Lactic acid, burning lungs and a stunning view as hundreds of runners race to the top of the great London skyscraper
Before the Shard, the Cheesegrater and the Walkie Talkie was the Gherkin ? and the hundreds of runners who raced up 1,000 steps to the exclusive private members' bar at the top of Norman Foster's iconic skyscraper at the weekend got to enjoy stunning 360-degree views of London ? and raise funds for the NSPCC.
The Gherkin Challenge may be over quickly but the lactic-acid burn from racing up 180 vertical metres means it should not be underestimated. "The toughness comes from the vertical gain and, in particular, the second half," warned running coach Martin Yelling before the event. "Start the steps too quickly and the final few hundred will be leg-sappingly uncomfortable."
With his words in mind, I paced myself slowly at the start ? striding two steps at a time and using the stair rail to haul myself higher. Spiralling up 38 floors in a tight stairwell is kind of hypnotic ? before I knew it, I was past the 20th floor and although I could really feel the burn in my thighs, I knew I wouldn't be collapsing in a breathless heap on the floor. A couple of minutes later I was past floor 30 and tried to kick ? but quickly realised I didn't have anything left.
The breathtaking panorama from under the glass dome (the only bit of curved glass in the building, apparently, despite its shape), a complimentary glass of champagne and, of course, doing it for a good cause made it all worthwhile ? and, given the lengthy queues to get inside 30 St Mary Axe at last year's Open House weekend, the Gherkin Challenge may be one of the best ways to experience Foster's masterpiece from the inside.
Elite stair runner Matthias Jahn of Germany set the fastest time with 4 minutes 18 seconds ? a new record for the event.
Britain is unusual in that its few tower-running events are all held in aid of charity. In other countries it is a competitive sport, with elite runners racing up skyscrapers including the Empire State Building in New York and the 2,046 steps of Taipei 101 in Taiwan. And while it may not take place inside a tower, the 11,674 steps of the Niesen railway staircase race in Switzerland takes some beating.
Michael Reichetzeder, executive director of the Tower-running World Council, said: "Why do I do this? This question comes to mind for nearly everyone competing in a stair race at some time during the event. But once you reach the top, the world looks different. You have fulfilled an inner human desire to reach for the top. Generally the exhaustion does not last long, and often you are rewarded by a grand view."
For 2013, the NSPCC expanded the Gherkin Challenge to run over two days, with an Everest Basecamp-themed family festival on Saturday and more competitive individuals and teams taking part on Sunday ? although the charity stresses the event isn't about fast times, with finishers reaching the summit in anywhere between four-and-a-half and 45 minutes.
The NSPCC hopes the 550 runners this year raised �150,000 to help protect vulnerable children through its projects and services, including the free, confidential 24-hour ChildLine helpline and online service.
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