Children are being motivated to become healthier, happier, and more confident by a team of educators participating in the TCS London Marathon this Sunday. The 14 Team TCS Teachers utilize running to assist children in enhancing their fitness and self-esteem. Som

e schools are escorting students to central London on Saturday for the TCS Mini London Marathon, where participants can run, jog, walk, or wheel one mile or 2. 6km, concluding at the same finish line on The Mall that marathon competitors will cross the following day.

How schools are fostering confidence and community

Others are arranging a comparable event at their institution to motivate children to become active. Featherstone Primary School, located in Southall, west London, organizes a weekly running club, and deputy headteacher Graham Cooksey mentioned that his marathon training has inspired children to run during other times as well. “I began running in the playground, completing some training. Before I knew it, I had 20-30 children following me,” he shared with the PA news agency.

“That’s a true honor to state my choice to enter the marathon has created this ripple effect. ” He added: “The children are healthier, happier, and accomplishing more. They sleep better, so the parents will be pleased. It’s truly a community effort. ” Children competed to determine who would participate in central London on Saturday, receiving badges and certificates for everyone who tried out.

“We’ve witnessed a wonderful positive outcome from just one individual entering the marathon to 25 other young participants engaging, with parental involvement, and other students prepared to be reserves if anyone opts out. Many delightful results have come from this,” Mr. Cooksey remarked. “We uncovered some incredible talent. There's a boy who belongs to a local running club; he’s set to be a star in the future. If he’s not the next Mo Farah, I truly don’t know; he’s so gifted. ”

The Mini London Marathon was established in 1985, and among those who have participated are Sir Mo Farah, Eilish McColgan, David Weir, and Keely Hodgkinson. Mr. Cooksey, aged 49 and employed at the school since 2007, mentioned: “It would be wonderful if their mini marathon participation could mirror what Keely Hodgkinson and Mo Farah achieved. “That would be a dream to witness them in the future. But for now, they are really enjoying it. ”

Teachers recount personal tales of inspiration and resilience

Mr. Cooksey, who ran as a student at Sandbach High School in Cheshire, resumed running during the Covid-19 lockdowns and pursued long-distance running after his colleague and friend Georgie Jones-Pagaduan was diagnosed with cancer. Her husband, Greg Pagaduan, encouraged him to run from London to Brighton for charity, and running became “a means of coping with the sorrow” following Mrs. Jones-Pagaduan's passing in 2017.

“I realised that was the moment when it was possible to delve deep within yourself and you might encounter some darker thoughts and more challenging times, and I certainly went through those,” he informed PA. “Running became the outlet I discovered that’s incredibly beneficial. ” Mr. Cooksey’s marathon will also draw inspiration from his late Nanny Parry, Anne, who passed away in 2020 from cancer, and he intends to wear images of both women on his T-shirt this Sunday, the day that would have marked Mrs. Jones-Pagaduan’s 41st birthday.

“Both Georgie and my nan were remarkably resilient women and very motivating. During times that could be quite challenging and tough for them, they didn’t reveal it,” he shared. “When I experience a bit of discomfort or a twinge or it pains me, I have no justification. You must keep pushing forward. ” A significant moment during his marathon preparation was participating in a question and answer session at London’s Olympic Park with Paula Radcliffe, who he described as “one of my personal icons. ”

Tanzeela Khalid, 29, a Year 2 teacher at Nelson Primary School in Ladywood, Birmingham, remarked that meeting others at the workshop had eased her anxiety about running her inaugural marathon. Miss Khalid aspires to motivate children to understand that sports and exercise are accessible to everyone. “When I was younger, even driving down the street, I seldom saw anyone resembling me running,” Miss Khalid, who wears a hijab, explained to PA.

“When it comes to sports as well, I didn't observe people who look like me participating in sports. ” The school has a substantial number of students from Arab, black, and South Asian backgrounds, and she stated: “For the children in my class to witness me participating, it motivates them like ‘Miss Khalid’s doing it, so we can do it too’. ” She further commented: “I just wish to motivate others to run. Running is a sport for everyone, it’s inclusive.

How running is breaking barriers for students of all backgrounds

Anyone can give it a try; it’s irrelevant what religion, age, or gender you are, everyone can run. And if you run, you are a runner, it doesn’t matter if you’re at a fast pace or a slow pace. Everyone can run. ” Much of the training for the London Marathon occurred during Ramadan when Muslims refrain from eating or drinking between dawn and sunset.

“I’ve been conducting a lot of my runs without eating beforehand, so that’s been challenging, being aware that I have to wait some time before I can drink and eat,” she noted. “That’s what has made it tougher. ” She continued: “I’ve been sharing this with the children at school too. If you have a goal you want to achieve, you just have to give it your best effort. You can accomplish difficult things. ”

Miss Khalid, who is in her eighth year of teaching at Nelson Primary School, started an after-school running club where children learn the basics of how to run and play games like cat and mouse. “At the start they could barely run for 30 seconds without being out of breath. It’s great to see their progression and how much more confident they are becoming,” she said. She added: “My class love to race me and love racing each other.

Everything’s always a competition. They’re always so happy and so cheerful afterwards.” Dylan Wing, 33, a PE teacher at Ricards Lodge High School in Wimbledon, south-west London, hopes the school’s running club will play a part in reducing the number of girls who drop out of sport as teenagers. The running club started at the girls school, which welcomes boys in its sixth form, in 2020 when Covid-19 meant only vulnerable students and the children of key workers attended.

“There were very limited things that we were allowed to do at the time and running was obviously one of them,” Mr Wing said. Initially just three students, now it is around 45 with varied training sessions on different evenings and a monthly Parkrun. “It’s a huge, huge confidence booster. They look forward to running every week,” he said. Some students will run in central London on Saturday with parents cheering them on and Mr Wing said: “Without a doubt I can probably name 10 right now that will do the full marathon one day.”

The teacher, who grew up near Toronto, moved from Canada to the UK in 2015 and joined the school in 2016. He was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and said: “It has been the major way that I have managed my own ADHD, through physical activity.” He added: “If I’ve trained in the morning, it’s a big thing to level my head out a little bit which is quite good.” Mr Wing ran the Valencia Marathon in Spain in December and said he knows the crowds in London will help him on Sunday.

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