Keeping Healthy: Corporate Cup
By: Administrator
Updated: June 14, 2012
When it comes to the Boilermaker Race, there are three elements in play.
You're competing against the clock, other runners, and of course the
usual beating sun. But how would you feel about adding an extra dose of
competition in there? That's where the Corporate Cup comes in.
"It's a race within a race, it's a way for local companies to compete against one another in the boilermaker," says Director of the Corporate Cup, Cosmo Castellano.
The Corporate Cup began in 1984 by GE Aerospace in Utica. Now, it's sponsored by Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield. Only requirements? Castellano says you must have already signed up for the road race and have three or more people in your group. The top times from each company are averaged and pinned up against one another and as Excellus's Regional President Eve Van de Wal says; the winner gets a plaque and bragging rights.
She says, "People do watch eachother's times...It's that friendly competition within the company and across the community."
But it's not just about the competition.
"The main thing it does is provide a camaraderie with runners within a company. It gives a goal to work toward and many of these runners will participate in a noon time activity, before or after work. So it builds a little cohesiveness within a company but as well as provide a healthy aspect," says Castellano.
And besides running for yourself and your company, Van de Wal says you'll be running for a good cause. She says, "It doesn't matter if you win or not. Each company is asked to give a non-for-profit entry, so any non-for-profit you would like, it goes into a drawing and we pick three at the end and each of those not-for-profits will get a monetary prize at the end...It's one of the best days in our community....The spectators are spectacular so again you're running against yourself, but you're also running with a team through the whole journey."
"It's a race within a race, it's a way for local companies to compete against one another in the boilermaker," says Director of the Corporate Cup, Cosmo Castellano.
The Corporate Cup began in 1984 by GE Aerospace in Utica. Now, it's sponsored by Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield. Only requirements? Castellano says you must have already signed up for the road race and have three or more people in your group. The top times from each company are averaged and pinned up against one another and as Excellus's Regional President Eve Van de Wal says; the winner gets a plaque and bragging rights.
She says, "People do watch eachother's times...It's that friendly competition within the company and across the community."
But it's not just about the competition.
"The main thing it does is provide a camaraderie with runners within a company. It gives a goal to work toward and many of these runners will participate in a noon time activity, before or after work. So it builds a little cohesiveness within a company but as well as provide a healthy aspect," says Castellano.
And besides running for yourself and your company, Van de Wal says you'll be running for a good cause. She says, "It doesn't matter if you win or not. Each company is asked to give a non-for-profit entry, so any non-for-profit you would like, it goes into a drawing and we pick three at the end and each of those not-for-profits will get a monetary prize at the end...It's one of the best days in our community....The spectators are spectacular so again you're running against yourself, but you're also running with a team through the whole journey."
