Sussexsport’s Boundary Fun Run around the University’s campus attracted 67 competitors this year, breaking last year’s record of 60 despite some drizzly weather.

Congratulations to staff members Melissa Lazenby and Cliff Tapp, who came first female and male staff respectively.

Vice-Chancellor and President of the University Adam Tickell opened the run, spoke about the importance of the Commit To Get Fit series, and stayed to hand out the medals at the finish line at Russell’s Clump.

Athletes such as Dr Chaudhury Rashaad Shabab, a Teaching Fellow in Economics, thanked the organisers of the event and said:

"The Boundary Run is a wonderful Sussex institution that celebrates our community, our campus, and our commitment to wellbeing. I came away feeling lucky to be a part of this fantastic university!"

Many staff were regulars, and there was much pre-race talk of Personal Bests (the fastest time you’ve achieved on a course), and comparing one another’s parkrun times to see who would be the fastest.

Not everyone was there for the competition of the run but more for the enjoyment of a healthy run on their lunch break around the natural boundary route, which is great for personal wellbeing and socialising.

It was great to see two athletes finish, only to head back out to escort their team mates through the finish line.

Everyone seemed to have fun during the run, including Melissa Lazenby, Lecturer in Climate Change in the Geography department, who said:

“"This was my first time running the Sussex Boundary Run, which was a great was to get me out of my office at lunch time and in the beautiful Downs. I also got involved in some healthy competition with other staff members, which was a good way to push my limits a bit further!

"I think the Commit to Get Fit campaign is a great one and recommend all other staff to get involved one way or another!"  

More photographs from the run can be found here.

A bit of background on Commit To Get Fit and the Boundary Series

Each year in May, Sussexsport - the professional sport department for the University of Sussex - runs a month-long campaign to encourage staff to get fit and active called Commit To Get Fit.

It starts off with the Boundary Walk on the first Wednesday in May, to signal the start of the season, and continues with staff-only events such as archery, fencing and salsa. One of the ideas of CTGF is that by starting the month with light exercise, e.g. a 2-4km saunter along the perimeter of the University, and slowly introducing more activities and classes throughout the month, by the end of May staff will be ready to take on the Boundary Fun Run, a 4km non-competitive race around the campus boundary. All activities are free to University staff and are organised around the working day.

Staff who wished to take part in CTGF were also entitled to a 30-day free membership with Sussexsport, which included full access to the campus’ gyms and all classes throughout the month.

139 members of staff took part in CTG in total, from a broad number of departments including: 

• Admissions
• Alumni
• Career and Employability Centre 
• Insitute of Development Studies
• Research and Development team
• School of Psychology
• School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences

The Boundary Walk

The Boundary Walk was led by Geography tutor Dr Geoffrey Mead, who took staff around the edge of the University’s campus during lunch. The walk started at the Sport Centre and staff travelled along the edge of the University’s campus to the dew pond, home to breeding frogs, dragonflies and other wildlife; then onwards through Stanmer woods to the top of Stanmer Park, where staff could look out to Stanmer House and over the hills towards Piltdown and the rest of Sussex.

Staff learnt about the geology and flora of the local area as well as its history. Did you know, for example, that the famous Piltdown Man, the supposed ‘missing link’ between ape and man, was discovered not far from Falmer, in the village of Piltdown? Though the fossilised remains were later discovered to be a fake, consisting of a human skull and the jaw of an orangutan (with filed-down teeth), a memorial stone still exists at the ‘discovery’ site in East Sussex.

Photographs from the walk can be found here.  

 What’s on next?

If you are interested in more staff-only activities, come along to the following upcoming events this summer:

• Staff-only Volleyball – Friday 2 August 2019, 5:30pm – Sign up here
• Staff-only Rounders – Friday 28 August 2019, 4pm – Sign up here

CTGF will take place again next year so, if you missed out, don’t fear - join us in May 2020.

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