It's Monday again, which can only mean one thing…

RUN CLUB TIME! 👟💨

This week saw the return of Mr Lawrence, and it must be his Midas touch. Not only did we have more students attend than in recent weeks, but he also appeared to bring the sunshine with him! ☀️😎

But enough about him... 😂

The weather was fantastic, which definitely helped boost numbers. It turns out students are much easier to convince when they're not being asked to run through wind, rain and what feels like four seasons in one lunch break! 🌦️

With everyone onboard, we jumped into the minibus and headed down to Alexandra Park for our final Run Club session before half term. 🚐🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Before setting off, students were reminded that we had now completed six weeks of Run Club, which is a brilliant achievement. 👏👏

When asked which route they wanted to tackle, the answer was unanimous.

"The same one!"

The route we've been running over the last few weeks has clearly become a favourite. Staff have been really pleased to see that students are no longer shying away from the infamous steep hill. In fact, they now understand one important running truth:

What goes up... eventually comes down! 😆📉

The climb may still feel like scaling the Alps ⛰️, but everyone knows the reward is that fantastic downhill finish.

This week there seemed to be an extra spring in everyone's step, which was slightly ironic considering autumn is now in full swing. 🍂😂

The sunshine was shining, the autumn colours were looking amazing on the trees and across the ground, and there were smiles all around. It really was the perfect setting for our final run before the break. 🌳🍁☀️

One of the biggest improvements staff noticed was the pacing. Students were running comfortably, chatting as they went, and looking far more confident than they did during Week 1 when some runners set off as though they were auditioning for the Olympics! 🏅😅

After completing the route, we stopped for our traditional weekly photo 📸, this time underneath some beautiful autumn leaves that perfectly summed up the season.

Then it was back to the bus for the best part of the afternoon...

🙌 High fives all round!

And the announcement everyone had been waiting for:

"Well done everyone... your reward is that you get a week off for half term!" 😊🎉

It's been fantastic to watch students push themselves both physically and mentally over the past six weeks. Not only have they improved their fitness, but they've also shown resilience, determination and a willingness to give up part of their lunchtime to look after both their body and mind. 💪🧠❤️

Whether battling hills, dodging pigeons, running through drizzle or enjoying the sunshine, every student who has attended should be incredibly proud of themselves.

Enjoy a well-earned break everyone! 🍂😊

We'll see you all back in November for more running, more laughs and probably a few more hills! 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️👟

💭 Quote of the Week

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go." 🍂

But thankfully, we're not letting go of Run Club just yet! 😄

See you in November, runners! 👟🏃‍♂️☀️

RUNDERFUL (adjective)

... how you feel the minute after you finish your run!