Published to Newsletter on Apr 22, 2024
By: Leah Adent MPH, CHES, NASM-CPT
On Saturday, April 13th, adrenaline surged, and spirits soared as 159 UNM staff, faculty, students, and community members gathered for the annual Stadium Stair Challenge. At the University Stadium, competitors tackled 1,668 stairs with determination and grit, pushing their limits in a test of endurance and strength.
Prior to race day, 86 of UNM’s staff and faculty members signed up for a 6-week training course to help reach their fitness goals. These in-person trainings taught the participants how to properly climb the stairs, offered tips on preventing injury, and provided a program to follow throughout each week to push them to peak performance on race day.
In the men's category, the fastest time was clinched with 11 minutes and 48 seconds, setting a new benchmark for future contenders. On the women's side, the competition was equally fierce, with the fastest time of 12 minutes and 18 seconds.
Beyond the podium finishes, every participant contributed to the electrifying energy of the event, pushing themselves to new heights and celebrating personal victories along the way.
In addition to the stair climb, 16 participants under the age of 13 ran in the Kids K fun run around the football field.
All proceeds from the race went to the UNM Veterans & Military Resource Center. The VMRC works tirelessly to help veterans graduate. Their mission is dedicated to providing the highest quality and comprehensive support to student veterans in an atmosphere that provides commitment, respect, and academic excellence.
Please visit the Stadium Stair Challenge webpage to see the full 2024 results and photos (coming soon) as well as additional information about the race. We can't wait to see you all at the 8th annual Stadium Stair Challenge this coming April 2025.
