Press release from the City of Batavia Police Department:

Thursday, Aug. 2, the sixth annual GLOW Corporate Challenge will be starting out at 6 p.m. on Richmond Avenue in front of the NYS School for the Blind.

Starting at approximately 5:30 p.m., until approximately 6:15 p.m.,, Richmond Avenue will be closed from Prospect Avenue to Bank Street for the start of the GLOW Corporate Cup.

The race is expected to have a large group of runners and walkers in the area. The run will take place in the North-East sector of the City.

Vehicles traveling in the area should expect extended delays while runners and walkers are in the area. Please plan accordingly or make alternative travel routes to avoid the area.

Anyone with information in reference to any suspicious activity are encouraged to contact the Batavia Police Department at 585-345-6350, the confidential tip line at 585-345-6370 or online here.

Volunteers are wanted to help with setup, traffic control, food and cleanup at the upcoming GLOW Corporate Cup on Thursday, Aug. 2.

If interested, register at the front desk at GLOW YMCA Inc., located at 209 E. Main St. in Batavia.

Volunteers are needed for various times between 4:30 and 8 p.m. on race day Aug. 2. You must be at least 18 years old.

For questions, contact Rachel Hale, Community Development coordinator, at 344-1664 or email her at  [email protected]

Collin Mulcahy, 22, of Batavia, and representing Batavia Downs, finished well ahead of the rest of the 1,000-participant field in the 2016 GLOW Corporate Cup 5K at Centennial Park on Thursday.

Mulcahy's time in the 90-degree weather was 15:31.

The top woman runner (next photo) was Kim Mills, from Freed Maxic, with a time of 19:30.

The top team was Batavia City Schools.

(Photo of Frank Gioia by Zachary Lee.)

Local runner and Empire State Games Gold Medal winner Frank Gioia (1983, 1984; plus a Bronze medal in '82) is proof that age is just a number.

After an injury-induced hiatus of more than a decade, the 63-year-old Batavia resident renewed his enthusiam for racing after retiring 2013.

He raced in the third annual GLOW Corporate Cup 5K last August, placing 10th out of 744 participants with a time of 19:46.

Earlier this year, on April 24 in Dedham, Mass., he placed eighth in the United States Track & Field Masters 10K Championship for his age group (ages 61-64) with a time of 41:58.

Being in the top 10 in the nation for his age group is quite an accomplishment, especially after suffering a severe injury to his Achilles tendon while running Rochester's Cobbs Hill 17 years ago.

"I was reaching the mile mark and I felt it; it caused me to jump in the air in pain and I knew I was done," Gioia said.

That, coupled with work and family and the everyday demands of life, steered him clear of running for 14 years. But that's mostly in his rearview mirror now. These days, this Dad is focused forward.

His next race will be Oct. 2 at Syracuse's Festival of Races National 5K starting in the morning at 8:50.

With 840 runners and walkers, 51 company teams and 42 corporate tents set up in Batavia's Centennial Park, the third year of the GLOW Corporate Cup proved to be the biggest yet.

The event, organized primarily by executives with the Merrill Lynch office in Batavia, will have raised more than $20,000 for the GLOW YMCA once receipts are tallied.

Batavia City Schools fielded the winning team and Corey Brown of Crickler Vending posted the race's fastest time at 17:42.

The organizers got a lot of positive feedback, said Joshua Dent, a VP with Merrill Lynch.

"If they're serious runners, the racers are very happy with the course Steve Tufts set up," Dent said. "It runs like a professional race. Then, unlike most races, there is this incredible after-party that makes it unique and different. The environment is fun. So we get the serious runners who are happy with the event, and then the businesses who participate and send walkers and then get to hang out after and listen to a band and they're satisfied as well. Those two aspect help make it a successful and unique event."

Dent looks forward to seeing the event grow, especially as the promoters work to attract more corporate teams from Orleans, Livingston and Wyoming counties.

It's gratifying to see the hard work of Tufts and John Ritter pay off in a big way for the GLOW YMCA, Dent said.

"It obviously means a lot to be able to give that much back to the community," Dent said. "The support of all the volunteers means so much. There's just an incredible amount of work that goes into putting this together. John Riter and Steve Tufts worked tirelessly to pull this off.

"It's not a one-day process. It's days and days and days. So to see the culmination, to see all the businesses that participate and do something that is fun and good for you and get the chance to hang out on a beautiful day and network, it clicked on all points."

• For individual race results, click here.
• For team results, click here.

UPDATE: Photos posted previously were from last year.

Top photo: City fire's team.

If you have photos to share, e-mail them this morning to [email protected]

Upstate Toyota's team.

Three photos below, from Genesee Community College.

Photo from Elizabeth Downie

The Crickler Vending team. Photo submitted by Bob Brown.

Reader submitted, but company ID not included. Will try to update when we get it.

Register today for our 3rd annual Glow Corporate Cup!
At 6 p.m. Aug. 6, Merrill Lynch in Batavia will sponsor the third annual GLOW Corporate Cup. Each year local businesses form teams to compete in a 5K race wherein the company with the lowest combined time takes home the GLOW cup. Following the race is the region’s largest office party. Businesses are encouraged to set up tents in Centennial Park, bring refreshments and prepare to have a great time as they mingle with other local companies. Live music is provided as runners and supporters enjoy the post race “AfterGLOW.” 

Last year the race included 700 runners and more than 1,000 people participated in the post-race celebration. In the first two years, more than $30,000 was raised for the GLOW YMCA and this year event is expected to exceed last year's total in participants and funds raised.

“Our purpose is to bring the businesses of the GLOW region together for a common cause,” said Joshua Dent, one of the race organizers. “The after-party was intended to celebrate the outstanding companies we have in the region that are giving back to their community.” 

The GLOW YMCA serves the communities of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties.

“This year we would like to see even more participants from beyond Genesee County,” Dent said.

Registration is $25 per person and individuals must be 18 or older to participate. The route has been certified as a USA Track and Field Course. All funds raised go toward programs for the GLOW YMCA.

Register today! Click here for more information. Questions concerning the event may be sent to: [email protected]