Friendly Competition at YMCA Corporate Challenge

6/28/2012 (Updated 11:22:00 PM)

BINGHAMTON -- It was a warm evening for a run as corporations competed against one another for the 28th year.  The annual YMCA Corporate Challenge was held at BCC Thursday evening.

Forty-five local corporations and their employees braved the heat in a little friendly competition

"It's something that's great to get people out here to get awareness about exercise and just get the community together," said Sarah Neuffer, an Associate at LG&T who also ran the Predicted Mile.

While everyone is competing against the other corporations in hopes of taking home the trophy, the contest helps increase office chemistry.

"It really helps our office to have an event they can do together that's health oriented and encourage people to train and give them something to train for," says John May, Piaker& Lyons.  May competed in the relay race.

"And then we throw a party for all the participants and whoever wants to come from the firm afterwards," says Alson McKenna, a lawyer and LG&T.  "I think it's great."  McKenna participated in the 5k.

Over one thousand people competed in one or more of the four events.  The evening concluded with the executive mile, where senior officers from each of the corporations compete against one another in a mile long race.  And while the goal of the night is to promote exercise and raise money for the YMCA's financial assistance programs, those competing can't help but stir up a little friendly competition

"In a friendly sort of way," says David Chambers of Delta Engineering.  Chambers competed in all four events.  "The people who beat us last year, I called them up the next day and congratulated them and told them I was gunning for them this year."

"I think there's a lot of good natured ribbing that goes back and forth," says McKenna.  "Especially in the 5k, I have some friends that ran for other teams and I was making fun of them saying I was going to pass them, but then I was about to die on the course."

In Binghamton, Jeremy Donovan, Fox 40 News

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