In what some consider the ultimate test of endurance, the Empire State Building Run-Up covers, from bottom to top, 86 flights of stairs. That’s a total of 1,576 steps. Winners can do it in about 10 minutes.

It’s considered the most prestigious event in the sport of tower running.

We don't advocate running up and down the stairs in your 20-story office building, but a recent study from McMasters University showed that people who work in buildings or live in apartment buildings and “vigorously climb a few flights of stairs in the morning, at lunch, and in the evening ... are getting an effective workout.”

The researchers call these short runs up and down stairs fitness “snacks.” They're a type of interval training (regular pace, fast pace, regular pace, which you can incorporate into almost any exercise routine) that improves your cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength.

And it's so handy that if you have a set of stairs around, you can use them to improve your health any time you like.

If you're going to take the stairs, we suggest getting some good running shoes, because going up and down stairs can be tough on ankle, knee, and hip joints. Well-cushioned, supportive shoes can greatly reduce impact.

And when you exercise without injury, it ensures that you'll do it more often.