Sister and brother, Anya and Angus ran a virtual Bath Half Marathon in support of the mental health charity, Mind.

As a result of the COVID pandemic, both Angus (5^th Form - Blackford House) and I have been steadily increasing the amount of running we do to keep our minds fit and healthy. Ever since we were little, both our parents have instilled the message in us that sport is the best way to keep active, taking us to rugby, swimming and tennis clubs throughout our childhood. Within all of these activities, running and aerobic fitness is a key component so it is natural that we both loved the rush of fresh air from an early age - adopting the mentality that if you can walk, you could also run as well.

From this, our love of running stemmed, increasing the distances as we got older, until December when we finally decided to set the goal of running 13.1 miles for the virtual Bath Half. As well as Mind being one of our school charities, it is one that sits close to home as all around, we both have friends who have struggled in silence through school whilst battling the monster within. As a result of this, we both decided that this is where our sponsorship money was best invested, helping those in need to come through the storm and reach the other side of the cloud.

Overall, the whole experience of the Bath Half was exhilarating and exhausting, but worth every single step to raise money for those who continue to wordlessly compete every day with their mental health.

Anya - L6^th Form - Wellesley House