RISE project team hosts event combining 2.1km run and 21-floor stair climb on campus
Gwangju University held the 2026 Vertical Run Gwangju marathon on Friday morning, drawing about 1,000 students and local residents to a course that combined a 2.1-kilometer run with a 21-floor stair climb on campus.
The university's RISE project team organized the event, with HARANG, Cheongdeul, Marathon World and the Gwangju Nam-gu Volunteer Center serving as co-hosts. The course fused a 2.1-kilometer running loop with a vertical climb up all 412 steps to the 21st floor of Hosim Hall, offering participants an experience distinct from a conventional marathon.
All 1,000 entrants competed in either the open or student division. In the open division, Park Jong-gwan won the men's race in 9 minutes 38.73 seconds, while Choi Su-mi took the women's title in 12 minutes 26.66 seconds. In the student division, Park Jong-seong finished first among men in 10 minutes 5.26 seconds and Kim Ji-woo topped the women's field in 12 minutes 17.43 seconds. Every finisher received a race pack that included a completion medal and a running vest.
No Seon-sik, head of Gwangju University's RISE project team, said the event was "a meaningful occasion for students and citizens to share the values of health and challenge together." He added that the university would continue to develop community-linked programs "so that the Gwangju University campus can remain an open festival space shared with local residents."
sij@heraldcorp.com
