News - Campus Miles, Community Cause: A running-themed UMass seminar culminating in the Hot Chocolate Run.

AMHERST — After twice leisurely jogging around the main track at the University of Massachusetts Track & Field Complex, 19 first-year students are advised by their professor to go flat out, to run a hard lap the last time. In between their runs on a cold, brisk day, Jenny Adams, the English professor and department chair leading the first-year seminar, asks them to share a bit about the highs and lows of their experience over their first semester in college, first recounting something bad that happened to them and then offering up something more positive. Called Couch to 5K (UMass Edition), students are completing group runs and other training sessions throughout campus, reading books and watching films about running and, for homework, doing regular runs. After forming friendships with classmates who arrived from across the country, and learning lessons in time management, goal setting and building community, the seminar culminates Sunday when the students and Adams participate as UFast! in the Hot Chocolate Run, the benefit for Safe Passage taking place in Northampton. In choosing to be part of the seminar, Maysing Cheng of Shrewsbury, who had done some running over the summer, saw an opportunity to have a one-credit class where she wouldn’t be constantly sitting down and listening to lectures, but instead having time to get into running, including assignments to run outside of the class. “This was completely out of my comfort zone,” Cheng said. “I’m just running for the fun of it,” Cheng said. “This is a perfect way to keep that up and to motivate myself.” But Cheng adds that the title for the seminar is a misnomer, as all of her peers are reasonably athletic, though she admits to being one of the slower runners and one of the newbies. “None of us are couch potatoes, really,” Cheng said. Another student was more familiar with running from her time in high school. “I just love running,” said Sophie Monahan, who came to UMass from New Jersey. “I wasn’t aware this class would be so mental-health oriented.” Hot Chocolate Run returns While the seminar is in its inaugural year, the Hot Chocolate Run is being held for the 22nd time, with a goal to raise $800,000 to support the organization that assists survivors of domestic violence throughout Hampshire County. Already the event, where many people will don red hats and costumes, is 79% of the way to that goal, from registration fees, sponsorships and the peer-to-peer fundraising. Natalie Ulrich, director of development, said more than 6,000 runners and walkers have signed up, with over 450 teams ready to run and 200 volunteers on hand. The deadline to sign up is Friday at 9 p.m. Safe Passage serves 700 to 1,000 local residents and their children, mostly in Hampshire County but also extending to Franklin, Hampden and Berkshire counties to address the impact of and prevent domestic violence. “The demand is high for safety counseling, immigration and legal services, a whole arm of prevention and outreach services,” Ulrich said. Ulrich said the infusion of support provides enormous unrestricted funding, where Safe Passage can pilot new programs for clients and can establish funding for immigration programs, children’s programs and preventive work. The Hot Chocolate Run features a 3K walk, a 5K road race and a 5K fun race. For the road race, the top three fastest in women’s, men’s and nonbinary earn gift certificates and medals. In addition to the top three individuals, top three teams, top three youths and the top first-time fundraiser can win medals, too. At the end of the event, all participants will get this year’s mug filled with hot chocolate. With $834,621 raised in 2024, Ulrich said it is great to see the community stand up in this way. “The Hot Chocolate Run is very special, and there’s an overwhelming sense of joy and community,” Ulrich said. UFast! team UFast! team Adams said she anticipates that during the 5K run, unlike the rest of the seminar, the students will have motivation beyond the physical and mental benefits they have received. “It’s running for a different reason,” Adams said. Adams created the seminar for freshmen students because, as a runner whose focus includes academic debt and university life in late medieval England, she was told by colleagues she should find a way to do a class focused on running. What she put together was a syllabus that includes literature, such as “The Loneliness of a Long-Distance Runner” by Alan Sillitoe, and films like “Chariots of Fire” and “Run Lola Run.” “This has been one of the best first-year seminars,” Adams said. “It’s been fun, we’ve gotten to know each other as we run across the campus.” Adams had spent the summer building the course. One of the highlights was adding the memoir “Let Your Mind Run” by Deena Kastor, who earned a bronze medal running the women’s marathon in the 2004 Olympics, with Kastor agreeing to talk with the class and answer student questions. Mental aspects of running, such as knowing when to rest, came out during the conversation with Kastor. “After reading her book and meeting with her on Zoom, it was really helpful,” Monahan said. “It inspired me to rewire my brain with positive things.” “We could motivate ourselves to find alternatives, whether taking a walk or going to the gym,” Cheng said. Adams said it’s possible other sections of Couch to 5K may be developed by colleagues in other department, observing that running can lend itself to exploration in other disciplines. Should Adams do the seminar again next fall, Cheng would encourage other freshmen to sign up. “I definitely would recommend this for other first years,” Cheng said.