A vertical race up 312 stairs and 12 floors of the specialists’ section of the Nuevo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara was held last Sunday, August 18, organized by the Civil Protection and Firemen of Zapopan to benefit the hospital’s Children’s Burn Unit.
Some 1,100 participants, about 500 of them firemen (bomberos) from various municipal corps charged up the stairways, some wearing about 20 kilos of typical firefighter gear. Many of the other runners were hospital employees. The event raised 200,000 pesos, which will help with the expensive treatments need-ed by children in the burn unit.
This year was the fourth time the race was held, and about 400 more participants than last year showed up. “We hope this event raises awareness of fire safety and helps prevent children being burned,” said Zapopan coordinator for Bomberos y Proteccion Civil Sergio Ramirez Lopez.
The event was registered in the national and international circuit of Towerrunning, and offered 40 points towards each runner’s ranking.