Feb
Keeping Fit in Southampton
What with work commitments, student budgets and time to hang out with your friends, keeping fit can seem like the last thing on your mind. But we all know we should do it, so whether you are a gym bunny or a sporty type, here is a quick overview of some ways you can exercise in Southampton…
Parkrun
Saturday. 9am. 5k. Okay now the worst bit is over, we can tell you about all the good things. It’s completely free and this includes stats about your run! For example, you can find out how you did for your age group, what your personal best (or PB for the sporty among you) is etc. There are on average 600 participants, so it’s well worth getting involved! Running with people drives your adrenaline since you’re overtaking people and getting overtaken etc. What better way to exercise than to compete against the people of Southampton?! Sign up here
Sports Societies
There are an unbelievable amount of sports societies on offer at SUSU, including Lacrosse, Hockey, Canoe Polo, Tchoukball and Korfball (if you don’t know what these are, you need to!), plus much more. If you’re looking for something serious, playing for the university teams is the way to go. You play other universities and you may get the chance to play as part of Team Southampton at Varsity!
If you aren’t quite feeling ready to be in Team Southampton, but you want a slice of the action, you can support us by going along to Varsity on Sunday 13th March. Get your tickets from our Box Office for just £10, which includes a t-shirt. Get in the mood by watching our Varsity video.
If you want something more casual, then playing for your halls or just attending casual society meet-ups is ideal. Halls sports teams allow one to play against friends in other halls so there’s plenty of intramural excitement!
Don’t forget our AU (Athletic Union) Ball and Intra-Mural Ball is coming up in April and May. During these events, we award students who have gone that extra mile (perhaps literally!). You will be able to nominate students from Monday 7th March, so watch this space.
Free Sports in and around Campus
If you’re looking for convenience, and who isn’t, quite a few Halls offer facilities. Glen Eyre has a free-to-use squash court. If you’ve never tried squash, here’s the perfect opportunity to try it. Squash courts are also found in Building 42 of the Union. There are tennis courts on avenue campus which are free to use also.
Gyms
The university offers fantastic accessibility to gym facilities. With small fitness suites at some of the Halls of Residences, popping into the gym has never been so easy. At roughly £13 per month, the university Sport and Eellbeing membership is by far the best for value and grants you access to some major facilities for water sports, diving, swimming, athletics as well as all the usual gym equipment. If you’re not looking for such a commitment however ‘Pure Gym’ and ‘The Gym’ offer no contract monthly student packages at competitive rates.
The Common
If the gym isn’t your thing, why not pop down the Southampton’s vast common. In the summer this will become the number one place for casual sports and BBQ’s with friends and it’s great for running all year round. If you’re approach to fitness is a more laid back one, this tranquil landscape in the middle of the city is perfect for those moody walks.
Big Events
Serious about running? Or want to raise money for a good cause and fancy a challenge? Then Southampton’s own half marathon and 10k might be for you. Run with thousands of others through the heart of the city this april. Warning: Sign up for these events closes very soon. And if one half marathon isn’t enough there a ‘Pretty muddy race for life (5k)’ in July and ‘The Big Fun Run’ as well. Now go and get those boots muddy!
Tags: Box Office, campus, events, exercise, fitness, friends, Gym, halls, health, hobbies, Parkrun, societies, Southampton, Sport and Wellbeing, student groups, students, team, Team Southampton, The Common, tickets, university, varsity