Health practitioners walk the talk

Leading by example: Dr Sydney Cullis believes the Medical 10 race shows that medical practitioners can practice what they preach. The picture on the right is from the very first race in 1978.

UCT's health professionals young and old will take on each other in this year's Medical 10 race on 25 November.

Normally open to staff only, students will also be allowed to enter this year as the event will be included in the Faculty of Health Sciences' centenary celebrations.

Based on a similar race in Finland, where medical practitioners wanted to show that they could practice what they preached, the local Medical 10 race was founded by Hennie Muller, a senior physician and lecturer at Groote Schuur Hospital (the floating trophy for the leading male runner is named the Hennie Muller Trophy ), and organised by former dean Emeritus Professor JP van Niekerk and Professor Tim Noakes in December 1978.

The race is run in a handicap basis, with 30 seconds allowed for each year over 40 years of age.

Organiser Dr Sydney Cullis, a UCT graduate, said of the event: "Over the years we have been fortunate to have had good weather for the event, and the joy of running or walking 10km with the early morning light shining on Table Mountain makes it worth getting up early."

Proceeds of the race will be donated to Die Eiland Huis in Stompneusbaai near St Helena Bay, a home for children with cerebral palsy, and to UCT students in need.