https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.87.8

The Modern Pentathlon Challenge (MPC) is our touring activity that brings the physiology of sport to school students and families. Using a Nintendo Wii and an exercise machine, participants can simulate the running and shooting event in the Olympic Modern Pentathlon. Equipment provided by ADInstruments monitors breathing and heart rate. Physiological Society Members are on hand to describe the physiological changes that are happening, and provide further information about how The Society supports education.

Ultimately, we aim to engage with young people and their parents about the relevance of physiology to their everyday lives, and give them an idea of the sorts of careers that could follow a degree in physiological sciences.

This year, we ran the MPC at the national Big Bang Fair, Norwich Science Day and the Brighton Science Festival’s family fun day.

At the Big Bang Fair we had over 100 participants in three days and the stand was visited by the Big Bang Director and the Blue Peter production team.

Special thanks to Valerie Gladwell from the University of Essex for devising this activity and running it at the Big Bang, Dan Brown for leading in Brighton, and John Winpenny for his initiative in running the MPC in Norwich without assistance from Society staff.

Valerie is now talking with Blue Peter about running a version of the MPC for their event surrounding the Olympic Torch route; Dan will be reprising the Challenge at the Royal College of Surgeons in August; and the Royal Institution have requested that we take part in their sports science-themed family fun day in July.

If any Members wish to run the MPC in their local area, or at the Royal Institution, please contact our Outreach Manager Louise Crane: outreach@physoc.org