Tackle the Tower at Erieview

People do weird stuff this time of year in the name of fitness: Bowflex and Wii Fit among them. Likewise, the idea of getting up early on a Saturday morning to race up 38 flights of stairs at the Erieview Tower struck us as a wee bit wacky, at least until we considered that today's Ninth Annual Tackle the Tower is as much about supporting a good cause as it is about sculpting those calves. Specifically, organizers hope to raise around $40,000 for Cleveland's Ronald McDonald House during today's three Tackle the Tower events: the 8:45 a.m. fun walk, the 9 a.m. race, and the 10:30 a.m. firefighters' race. Your $25 entry fee also gets you breakfast, beverages, a T-shirt, and entertainment. Prizes will be awarded to fastest finishers in male, female, and firefighter categories, and the odds of actually finishing aren't as slim as you might think: Out of last year's field of 1,500, 786 racers made it all the way to the top. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Galleria, 1301 East Ninth St. For more info, call 216-623-9933 or go to hermescleveland.com. — Cicora