I couldn’t let another week pass without providing a link to what must be one of the absolute toughest races there is, the Empire State Building Run-Up, which took place last week. Yes, you heard that right — runners, walkers, firefighters and endurance athletes of all kinds attempt the grueling climb up 86 flights of stairs all the way to the observation deck at the top of the Empire State Building in New York.

A good friend of mine ran it — and finished it! — but needless to say, I don’t think I’ll be joining her next year. Here’s a recap of that race, plus some other great reads I’ve found around the Web this week.

• Once Again, First to the 86th Floor: A profile of Thomas Dold, the 27-year-old winner (again) of this year’s Empire State Building Run-Up, who is on his way to becoming for this race what Takeru Kobayashi once was to the 4th of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island.
• Slideshow of the Empire State Building Run-Up: The race in pictures, captured by New York Times photographers.
• Getting Out of a Rut: Running Times magazine takes a look at the perennial bane of nearly every runner, how to rise above it when you plateau during training.
• Hidden Arsenic Source in Brown Rice Syrup?: In a web follow-up to their story this week on World News Tonight, ABC News takes a look at what could be inside the energy shots and gels many of us consume during training and races.
• 3 Foods for a Healthy Heart: If I bring you down with the link above, I wanna lift you back up again with this one. Because running is all about cardio health, and you gotta have heart, right?

What have you been reading lately?

Quick roundup of great reads on running, health, weight loss and more from around the Web, especially some great coverage on last weekend’s NYC Marathon:

• My Own New York City Marathon: After missing out on the big event, a runner runs his own race on the original NYCM course, from RunningTimes.com
• 6 Signs You Have Post-Marathon Syndrome: How to beat the blues many experience after the high of running a big race, from Runner’s World.
• Aging Well Through Exercise: A look at how exercise improves bone, muscle and skin health well into your 70′s and 80′s
• The Once & Future Way to Run: An updated look at barefoot running from the guy who literally wrote the book on it, in last weekend’s New York Times.
• Cross Training Options for Runners: With winter just around the corner, ways you can stay in shape through the snow, ice and cold – indoors.
• How Overweight Men Can Reverse ED: If you needed another reason to get out there and lose some weight, this ought to do it.