by Stephen Nessen

Runners pushed and shoved through a narrow stair well and climbed 1,576 stairs to the top of the Empire State building today for the 32nd annual run-up.

102 stories above New York at the Empire State Building.

Twenty-four year old Thomas Dold from Germany defended his title, winning his fourth run-up.

Thomas Dold, 24

There was some drama when the women’s two-time champion, Australian Suzaane Walsham, was pushed into a wall at the start of the race. She feared a broken nose and damaged knee, “I just sort of thought I've come all this way, I haven't come here to pull out, so, so I'm going to do the courageous thing and do the best I can under the circumstances,” she said. Walsgan pulled herself together and won the women’s first place.

Runners finish the 32nd Empire State Building Run-Up 1,576 steps from the starting line on Feb. 3, 2009

A few of the 330 competitors at the invitation-only race to the top of the Empire State Building.

229 participants were men, 101 women, with the oldest woman at age 75