Diabetes and obesity: the diseases targeted by the UAB Run

La Cursa de la UAB: el dia a dia de les persones amb diabetis i dels professionals amb qui treballen

The well-known diseases of diabetes and obesity are the targets of this year's TV3 Marathon and also of the UAB Run. A Fair for groups and associations devoted to these diseases will also be held at the Vila Universitària on 13 December.

04/12/2015

This year's UAB Solidarity Run will raise funds for the TV3 Marathon, targeting diabetes and obesity.

The square in front of the hotel in the Vila Universitària will once more be the venue for a celebration of sport and solidarity, throughout that Sunday morning. The proceeds will go to the TV3 Marathon, which will donate them to research into metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes.

The courses to be used for the UAB Run are very similar to the three previous editions, but with some minor alterations. Last year's 5 km walk is lengthened to 6 km this year, for instance; The 9 km run is now 10 km; and a new 6 km run has been added, using the same course as the walk. As for the 0.48 km run for persons with reduced mobility, this stays on the programme for this year.

The 10 km run starts out from the Bellaterra Campus, passes the ALBA Synchrotron, and then goes through the gardens of the Castell de Sant Marçal (Cerdanyola del Vallès), before returning to the campus. The 6 km run and the 6 km walk follow the outer perimeter of the campus, passing by the different faculties and the UAB columns on the way to the Vila Universitària.

As well as the Run itself, the UAB campus will also host a Fair for groups and associations related to metabolic illnesses like obesity and diabetes: this year's theme for the TV3 Marathon. These groups will be offering information on these illnesses to all the attendees.

To sign up, vis tit the website www.cursauab.cat. This year participants can register the kilometres they cover before, during and after the run with the IWOPI solidarity initiative, an aid fundraiser. The UAB has an agreement in place with IWOPI by which, from 18 November onwards, people can begin to "donate" the kilometres covered to the cause. The app for this can be downloaded at http://iwopi.org.

Last year 1,721 persons signed up, and around 100 volunteers were involved in the organisation. The total figures for all three previous editions are: around 5,000 people taking part, 250 volunteers, and 25,000 Euros in proceeds, donated to the TV3 Marathon for research into different diseases. The first edition in 2012 made a symbolic contribution towards cancer research; the second edition in 2013 raised 12,000 Euros for the TV3 Marathon, targeting neurodegenerative diseases; Last year the amount increased to 15,000 Euros, which went towards heart diseases. All this has been achieved thanks to the continuing solidarity of individuals and organisations taking part with the TV3 Marathon's fundraising efforts for medical research.

VOLUNTEERS
In last year's event, a hundred volunteers, mainly students and staff (PAS), helped out from the early hours of the morning with organisational tasks, coordinated by the Fundació Autònoma Solidaria (FAS). A group of Physiotherapy student volunteers will be helping runners with recovery exercises when the runs are over.

RUN FOR PERSONS WITH REDUCED MOBILITY
The run for persons with reduced mobility, over a distance of 500 metres, in which participants show impressive courage and determination, is back on the programme for this year. This is one of the very few runs organised for those with reduced mobility.

The UAB Solidarity Run is organised by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, with the collaboration of Cerdanyola del Vallès Town Council and the Catalan Network of Healthy Universities (Us.cat).

ENTRIES: www.cursauab.cat

INFORMATION ON THE UAB RUN: http://blogs.uab.cat/lacursadelauab/