myself at the race," he said.
On race day, climbers took off in 30 second intervals, creating staggered starts.
"I decided to take the steps two at a time and use my arms on the handrails," he said. "I ended up running the entire way."
Waterman's strategy allowed him to pass 10 racers on the way up, some more graciously than others."Some people stepped out of the way and others stopped to catch their breath on the landings," he
said. "But I had to breathe down the necks of two guys before they would let me pass."
Waterman crossed the finish line in just six minutes, 48 seconds, earning fourth place in his age group and 23rd overall. "Judging by how good I felt at the finish, I think I could have gone faster," he said. "It felt more like biking than running."
Now hooked on the sport, Waterman is looking ahead to his next big challenge. He plans to compete in the
November 13 Go Vertical Chicago event, a power climb up the Sears Tower's 103 flights, as well as the Empire State Building climb in New York in January.
"The Empire State Building should be a piece of cake after the Sears Tower," Waterman said with a grin.
Lynne Voelliger is a freelance writer, editor and publicist based in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Competitive Stair-Climbing Races
The majority of upper Midwest stair-climbing events take place in the fall and winter when outside temperatures keep runners indoors. Also, not surprisingly, these events tend to be set in large cities where tall buildings beckon. Here are events yet to take place in 2005: Nov. 13: Go Vertical Chicago, up the Sears Tower. Registration opens in June at www.drcrf.org/GV04Main.html
Nov. 19: Stair Climb, Climbing for the Cure, up Milwaukee's tallest building, the U.S. Bank Building (90 flights, 45 floors). See www.cff.org/Chapters/wisconsin/.
The following stair climb races will likely be repeated in early 2006:
IDS Building Climb, Minneapolis (January); Chicago's Ultimate Stair-Climbing Chall-enge, Aon Center, www.childrensmemorial.org (January); 801 Power Climb, Des Moines (February); Hustle Up the
Hancock, Chicago (February)
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