DES MOINES, Iowa — Whether you're a competitive climber or a beginner, the Fight For Air Climb welcomes you to return to downtown Des Moines on Sunday.
The Fight For Air Climb is a fundraising event by the American Lung Association. During the event, participants engage in a stair-climbing race in support of people with lung cancer and lung disease "who are fighting for every breath," according to organization's website.
The event is held in 40 cities across the country, with a total of 20,000 climbers participating.
The Des Moines Fight For Air Climb is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023. Participants can climb alone or join a team of coworkers and friends.
Climbers are required to fundraise at least $100 by event day to participate, in addition to paying the $35 registration fee. 90 cents of every dollar raised by the American Lung Association will go to funding education, research and advocacy.
This year's climb spans four buildings, for a total of 91 floors and 1,936 steps.
Participants will climb stairs in the following buildings:
- EMC Insurance Companies (15 floors, 371 steps)
- The Financial Center (22 floors, 464 steps)
- The Financial Center, 2nd time (22 floors, 464 steps)
- Ruan (32 floors, 637 steps)
Timed awards for climbers include Fastest Friends & Family Team, Fastest Corporate Team, Fastest Gym & Fitness Team and Fastest Individual Climbers by age and division.
In addition, first responders who participate in the race can win timed awards such as Fastest Firefighter Overall Team, Fastest Law Enforcement Overall Team and Greater Des Moines Metro Firefighter Challenge.
Online registration closes at midnight on Friday. Registration will also be available on event day.
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