What to expect at the event

Check-in

HOW: NEW THIS YEAR, climbers will be assigned staggered check-in and climb start times, which will range from 5:30 pm—7:30 pm. Detailed information will be posted on the Story by Storywebsite on Friday, October 16, and each climber will receive an assigned check-in time by email before the event

WHERE: Check-in for all registrants, including Virtual Climbers, will take place on the Lexington Avenue side of the building, between 46th and 47th Streets

PLEASE NOTE: All climbers and finish line party attendees must register online, in advance of the event. Online registration will end Wednesday, October 14, 5:00 pm. All climbers must be at least 16-years-old. Please refer to the Fees and Fundraising Requirements page to learn more about the $150 fundraising minimum requirement for all climbers

WHAT YOU’LL GET: Upon checking in, climbers will receive their Story by Story t-shirts, timing chips and bib numbers and can confirm their route length. Identify your emergency contact information to write on your bib before you come. Timing chips will be attached to climbers' bibs

If you need to change your route or climber category, please contact Her Justice (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ) by Wednesday October 14, 5:00 pm

If you have a payment to make, please see the Help Desk (in the Lexington Plaza lobby) before or after checking in

All climbers must be at least 16-years-old

Food and water

Maintaining a well-balanced diet will give you optimal energy for the stair climb. Avoid large meals the day of the Story by Story climb. You may want a 200–300 calorie snack prior to the start time. Snacks will be available along the climb route, in the rest areas. More refreshments will be available during the finish line party. If you have dietary restrictions or needs, please plan accordingly.

Staying hydrated while stair climbing is also very important. A key to successful workouts and climbs is keeping well hydrated before, during and after exercise. Start hydrating early by drinking 1–2 cups of water in the morning. Keep a water bottle with you all day long. Drink 1–2 cups before you exercise, and drink ½–1 cup of fluid for every 15 minutes of exercise. Water will be available when you check-in, throughout the Story by Story route, at the rest areas and at the finish line.

What to wear?

During the event, please wear walking or running shoes and comfortable, flexible clothing suitable for exercise. We advise all climbers to arrive at Story by Story already wearing their climbing-appropriate clothing. There will be some changing areas, but space will be limited.

All registered climbers will receive a Story by Story t-shirt at the check-in area

You may want to wear a light-weight top and add the Story by Story shirt over it—or you can stash your Story by Story shirt in the coat check area

Bibs and timing chips

Upon checking in, climbers will receive their bib numbers and timing chips and can confirm their route length. Please arrive early and give yourself extra time to make any changes to your registration.

Climbers will write their emergency contact information on their bibs. Timing chips (B-tags) will already be attached to climbers' bibs, and they should not be removed

Your pre-assigned timing chip and bib number are linked. Your timing chip and bib color are also dependent on your climbing route/category

If you need to change your route or climber category, please contact Her Justice (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) no later than Wednesday, October 14, 5:00 pm.

A link to climbers' times will be emailed to all participants a few days after the climb. Due to the complicated structure of the stairwells, some timing chips may malfunction, and we cannot guarantee a timing chip result for all climbers.

Hands-free climbing and coat check

For the safety of all participants, climbers will not be allowed to carry anything while climbing stairs. Story by Story will provide free baggage and coat check services in the lobby.

Please arrive early and allow yourself extra time to check any personal items

Climbers must check all bags and other personal possessions, so we recommend that you limit any valuables you bring to the event. Her Justice is not responsible for lost or stolen items left at the baggage/coat check area. Because of the "hands-free" policy, if you get a drink or snack at a rest area, you should refrain from climbing until you have finished your refreshments and disposed of the items

Not feeling well?

During Story by Story, you can take as many breaks as necessary in the rest areas, which have bathrooms. Medical personnel will be located in the rest areas, as well as stationed throughout the building. An elevator will be available to anyone who is not able to continue climbing stairs. If you don’t feel well, stop climbing. If you choose to discontinue your climb for any reason, we do ask that you leave the stairwell and go to a rest area, for your safety and the safety of other climbers.

If you are worried about your physical condition at all, it is strongly recommended that you secure your physician's approval to participate in Story by Story. Please be sure to know and understand the potential side effects of all medications and supplements you will be taking on the day of the event.

Climbing etiquette

If you will be climbing slowly during Story by Story, please stay on the right side of the stairwell, similar to driving etiquette. Faster climbers should use the left side of the stairwell, to pass slower climbers on the right side

If you are an elite athlete, please indicate that on your Story by Story registration. 43-floor Elite athletes will be among the first groups to start climbing

Every five seconds, event staff will cue a single climber to enter each stairwell (two stairwells in total), to avoid congestion

Starting Line and Finish Line protocol

All climbers must be at least 16-years-old.

We will do our best to accommodate late-arriving climbers, but we cannot guarantee participation for climbers who arrive after their assigned check-in time. Please arrive on time.

Your team can climb together if all team members registered for the same route and if all team members arrive on time. If a team member has registered to do a shorter/longer route, he or she will be assigned a different check-in time than the rest of the group.

Most climbers will finish their climb on the 43rd floor, inside the building. Unfortunately, we cannot allow climbers on the roof, for safety reasons. After the climb, everyone will take an elevator to the lobby, for the Finish Line party. Short Route climbers will finish on the 22nd floor

If your team wishes to take photos together, but members are finishing at different times, you should plan to meet at the Finish Line party or lobby once you complete your climb.

Extreme Climbers

Weighted belts will be reserved for registered Extreme Climbers. If there are extra belts available, other climbers can change their category on-site to become Extreme Climbers.

Extreme Climbers will pick up their weighted belts on the Lexington Avenue Plaza, where check-in takes place

Weighted belts will be collected on the 43rd floor

If necessary, Extreme Climbers—if they are not feeling well—can give their belt to a Safety Assistant in the stairwell

86-Floor Climbers

86-floor climbers will climb from the lobby to the 43rd floor, as their first lap. On the 43rd floor, they will be directed to an elevator back down to the lobby

86-floor climbers may not wear a weighted belt during their climb

Only climbers registered for 86 floors may climb twice. If you are not registered, your timing chip will not work correctly

Photography at the event

Her Justice photographers will be present during registration, the stair climb and the finish line party.

Please be aware that by consenting to be photographed at Story by Story, you are giving Her Justice permission to use your image on its website and print pieces and to share your image with media outlets. If you do not wish to be photographed, please alert the Her Justice photographers during the event.