Two athletes ready for their latest challenge in the Empire State Run-Up

NEW YORK (WABC) -- It's one of New York's most recognized athletic feats.

The Empire State Run-Up is a race up 86 flights, 1,576 stairs to the roof of the Empire State Building. The fastest finish is about 10 minutes.

This year climbers will be raising money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, including two athletes who are looking at this challenge from a different perspective.

"My slogan is, anything's possible," said Glenn Hartnick, who ran his first New York City marathon in 2006. He caught the running bug and would go on to take one hour off his time and complete 175 races, including 19 triathlons.

His success landed him on the December 2012 cover of Runners World Magazine, where he was quoted saying "My favorite body part was my legs because they allow me to see things I would never get to see."

But while riding a bike, Glenn was struck by a car.

"It's about 44 miles, and on my return trip about 35 miles in, just south of the bridge, as they were trying to make the turn they realized they couldn't complete the turn and they hit me. I was paralyzed, spinal cord injury from the chest down," said Glenn.

The triathlete, now in a wheelchair less than 6 months past his accident, decided handcycling could get him back into the sports he loved.

"The Challenged Athletes Foundation was something that helps athletes like myself recover and get back to doing the things that are important to us," he said.

Funding for Glenn's bike and many other CAF efforts come from events like the Empire State Run-Up. In fact, this year challenged athlete Denise Castilla will make the climb to give back to an organization that has given so much to her after losing her leg.

"Last summer I did a Spartan race..some of these obstacles, I was like, I cannot believe I got myself into this but you know what? I finished, and it was really emotional," said Denise.

CAF also helped her do a triathlon and last year Denise was a ball girl at the U.S. Open.

"They provide you with a network of people that you know and people that completely understand you," she said. "I think that's been a very important part of my recovery."

"It's this network of tremendous people that are willing to share insight on what we need to do to overcome those and getting back to racing," Glenn said.

Click for more information on the Challenged Athletes Foundation.