On Monday 6th October, Leighton Park opened the first House Competition of the academic year with the ever-popular annual cross-country run. Students from across all year groups, joined by enthusiastic staff members, came together for an afternoon filled with energy, camaraderie, and vibrant House spirit.
The Year 7 and 8 Fryers kicked off the event with their traditional colour run. Dressed in plain white t-shirts rather than their House colours, they tackled the nearly 2km course while being showered in a kaleidoscope of powdered paint, enthusiastically thrown by Sixth Formers. Head, Luke Walters even got in on the fun (and the messiness)! “It was colourful, in single word!” he laughed, “I got absolutely covered! What a great day, sunshine, a bit of movement, people coming through; it was loads of fun!”
Next up were the Juniors (Years 9 and 10), who faced the 3.2km course with determination and competitive drive. Each runner gave their all to earn valuable points for their House, with friendly rivalries adding to the excitement and motivation.
The day reached its finale with the Seniors (Years 11, Lower and Upper Sixth) and staff members taking on the longest and most demanding race; a 4km challenge that showcased endurance, perseverance and true House spirit as Bentsi-Enchill, Cadbury, Fox and Tubman all raced for the finish line. First across the line was George (Year 11), tackling the senior race for the very first time. “It was good; I haven’t raced with the teachers before and you hear rumours about how good they are! We still really stuck together for a lot of it and then I pushed through at the end. There’s a lot of people who are older and much taller than me but they push you through it and you race with them. I haven’t trained for this race but I am playing for the Men’s 2s Hockey squad at Reading and I’m doing the England U16 trials for hockey at the moment so I do do a lot of training for that which probably helps!”
As always, participation remained at the heart of the event. Every runner contributed to their House’s overall score, with additional points awarded for podium finishes. More than just a competition, the cross-country event continues to embody the spirit of Leighton Park; a community united by encouragement, enthusiasm and belonging.
See more photos from the House Cross Country!
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