SunRun 2024

In Greek mythology, Mnemosyne is the Goddess of memory and was also the mother of the nine Muses. There is, therefore, an inextricable link between our capacity to remember and to be inspired. We remember the past because it has emotionally connected with us. The SunRun 2024 has left me inspired, stirred by the generosity of time, joy, and energy that every single person brought to the event.

On Friday, 80 young people sprinted (literally) through the day. At each allocated slot, primary teachers gave up their time to run around the sports field, to cheer on their class, and to encourage them to be determined and courageous. Parents flocked to support. The PE team did what they always do: rallied together, organised, uplifted our students to see what sport is. Life.

And my, did the students have fun.

On Saturday morning at 7.30 am, the sun still waking to see what the fuss was about, a wonderful bunch (over a hundred people formally, and many others dipping in throughout the day for a few laps) descended upon our sports field to hear me in a too-loud-Scouse-accent provide brief instructions for the day. At 8 am, the running began. The music was alive (thank you to Alfie Mayer in year 13 for his fantastic music system) against a backdrop of cerulean sky.

One member of every team ran, walked, skipped, dribbled a football, limped for an hour - every single hour. For twenty-four hours. That is no meagre feat. The sight of anyone (never mind young people) embracing a challenge that transcends what they think they are capable of - and achieving it together - is the most beautiful sight in the world.

We teach our students to be committed. Zsanna in Year 12 walked for three hours straight at the small hours of the morning because her teammates fell asleep and didn’t wake in time. We teach our students to be empathetic and caring. Despite exhaustion, I saw students rush to refill water bottles, bring over food, and run to get blister plasters. We teach our students to be ambitious. I heard goal setting and looked upon students (and adults) who had never run for more than ten minutes straight accumulating four hours of running. We teach our students to value community. At one point, I took a step back and watched over a hundred people talking to each other, high-fiving, cheering, laughing, singing, dancing, playing, Dj-ing (badly). There was nowhere else I would have rather been in that moment.

We choose what is ‘ordinary’ in our lives. Disrupting that which we know, and reframing the ordinary can be the greatest thing we ever do. And we will always remember.

Despite the sleep deprivation, these are the days we live for, aren’t they?

See our best SunRun moments here.

Claire Walton
English Teacher