So, although I Have been a Colorado resident for almost three years now, the Manitou Incline is still a new concept to me. My first experience (more like attempt) involved me running up the first few steps thinking I had it in the bag, and after about five minutes realizing I really did not.
Well, a man here in Colorado Springs, Steve Stermer, has been climbing the incline every single morning, and will now be taking on the Empire State Building again. A sport unfamiliar to me, called 'tower running', involves running up stairs or at least vertically at the best possible time. The fastest someone has run up the Empire State building steps is 12 minutes and 32 seconds. The fasted incline record is 17 minutes and 45 seconds.
The last time Stermer won the lottery that thousands participate in was in 2016 when he finished first in the race, and is currently number two in his age group for the USA Towerrunning. Now being 61, he is sure that this will be his last attempt at the Empire State building steps saying "this age thing is no joke". Having something as powerful as the incline so accessible must be the best training and preparation I could think of, so we will all be wishing him luck from here in CO!