Hundreds climb 56 stories of stairs in Denver to raise money for lung disease programs and research

People fell to the floor, sprawling out as they caught their breath.

They had just climbed 56 stories, or 1,098 steps, at Republic Plaza in less than 9 minutes during the American Lung Association in Colorado’s Fight for Air Climb on Sunday.

More than 900 people took the stairs. A handful did the 9-minute challenge, and several others saw how many times they could climb the stairs. But a majority opted to go with a team. Beyond the exercise, the event raised money for programs and research that will help the 600,000 Coloradans living with lung diseases.

“It was probably the most taxing, depleting thing to do, but it’s for the cause,” said Nicole Smathers, a 44-year-old Longmont resident. “It’s not fun. None of it’s fun, but you just do it.”

Smathers was one of the people who tried to run the stairs as many times as she could. The current record is six times. The past three years, she managed to make it four times. This time she reached the top stairs three times — she said she had slacked on training.

Every time she gets to the last stair, Smathers said she thinks to herself that she won’t do it again. But she does anyway. She’s driven by her mom, who has a lung disease. Exhausted after finishing Sunday, she figured she’ll probably end up climbing the stairs again next year.

“I’m 70, and I did it three times,” shouted Arvada resident Janette Powers when she finished.

Powers’ husband had struggled with multiple sclerosis for 40 years, impacting his lungs, she said. She wanted to stay in shape so she could take care of him, which drove her to the climb. Her husband died six months ago, but she still races. It helps with the grieving, she said.

“The part that hurts the most is actually the lungs,” said Ellen Penrod, the executive director of the American Lung Association in Colorado, said of stair climbing, which is part of the motivation for a climb instead of a run.

This was the 13th annual stair climb in Colorado, although there are climbs across the country. Typically 1,000 or so climbers take on the challenge. Last year, the event raised about $300,000, according to an ALA spokeswoman.

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