Fitness Studio Wants Residents For Race

Rob Zulkoski is challenging residents. Challenging them to climb 42 stories. 84 flights. 914 steps. Up the Bank of America building in downtown Tampa.
“It’s something different than a 5K or working out in a gym, surrounded by four walls,” he said. The 2011 Fight for Air Climb touts itself as being a “vertical marathon.”
It will take place on Saturday, March 26, at the Bank of America building, located at 101 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa. This is Zulkoski’s second time doing the climb, along with his trainers, clients and area residents as team RobZFitness.

Last year, the RobZFitness team had a total of 42 members; this year, it is hoping for more than 50. “But we’d like to have as many as possible,” Zulkoski interjected.
Residents can sign up for the climb on Zulkoski’s Website at www.robzfitness.com and clicking on the “Climb Tampa 2011” tab.
Participants must pay a $25 registration fee, which goes up to $35 if registered after Monday, March 21. The registration covers the cost of the event, including T-shirts, snacks, medals, awards and more. Each participant is asked to raise a minimum of $100 to climb.
Team RobZFitness was able to raise approximately $6,000 last year and is hoping to reach $7,000 this year.
Last year’s climb produced 55 teams; this year, there are already 92 teams signed up for the race with more than 500 climbers participating.
Of those 92 teams, there are 15 fire and rescue units partaking in the ascension in full gear, which can weigh up to 70 lbs.  They range from counties Polk, Hernando, Hillsborough and Pasco to cities St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Seminole, Naples, Palm Harbor, Dunedin and more.
Last year, RobZFitness was the fastest team to finish the race with a time of 19 minutes, 17 seconds. “We are the first team to climb this year because we were the fastest, largest team last year,” Zulkoski pointed out. They will begin to climb the stairs at 8 a.m.
RobZFitness has two locations: 3438 Lithia Pinecrest Rd. in Valrico in the Stein Mart-anchored Lithia Crossing plaza and on the bottom floor of the Bank of America building in Tampa.
For more information, please call the studio at 571-3700. For more information about the climb, please visit www.lungusa.org.