It may not seem such a good idea after a few drinks the night before or some strenuous competition in the morning, but 26 brave souls still lined up at the foot of the Durie Hill lookout to tackle Whanganui's unique NZMG event yesterday.
The infamous Stair Race is unique to the river city compared to its Dunedin hosting counterpart - a 355 step climb on a 100m vertical walkway, where the thighs and lungs scream on the way up and the calves and heart-strings tear on the way back down.
There had been 33 entries originally, surpassing the 30 of 2015, but organisers said after a long Sunday night at War Memorial Hall, a few had withdrawn themselves for the 5pm dash.
Star Race rules are that one foot must touch each step, and the competitor must give their name clearly to the marshall at the top of the climb before they can descend.
Some hardy souls like Gisborne's Peter Lamont and local Bruce Baldwin were still keen, despite having been flat out in the morning winning medals in the kayaking on Lake Wiritoa.