Marathon fever takes hold at Southern Cross University

Almost 40 Southern Cross University staff and students are preparing to take part in events at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon.

The Southern Cross University corporate team members will participate in a number of events including the Gold Coast Airport Marathon, the Asics Half Marathon, the Gold Coast Bulletin 5km run and of course the Southern Cross University 10km run, which the University is sponsoring for the third year in a row.

The marathon fever does not stop there, with Southern Cross University contemporary music student band ‘Pink Zinc’ set to perform on the entertainment stage on Saturday at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. The band features five members of ‘The Downstairs Mix-Up’ who last year won Australia’s largest band contest, the National Campus Band competition.

Finally, Southern Cross University will also host a Business Leaders Forum, being held concurrently with the Gold Coast Airport Marathon Sports and Leisure Expo at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Entitled ‘Corporate Health – is your organisation on the right track?’, the invite only event will comprise a seminar from Australian athlete Robert de Castella who will discuss the effect of employee health on organisational performance, and a panel discussion on leadership, professional development and corporate team building with a distinguished group of Southern Cross University experts including Professor Ian Eddie, director Graduate College of Management, Associate Professor Michelle Wallace and Associate Professor Peter Miller.

Cameron Hart, general manager of Queensland Events Gold Coast said he supported this event as a new element of the Marathon’s expanded activities.

“Along with two days of racing, the three-day Sports and Leisure Expo, corporate dinners and motivational lunches, this business forum further highlights the value the marathon brings to the Gold Coast," Mr Hart said.

“With valuable partners like Southern Cross University leveraging from the event, it will only go from strength to strength.”

Panellist Professor Wallace, who has more than 30 years experience in human resource and organisational development, said entering corporate teams in events such as the Gold Coast Airport Marathon could improve communication and co-operation within an organisation as well as enhance the relationship of a business with the community.

“These sorts of events can build bridges within an organisation – particularly when, as is the case at Southern Cross University, staff are scattered across a number of work sites,” said Professor Wallace.

“The variety of events at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon is good because participation is not limited just to those who have a very high level of fitness.

“It actually melds a diverse range of staff together – and is also a great way for the organisation to express its corporate social responsibility.”

The Southern Cross University 10km run will take place on Saturday, July 3. ‘Pink Zinc’ will perform on the same day on the entertainment stage from 8.30am to noon.

Photo: The start of last year's Southern Cross University 10Km run.