The Rawthey Run
The Rawthey Run was a new addition to our calendar for 2026 and what a great experience it was for our pupils, staff and parents alike! It was more than just a race - an experience which I hope will stay with the children for years to come. From a hot lunch on arrival, to a parade of over 500 runners led by a bagpiper, to the beautiful Cumbrian surroundings, the Rawthey Run did not fail to impress.
My thanks must firstly go to the parents, especially those who were able to travel to Cumbria to support the team - there was a real sense of team spirit and I know the children benefited from their unrivalled support. From a small school in flat Lincolnshire, the runners embraced the challenge of racing across a very undulating and tough course in a field of up to 165 runners! They did this with real grit and determination and every competitor dug deep to ensure they left nothing in the tank. A gruelling water jump in the final stretch made for a great spectacle as the runners battled hard to cross the finish line.
Though we did not have the breadth to field full teams, there were some super individual performances. Beau B-W (U11 Boys) was our highest place runner coming in at 14th (from 165). Edward R was second U11 boy home (36th) followed closely by Vinny (44th) and Gio (54th). U11 Girls were the first runners to face the course, which saw Cecily T and Bella I representing St Hugh’s. It was an impressive run for them both, crossing the line in 35th and 45th respectively from a field of 132 competitors. The mud and smiles said it all! Our second placed St Hugh’s runner was Genevieve who competed alongside her teammate, Lilian in the U13 Girls race. These girls are great at pushing one another on and use this healthy competition to their advantage. Credit must be given to them for getting out together to run over the holidays. Gen achieved 20th in a field of 97 runners, with Lilian coming in at 48th, placing her in the top half of the field. Finally, Rory S and Rory P faced a gruelling 2.6km which by this time, was not an easy task given the muddy conditions. It can be rather daunting when you look at the difference in stature and physicality of the boys at this age but they did not let this affect their mindset. For some of our runners, including Rory P, they were competing a year young which means they will be eligible to run in the same race again next year. Both boys gave a gutsy performance, with Rory S crossing the line first in 68th and Rory in 80th (from 144).
It was a real pleasure to see some of our former pupils in their Sedbergh gear. Rupert B-W and Penny V, who attended the event, were on the St Hugh’s Scholarship Pathway and were successful at achieving a Sports Scholarship to Sedbergh, where their love for sport has continued to grow. As Head of Senior School, Mrs Bonner-MacKenzie accompanied us and enjoyed a tour of the school where she spied Charles B through a classroom window. It was not until after the event that I picked up my emails to find a message from Charles wishing us luck. Visiting Sedbergh for the first time allowed Mrs Bonner-MacKenzie and I to get a better feel for this unique school which will hopefully benefit us when supporting our pupils and parents with feeder schools.
Despite the long journey and late return, there was a real buz of excitement amongst these pupils the following morning at school and it was great to be asked by many of the runners if we could come back again next year! Well done to all competitors for putting yourself forward for this event and being great ambassadors for St Hugh’s.
