Kickoff of "U-Run 2016 Soochow University Campus Marathon & 2016 National Geographic Adventurers of the Year (China) 'Famous City, Famous University' Running Challenge"

Physical exercise is an excellent habit and having a healthy body and mind should be a pursuit for all students. The annual public celebration of the "U-Run Soochow University Campus Marathon" has become a festival that all teachers and students of Soochow University can look forward to participating in and enjoying. It has gradually become a distinctly SU cultural activity integrating national fitness campaigns, local club activities, and community and cultural representation, as well as providing a special platform for alumni social interaction and for exchanges between alumni and current students.  

This year, on the basis of past marathons, our university has launched a new format for community engagement y, introducing the "2016 National Geographic Adventurers of the Year (China) 'Famous City, Famous University' Running Challenge". On November 20, the Running Challenge kicked off at our Tiancizhuang Campus. Nearly 3,000 people including current students, staff, alumni, and members of the board of trustees as well as representatives of 45 affiliate schools as well as nearly 1,000 local residents participated in the race. They took the 10.5km-long Soochow University Culture Path, passing the bell tower, Weizheng Hall, Zishi Hall, the Jingzheng Building, and other century-old buildings which are the landmarks of our university, experiencing both the manmade beauty of the campus and all our cultural works as well as the beautiful landscapes of our famous city and famous university.

To further improve the influence of and public interest in this event, SU also organized a "Photography Competition," a "Graffiti Competition," an "Emoji Competition," an "Celebrity Vlogger Competition" and other related competitions and support activities, so that attendees could fully benefit from the SoochowSoochow University Campus Marathon's all-inclusive philosophy: "I run to be happy, I exercise to be healthy". This campus event is of great significance in promoting Suzhou's "Famous City, Famous University" development strategy as well as strengthening the campus sports culture of our distinguished, century-old Soochow University.