Professor targets record for running marathon in academic dress

An Oxford professor aiming to set the world record for the fastest marathon completed in full academic dress hopes to highlight universities’ importance “in a silly and trivial way”.

Alexander Betts, pro vice-chancellor for external engagement, sport and community at the University of Oxford, will run the London Marathon next week bedecked with mortar board, gown and white bow tie.

He told Times Higher Education that the endeavour will be in keeping with his institution’s proud sporting history – including undergraduate student Roger Bannister’s breaking the four-minute mile in 1954, the university’s winning the FA Cup in 1874, and its part in the annual Boat Race.

“It’s a way in which we can connect, and we also want to be able to have a positive impact on the wider community,” Betts said.

The professor of forced migration and international affairs said running the race ties in neatly with his responsibilities as pro vice-chancellor.

“It’s when we get to bring together those elements of sport and community that it becomes most exciting because it’s a way in which we as a university can build bridges to the wider community and connect to people on common ground.”

Betts, who has previously run a marathon in two hours and 34 minutes, hopes to beat the official Guinness World Record for fastest male runner dressed as an academic – which currently stands at three hours and 31 minutes.

However, he expects the outfit to cause him some issues on the way around the capital’s 26.2 mile course.

“The big challenges I’m experiencing in training are keeping the mortar board on my head. Wind and movement are not conducive to the mortar board staying in place.

“There is the potential for rain forecast…and gowns tend to accumulate water in the rain, so this is not going to be an easy task.”

The political scientist said the wider context to his run on 26 April is that it comes at a time when universities are in a challenging position in terms of funding and public support.

“What we really want to be able to do as a university…is demonstrate our relevance to wider society and have the relevance of universities more clearly visible in the public domain. This is in a way a fairly silly and trivial way of doing that.”

“Hopefully, it’ll show that there’s huge public support for universities and academics – but we will see on the day.”

Betts will be raising money for Oxford-based charity Helen and Douglas House, a hospice that supports terminally ill children.

“It focuses on children and young people, and supporting their families,” he said.

“One of the things that I’ve come to learn is that as a charity based in the heart of Oxford, it has a really significant impact on the lives of families across our community.

“[In] the absence of strong, consistent government funding for the hospice movement…they really rely on community engagement and community fundraising to be able to thrive.”

He has so far raised about £700 towards his goal of £1,500.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com