Run upstairs to fight cancer

Feel like doing something wacky? Form a team of six and run in relays up and down the Forum stairs. You do need to bring along some money because this ‘HuZes relay’ is a sponsored run. The brains behind this event on Thursday 28 March are the nine Wageningers who will be taking part in the Alpe d’HuZes mega-fundraiser for cancer research this year. In this charity event volunteers cycle six times up the Alpe d’Huez in France. The relay race is the sporty part of a whole evening’s programme that also includes lectures, student activities such as games of ‘swing from the overalls’ and ‘milk the cow’, a buffet and a lottery. The nine Wageningen UR participants in the Alpe d’HuZes are divided into two teams: BIG Challenge and Head over Wheels. The Forum event is a joint sponsored activity and the stair-climbing element is new. Teams of six run in relays up and down the 160 steps between the building’s eight storeys. Per team they pay a minimum of 66 euros to cover food and drink and a contribution to the charity. The fastest four teams get to run once again in the final. The winning team will be given tickets for the famous Black Cross in the Achterhoek in the east of the Netherlands. The fun activities are put in context with lectures by Ellen Kampman (professor of Nutrition and Cancer) and Coen van Veenendaal (who started the Alpe d’HuZes).