Latest news with #StMarysUniversity


BBC News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Japanese university triumph in second UK Ekiden on Thames Path
Japan's Ritsumeikan University have won the second annual UK Ekiden race after frontrunners from the University of Oxford were disqualified for an illegal sash 70-mile (114km) mixed-gender relay race takes place along the Thames Path in Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The race started at Maidenhead and travelled though Bisham Abbey, Henley-on-Thames, Sonning and Reading before retracing the route to the start. Oxford finished four minutes and 28 seconds ahead of the Ritsumeikan team but organisers stepped in after spotting them pass their relay sash outside of the designated area. Under traditional Ekiden rules an illegal sash pass sees the offending team University came second and St Mary's University were third. A total of 15 corporate teams and 16 from universities competed. "It's really exciting to see so many young athletes out on the route" said founder of the UK race Anna Dingley. "This is year two. Last year we launched it when there was a state visit from the Emperor and Empress of Japan to the UK - and it also coincided with the 100th Ekiden of one of the most famous ones in Japan, called the Hakone Ekiden."We've got more universities involved and we're making it a little bit more competitive for the athletes because Ekiden in Japan is a very serious running race." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.


Times
12-05-2025
- Health
- Times
How to start weight training in midlife
You've bought a set of dumbbells, but do you really know what you should be doing with them? Resistance training is touted as being the most important thing we can do to improve the strength and appearance of a midlife body, protecting it against the inevitable muscular decline that occurs naturally as we age. And yet misconceptions abound about how best to build stronger, healthier muscles. 'Strength training is one of those things that can seem overcomplicated with so many different opinions and advice,' says George Morris, an exercise physiologist and strength and conditioning coach at St Mary's University, Twickenham. In fact, Morris says, the basics are simple. Here's how to get started. As a very rough guide, women starting out from scratch should invest