"Jogging is very beneficial. It's good for your legs and your feet. It's also very good for the ground. It makes it feel needed." - Charles Schulz
This is, however, not the only objective of the Running Club, whose members meet weekly to have a nice run. Part of the fun certainly is leaving the campus and exploring the surroundings of our university: Knoops Park, along the river Lesum or along the Vegesack harbour with a view on the among yacht-fanciers famous Lürssen Wharf. Also, important and incredulously questioned again and again: “Do you run even when it is raining?” Yes, they do – of course. That’s part of the fun – although probably non-understandable until you tried it out yourself. Nothing is more rewarding than conquering one’s weaker self, wind and weather, and reward yourself with a nice warm shower and meal afterwards.
It is a mixed and diverse group, speaking both of running level and nationality: Germany, Australia, Nepal, Venezuela, China, Georgia, Kazakhstan… All levels of runners are welcome: From the guy that sets as his goal to be able to run 5 minutes without stopping and dying, to the ambitious marathon participant.
There are indeed some specimens of the latter and they regularly participate in races. The semester already started quite successfully with the 7-miles (7-miles were basically just a warm-up compared to a half marathon or full marathon) run in the nearby village of Platjenwerbe. Each of the young runners made it on the winners’ podium and the host kept saying “And the winner is… from Jacobs University!”
Led by Kelly Bebendorf (IRPH ’21) and Drupi Roman (Psychology ’20), the endeavours are always fun and varying, sometimes starting with a funny introductory round, in case there are new members. You may then be asked to tell which animal you would be – after which the real fun may start with some interval training or even plogging!
Why you should run? For fun, for your health (strengthening your cardiovascular system, weight loss), being outdoors, community feeling.
Let us hope that with the support of Campus Life they can keep on running: As you know, never stop a running system. Instead, join us! Sunday, 4 pm on Campus Green.
BY MAI-BRIT SCHULTE (GERMANY) | CLASS OF 2021
