Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) is giving the community an opportunity to race up the staircase of the newly-opened The Torch Doha Hotel in the inaugural Torch Staircase Run. This never-before-seen event in Qatar will take place on March 31. Participants will start at the base of the tower and make their way up the stairs to the finish line located on the 51st floor. “Aspire Zone Foundation is excited to be hosting the first occurrence of the Torch Staircase Run,” said Aspire LOGISTICS Director General Abdulaziz al-Mahmoud. “Staircase running is hugely popular around the world and it is only fitting that The Torch Doha Hotel will take its place alongside other iconic landmarks around the world in hosting this type of event. ”Many other important buildings around the world host similar annual events including the Empire State Building in New York and the Berlin Sky Run in Germany. The challenging route consists of a total of 1,304 steps as runners will have to make their way up to the top of the 300m tower. As the event is physically demanding, AZF is recommending that participants should only enter if they have undergone a certain amount of training. The highly anticipated race will take place the day after the 5th edition of the Aspire Zone Winter Aquathon Series – the official concluding event. The Torch Staircase Run further emphasises Aspire Zone as the home of community sport activities in Qatar and cements the organisation’s dedication to promote health and discourage inactive lifestyle, eventually building healthy communities and subsequently healthier nations. The Torch Doha General Manager Gerhard Foltin said: “We recently organised a ‘Tower Run/Walk’ for our own staff to celebrate Qatar’s National Sports Day. Many of the participants reached the top 51st floor of The Torch and received certificates for their performances. It was like a warm-up for the Aspire Zone race-up and was great to see so many participating which means people got excited about the initiative.” “I myself took the challenge of the Run/Walk as I had to set the pace for my staff. Nationality or age has no meaning when it comes to sports, and by managing to complete this mammoth task and reach on foot the 51st floor of The Torch, I proved my point. It was definitely a one-of-a-kind fitness exercise which increased excitement and staff morale levels,” he added. The Torch Staircase Run is being organised in partnership between Aspire Logistics and The Torch Doha Hotel. Gulf Times

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