Join a growing craze - if you're fit enough

You're taking the stairs in your office block and a large group of people in running shoes bustle past you...

No, it's not a riot and they aren't going round looting the place. It's the new craze of stair running.

That's right, while most of us shun the stairs for the lift, there is a growing movement of people who purposefully climb the things in the quickest possible time.

Witness this lot in New York last night.

The two Australians who won this annual race had to climb 1,576 steps from the lobby to the observation deck on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building.

Mark Bourne did it in 10 minutes, 12 seconds, while Suzy Walsham - who has triumphed in this race for the fourth time now - finished in 12 minutes 5 seconds.

Some 700 people from around the world took part, and according to the Towerrunning World Association, more than 105,000 took part in nearly 200 events around the globe last year.

There are no recognised races here in Ireland, but if you fancy a go, pop over to the UK later this month.