The 28th running of the JP Morgan Corporate Challengeis Tuesday, and for the second year in a row, it will be in downtown Rochester. For much of its existence, the 3.5 mile road race was held in Highland Park, and then at RIT.
Spokesman Alan Tieueli says this year’s race has a slightly different course compared to last year, to have more of the race run on downtown streets.
“We’re starting now on Plymouth Avenue which allows us to have a little bit more downtown; last year the majority of the race was on the Loop; now this year with the little subtle change in moving the starting line to Plymouth Avenue we’ll have a little bit more of a downtown experience,” Tieuli told WXXI News.
Also, the race is back to its more normal schedule of being run in May or early June; last year it was in July, and Tieuli says that may have kept the number of runners and walkers down in 2017.
This year, 8,771 people are registered, an 18% increase from last year. There are more than 300 businesses and other organizations participating. Festivities will be held at Frontier Field.
The corporate challenge is held all over the world, but Tieuli says some of the biggest crowds in terms of runners and walkers are in Rochester.
“You have more participants in Rochester than the series has in Sydney or Shanghai and very very close to what we draw in San Francisco.”
Proceeds from this year's event will benefit the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester.
The race starts at 7:00 p.m., and there will be a significant impact on area roads and traffic before and after the race:
The following streets will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday:
• Morrie Silver Way from Oak Street to State Street
• Plymouth Avenue from Allen Street to Brown Street
The following streets will close at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday:
• State Street from Brown Street to Main Street
• Inner Loop from Plymouth Avenue to Main Street
• Scio Street from Lyndhurst Street to Main Street
• University Avenue from Main Street to Windsor Street
• Delevan Street from Gibbs Street to Scio Street
• Plymouth Avenue north bound from Main Street to Brown Street.
All streets are expected to reopen at approximately 9 p.m.
For more information visit:
www.jpmorganchasecc.com/city/rochester/event-details
