In the right hands (or feet), even the most quotidian activities can become competitive sports. Take climbing stairs — for a lot of people, it’s something to do regularly without much thought. But there’s also an annual stair climb at the Empire State Building, an event that involves running up 86 flights of stairs. In 2021, two brothers set a world record by climbing 100 stairs with one upside-down atop the other.
And then there’s the case of Tom Kutrosky, age 90, who’s still climbing stairs competitively. In a recent article at the Los Angeles Times, Aspen Anderson talked with Kutrosky about his fitness regiment and what keeps him returning to competition. As Anderson recounts, Kutrosky had previously competed in 5Ks and 10Ks before changing things up around his 75th birthday. As he told the Times, it’s something he’s especially enthusiastic about “[t]o keep my heart going, my whole body going.”
To that end, he’s a regular participant in fitness classes, including strength training. He also mentioned taking yoga classes with several other men — something they don’t necessarily enjoy. “[W]e know it’s good for us, and we have to do it,” Kutrosky said.
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You don’t have to live off the grid to put these habits to good useAs physical activity goes, Kutrosky has made an excellent choice. Last year, NPR reported on a study that found that climbing stairs was linked to longevity and a lower risk of premature death. Reading the Times article about Kutrosky, it also sounds like he’s embraced the social aspects of competitive stair climbing — something that’s also been shown to have beneficial effects if you’re looking for a long and healthy life.
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