07.02.2008

Again, Walsham shoots to top of State

Suzy Walsham and New York’s Empire State Building are quickly building an enviable relationship, with the 34 year-old defending her run-up title on Tuesday.

Walsham, a former 800m and 1500m national champion who now lives in Singapore, finished in 12:44 to better her 2007 time by 28 seconds; that was despite a calf injury hampering these preparations.

“I nearly didn’t come (to the race), but I did a stair session on Friday and it felt OK,” she said. “Today it was fine.

“I injured it doing a track session. I couldn’t run for the past two weeks but it doesn’t bother me climbing stairs. I don’t really train much for stair climbs. I just did two sessions for the race this year.”

The race to the top of the Big Apple’s most famous building includes 86 flights of stairs and 1576 steps and, this year, Walsham acknowledged a good start made a difference.

“Last year I was new, and I let everyone go at the start,” she said. “I didn’t get a good position going through the door, and I didn’t go out very fast - I was way back in the pack.

“This year I got a much better position and I was the first going into the stairs. I led the whole race but the second place girl was right behind me for the first 30 floors and that probably made me go a whole lot faster. The last 20 stories were really hard.”

Cindy Moll-Harris of Indianapolis finished second in 13:33.

The men’s race also saw a title defence with Germany’s Thomas Dold scaling the course in 10:08.

Canberran Scott McTaggart was fourth in 11:30.

A total of 215 runners finished this 31st edition of the race; 156 men and 59 women.

Click here for the full results