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[Abournat]

By David Monti(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reservedNEW YORK (06-Feb) — Athletes from Australia took four of the six podium spots at tonight’s 36th Empire State Building Run-Up Powered by the MMRF here, led by race winners Suzy Walsham and Mark Bourne.  About 600 athletes took part, climbing the 1576 steps from the gleaming marble Art Decco lobby to the 86th floor observation deck of this city’s tallest building.Walsham, 39, who lives in Singapore, scored her fourth victory at this race in five attempts, overwhelming her nearest challenger in the invitational women’s field by 43 seconds.  She was the first to enter the stairwell on the ground floor, and climbed to victory alone.  Her time of 12 minutes and five seconds was her fastest ever here by a wide margin, although it was well of the event record of 11:23 set by Austrian steeplechaser Andrea Mayr in 2006.“I was first through the door so I was able to run my own race,” Walsham told Race Results Weekly.  “In the past, if you’re not first through you kind of panic a little bit.”  She continued: “Today I had a strategy not to go out too hard for the first 20 floors, because there are no landings there and you build up a bit of lactic acid.  So, I tried to hold back a bit, and once I hit that 20th floor where the landings start I really got into my stride.”Suzy Walsham and Mark Bourne of Australia after winning the 2013 Empire State Building Run-Up Powered by the MMRF(photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

[cathylister]

who can verify this ->About 600 athletes took part, climbing the 1576 steps from the gleaming marble Art Decco lobby to the 86th floor observation deck of this city’s tallest building.Walsham, 39, who lives in Singapore, scored her fourth victory at this race in five attempts, overwhelming her nearest challenger in the invitational women’s field by 43 seconds.