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BISBEE - The stairs in Old Bisbee seem as old as the hills, but Saturday's 14th annual Bisbee 1,000 pounded them anyway with 567 pairs of running shoes.
This annual traffic on the stairs actually takes place to preserve and rebuild Bisbee's hilly stairs, said Ken Badge, president of Save Our Stairs.
"Because this town is almost 200 years old, we have an approximate $4 million infrastructure problem," Budge said. "The money that is raised goes to rebuild the stairs because they are over 100 years old.
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"We have rebuilt all the stairs on the course already," he said. Repairs are prioritized by usage.
Save Our Stairs Founder and Vice President Cynthia Conroy described the Bisbee 1000 as "a scenic, supported, historic walk-through of picturesque Old Bisbee."
The Barco Ice-Man Competition followed the main event, as people raced to haul ice blocks up a long flight
of stairs, just like in the old days.
"It's a beautiful walk, and there's water and music on all the stairs," Conroy said. "The most important thing to remember is that the Bisbee 1000 isn't just a race, it's an event."
People as young as six-months old have somehow completed the Bisbee 1000 in the past, she said. At the fourth annual Bisbee 1000, and 82-year-old woman completed the event, Conroy said.
"I remember it being worse," said first-place male runner Daniel Zamora, of Tucson. "I ran it three years ago, and I won it."
Zamora said he had not participated since, because he has been recovering from a foot injury.
"I keep trying to convince my sister to do it, but it's on the weekend of her birthday so she never will," he said.
Zamora's time was 31 minutes, 4 seconds.
Paula Morrison had the best time in the women's' bracket, at 34 minutes, 9 seconds.
"No, I train. I'm serious," Morrison said. "I run semi-professionally."
She said she has run numerous marathons, with her best marathon time at 244 minutes, 50 seconds.
"I've always wanted to run this," she said, and this was her first time to run in the Bisbee 1000, Morrison said.
"I feel great. That was a blast," she said. "I've love those stairs."
Matt Simmons, who had finished in 32 minutes, 55 seconds, said he improved by 10 seconds this year, but slipped in the finish order.
"It was a quicker run this year - lots more competition," Simmons said.
Ellen Lay, of Tucson, said she finished in 47 minutes, 4 seconds.
"I was so disappointed there wasn't a Starbucks at the end," she said.
A number of Sierra Vista firefighters showed up to test their stair-stepping.
"Doing all right, feeling pretty good right now," said firefighter Dave Wilcox. "A couple of times it was touch and go, but it's over now."
His colleague Jim Munson felt likewise.
"I feel OK, but that last flight of stairs was a kicker," Munson said.
Neither Munson nor Wilcox knew their exact finish time.
Ron York, a chief in training at the Fire Department, said his time was about 66 minutes.
"Oh, it was very tough. My legs are killing me," York said. "My quads are killing me. And my knees."
Conroy said the goal for next year's Bisbee 1,000 is to have 1,500 participants.
The actual number of steps is 1,034, Budge said.
But who's counting?
REPORTER Gentry Braswell can be reached at 515-4680.
Joe Hicks wrote on Oct 8, 2007 2:22 PM: