The HMSG running club is growing both in numbers and success.  Managing to combine elite athletes alongside “sport for all” the club training sessions now have up to 30 girls in attendance with National runners such as Poppy (Yr 9) rubbing shoulders with first timers of all ages.   A record 27 girls recently competed in the second SE Wales League race of the season at Llantarnam, keen to continue the strong performance of the previous week in Blackwood.  The girls are currently second in the league in Yr7 and first in every other age group. The Year 9 team are SE Wales Cross Country Relay Champions.

Every age group had a long run on the Llantarnam course.  Year 7 were first away and paced themselves well to move steadily through the field. Lauren came 2^nd again and Hannah finished in 7^th with Gabby and Josephine backing them up well to finish in the top third of the 100-strong field.  Flo suffered a spiking injury early in the race and the club spirit was epitomised by her determination to finish and the encouragement of the Yr 10/11 girls who ran her in to the finish while warming up for their own race.

In Yr 8/9 Poppy and Emma again scored well in the top 10 and it was great to see Pippa and Sophie (Yr 8s) finishing aggressively in the top 15 against senior girls.  Tess came 20^th in her first ever race, narrowly beaten by Martia who had already attended breakfast club fitness training and lunchtime lacrosse practice. Eve, Genna, Alicia and Alex all had courageous runs having only taken up cross country running this term.

In the Seniors (Yrs 10-13) Menna (Yr 10) came third and Elana ran brilliantly, despite Menna having played lacrosse all weekend and Elana still having a netball match later that evening (for which she subsequently won Player of the Match).  Emily suffered a knee injury from which we wish her a speedy recovery, but there were great performances from Olivia (25^th) and Eli (34^th) in their first races.  In Yr 13 Sarah ran intelligently to finish 19^th in her first cross country race – it’s never too late to take up running and join the club!