NSU will host its seventh annual Shark Shuffle, a 5K run/walk, on Oct. 12 at 7:30 a.m. on the Alvin Sherman Library Quad.
Douglas Flemons, professor of family therapy at the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, created the Shark Shuffle with Robert Oller, CEO of the Division of Clinical Operations, and is an avid runner himself.
Flemons said he wanted to come up with a way to encourage the campus to strive for wellness.
“I’ve been participation in 5K runs for years and so I thought ‘Let’s create a 5K to get everyone fired up to exercise and also figure out a way to give students a reward for their participation,” he said.
Head coach of the cross country and track team Bryan Hagopian said the Shark Shuffle is one of the best road races he has ever been to.
“It’s such a welcoming atmosphere; you can just feel the energy. It’s so great to see everyone cheering for you and the award ceremony at the end makes you feel like you’ve accomplished so much,” he said.
Hagopian encourages beginner and experienced runners to attend.
“If you’ve never been to a running event, this is the best one to experience. It’s a stress-free course to run or walk because the directions are easy to navigate,” he said. “There are tons of water stations. they really emphasize hydration throughout the entire event and it’s an overall fun time.”
Hagopian added that the course allows attendees to have fun, meet new people and be grateful for our campus.
“The Shark Shuffle lets participants see how beautiful our campus is. It gives them a chance to experience the different parts of campus they haven’t seen before,” he said.
Flemons admitted that putting on this event was very difficult.
“It took many people to make this event happen, from all levels of administration, corporal operations to help fund the event and the organization wasn’t easy,” Flemons said. “But, we’ve been able to keep this event successful throughout the years.”
Flemons said the Shark Shuffle creates a feeling of community at the university.
“Students and faculty from different colleges, middle and high schools in the area attend, as well as the public. It’s a really great feeling watching everyone come together and work really hard to accomplish the same goal. The devotion is awesome,” he said.
Hagopian strongly encourages attendees to prepare before attending the Shark Shuffle,
“Those who anticipate running the entire 5K should consider running longer than 3.1 miles. They should also consider completing certain exercises such as telephone poles — sprint the distance of two poles, jog one, sprint one, and so on for a mile or two. They should also run consistently every day or every other day leading up to the event,” Hagopian said.
Hagopian warns runners of the after effects of running.
“Running on asphalt is very hard on your body, so be careful of shin splints and ice your shins after each run,” he said.
Online registration is now open at rec.nova.edu/sharkshuffle. The entry fee for NSU students, staff, alumni and family and University School students is $12. For other participants, early registration online is $20 and on-site registration is $25. Registration will be open until 2 p.m. on Oct. 12.
Participants can pick up their race packets, which include their race number and T-shirt, at the RecPlex’s front desk in the Don Taft University Center on Oct. 9 and 10 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
NSU students who finish the course are eligible to win a $500 cash prize. At least 20 students will win. The monetary prizes are donations from the deans of all the NSU colleges who donated from their school’s budget.
Flemons said that participants don’t have to be fast to take part in the event.
“Certainly, there will be athletes who sprint, others who run at slow pace and those who don’t run at all. The event isn’t about who gets to the finish line first, it’s about being together for the sake of our health,” he said.
Flemons said students may become hooked on road races and find themselves enjoying it.
“Be careful because once you attend your first running event, you’ll never want to stop. You’ll start looking for other runs to go on. At the Shark Shuffle, some people may just transform their fitness life,” he said.
For additional information, call 954-262-7301.
