At noon in Trinity’s Great Court, the college clock begins to strike, and a handful of runners set off around the court as fast as they can. Their opponent is not each other. It is the sound of the bells.
The challenge is to get all the way round before the clock finishes striking twelve, including the quarter chimes and two sets of twelve strokes, because the clock strikes the hour twice. The finish is measured against something you hear, not only something you see.
A Trinity tradition
The college associates the run with Matriculation Day, when new students attempt the circuit. Its accounts stress the importance of the route, keeping to the flagstones rather than cutting across the cobbles. This is a specific Trinity custom, not something every Cambridge college does.
For a few breathless moments, a college clock becomes the opponent.
The detail behind the legend
Trinity’s explanations also discuss how winding and weather affect the clock’s timing, so there is more to the challenge than a fixed distance and a stopwatch. The run inspired a famous film scene, although that scene was not shot at Trinity. It is a wonderful story to know as you stand in the court and listen to the bells.
Sources & further reading
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