Running is a great way to stay in shape and meet people, so why not lace up your trainers and join the department running club?
The running club meets every Thursday at 5:30 pm just outside reception for a run that is usually around six kilometres.
“It’s not a race, it’s a social run,” explains Alessia Santambrogio, who started the group earlier this year. “The group sets a pace that most people can join in. Some people go faster, some slower, some stop when they get to their college: nothing is compulsory!”
The sessions often finish at the Panton Arms. “Some people even skip the main course and ‘run’ straight from the department to the pub!” says Alessia.
Below: It's not a race, it's social!
Spread the joy
As a final-year PhD student in Michele Vendruscolo’s group in the Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Alessia has been studying tau protein and its role in Alzheimer’s Disease. In her lab-based work, she has been developing a way to re-create the tangled tau structures that occur in Alzheimer’s Disease. She is now working closely with the computer modellers in the CMD to test potential drug therapies on these structures.
Alessia has always enjoyed running and did athletics in primary school, but previously was more interested in team sports like football and basketball. She played basketball for the Cambridge Blues team last year, but when the season finished in March, she says she needed something else to do.
Alessia had previously run a couple of half marathons, so decided to sign up for a full marathon. To prepare for the marathon Alessia began training in earnest about four to five times a week. “I talked about it so much in the lab that the other lab people got involved and we started to run together. At first it was six people once a week, but as the weather got better, we ‘encouraged’ more people to come by talking about it all the time,” she laughs, adding: “The best way to train is with people.”
After a successful summer, the runners decided to ‘spread the joy’ and sent an email around the department in September inviting anybody to join in the weekly sessions. Alessia was pleased to see lots of people from other groups came, including members of the Knowles, Sormanni, Hunter and Webster groups. As many as 20 people came to some sessions, although the number has decreased with the advent of darker and colder nights.
A good addiction
Alessia’s work can be stressful and time-consuming, and she finds running is a great way to relax, be social and get some healthy exercise all at the same time. “I love it,” she explains. “One hour doesn’t take too long, it’s a good workout, and you can start and finish at the same place.”
Alessia successfully finished her first-ever marathon in Venice in October with a time of 3 hours 58 minutes. “I felt I could have done better but it was much warmer there than here,” she says. “After 30k I felt pretty dead, but everybody from the lab was supporting me so I had to keep going.” Alessia grew up in Italy and her parents still live there, so she was especially happy that they were able to come and watch. She has now signed up for the Barcelona marathon in March 2025.
Alessia says: “It’s a good ‘addiction’ to have. If you sit down all day at work or have been busy all day in the lab, it’s a great break.”
The weekly sessions have also gotten quite a few department members hooked. “People who never ran a 5k before are now training for the Cambridge half-marathon in March.”
So why not get out those trainers from the back of the wardrobe and join in? You can contact Alessia for further information on as3166.cam.ac.uk.
