Welly runners conquered the Great Wall

Last Saturday, a number of staff members, collectively known as the "Welly runners", travelled to Beijing to take part in the Great Wall Marathon. Demonstrating an iron will and enormous perseverance, they conquered both the roasting heat and the unrelenting stone steps, showing their commitment to the Wellington core values of courage and resilience with every step. Any marathon represents a massive challenge but the Great Wall Marathon has something of a fierce reputation, due to its unforgiving terrain and soaring temperatures. This year’s runners had to contend with searing 35-degree heat for the majority of their running time. However, showing true Wellington grit, the teachers and supporting group members met the extremely tough conditions head on. After a gruelling 3am start from Beijing they headed out Huangyaguan near Tianjin, where they began a very long and hot day of intense physical exertion, morale-boosting displays of team spirit, and torturous trudging along the road in the rising heat. Thankfully, not even the Great Wall of China goes on forever, and every member of the Welly Runners made it to the finish line. For endurance races of this nature, it is essential to have the courage to keep going even when you feel defeated and want to give up. Some of the runners finished strong and smiling, whereas others staggered across the line mustering little more than a grimace, but each and every one of them came home with that coveted medal: proof that they had indeed, conquered The Wall. We hope that the Welly runners’ experience will serve as a useful example for our pupils regarding the nature of courage and resilience. At Wellington, we always encourage our pupils to try something new and to be brave enough to take risks. Success usually comes after repeated failures and the determination to try again. Wellington develops pupils’ knowledge and academic skills, but we also instil a vital sense of resilience in order to help prepare them for the fast-paced and challenging future that waits for them after their time here is completed. Jo Evans, captain of the Welly runners (director of wellbeing)