Empire State Building Run-Up 2010

Germany's Thomas Dold claimed his fifth successive victory at the annual Empire State Building run-up race on Tuesday.

Dold, 25, covered the 1,576 steps up 86 flights from the lobby of New York's tallest building to the outdoor observation deck in 10 minutes and 16 seconds.

After the race, Dold shared the secret to his multiple successes.

[Thomas Dold, Men’s Winner]:
"I make sure when I start months ago training for this race, that I'd like to run over here and push as hard as possible, run as fast as the legs can and to be as fast as possible. During the race, you're just pushing as fast as you can go.”

Dold added this year's competition was tough.

New Zealander Melissa Moon, a 40-year-old former world Mountain Running champion, won the women's race in 13:13 as 294 competitors charged up the stairwells of the iconic skyscraper.

This was the 33rd running of the Empire State Building.

After the race, Moon confirmed what observers could sense: The run-up is not easy.

[Melissa Moon, Women’s Winner]:
"I think the biggest thing is your ability to tolerate pain because that tenth floor, you are starting to hurt and so it's a lot of mind strategies and I suppose my mountain running has taught me a lot about that and about enduring pain, and that's the challenge of stair running, we love it and we hate it.”

Moon added that she will be talking about her win for a long time to come.

[Melissa Moon, Women’s Winner]:
"Someday when I'm a 90-year old granny on my rocking chair, talking to my grandkids, I can go 'Guess what kids, granny won the Empire State Building,' and they can go 'Wow!'. That's why it was quite special.”

Both Dold and Moon promised to run the race again next year.