Vermont Corporate Cup and State Agency Race
What is the Vt Corporate Cup and State Agency Race?
Vermont Corporate Cup Challenge and State Agency Race is a 5 kilometer team running/walking event open to individuals and teams from businesses, government and non-profit organizations in Vermont. The purpose of this event is to promote physical fitness within the workplace and at home by bringing employees together to enjoy and experience the benefits of fitness. It is traditionally held on a Thursday evening during the month of May, in Montpelier, and celebrates National Employee Health and Fitness Month. Participants are encouraged to train for the event by walking and running with their coworkers, boosting camaraderie along with physical and emotional wellbeing.
Proceeds from this event support Vermont Council on Physical Fitness and Sports community wellness, fitness and sports initiatives, including Vermont Senior Games, Parks Rx, youth winter fitness, and community wellness grants.
Visit the Vermont Corporate Cup Challenge and State Agency Race website for more information.
A little history...
This event began in 1980 as a Vermont state agency 10K running race held during National Transportation Week. Robert Murphy, who worked for the Agency of Transportation, conceived the idea and organized the event. Individuals from various state agencies competed with one another for friendly rivalry and boasting rights. The first race had 23 participants, and the participants increased each year. In 1985, 102 state employees participated. In 1986 the race was changed to a 5K and 206 state employees participated. George Plumb, a Vermont state employee and member of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, suggested to Murphy that the race be opened up to include private businesses, other units of government and non-profit agencies and that it become a team type event. This was agreed to and the race title became Vermont Corporate Cup Challenge and State Agency Race. The Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports agreed to be the sponsor, with Plumb as director of the race. Walking was added in 1989, with 335 runners and 189 walkers participating that year.
For many participants, training for this event was the springboard they needed to exercise regularly. Participation continued to expand each year, and after a while it became clear that more volunteers were needed to manage the event. Employees from participating worksites jumped in to recruit volunteers. From that point, the race grew exponentially, and soon a paid race director was hired. George Plumb continued to serve as the chair of a committee of volunteers overseeing the race.
In 1996, race committee member Mike Feulner was appointed to the Vermont Governor’s Council and became race co-director with Leslie Davis-Stone. Today, the race is directed by Davis-Stone with a race committee of 16 dedicated individuals, including Feulner, and more 200 volunteers. The event continued to grow each year, becoming the largest road race in the state. In 2019, the Vermont Corporate Cup and State Agency Race saw record 4,451 registrants with 3,864 crossing the finish line!
When the COVID-pandemic began in 2020, the race necessarily pivoted to a fully virtual event, and participation plummeted, which severely reduced the income needed to support the Council’s community wellness efforts. In 2021, we transitioned the race to a hybrid virtual and in-person event, and Union Mutual of Vermont, a longtime race supporter, became a presenting sponsor. We are grateful for Union Mutual’s support, along with sponsors National Life Group and Star 92.9, which has allowed this beloved Vermont event to continue during these difficult few years. We are working to rebuild participation to pre-pandemic levels so that we can support community wellness, fitness, and sports initiatives across the state.
We are excited to celebrate the 41st anniversary of the Vermont Cup Challenge and State Agency Race with an in-person race in Montpelier on May 16, 2024, and a virtual option May 16-31.
For more information, please visit the VCCCSAR website.