Here you have a table with the School Team results so far in D2R. I want to express my gratitude and indeed to encourage for the next events the people involved to make possible young runners in the race; teachers, coaches, parents, friends, school staff,… and for sure a very big list. I hope next year, more schools will be participating is this amazing event.

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This year King’s Academy has been running with an extraordinary participation in the 14th edition of Dead2Red; a total of 4 teams divided in 2 students and 2 faculty teams gathered in this remarkable competition.

Thanks to Ms Reem Abu Rahmeh who suggested to open a major co-curricular activity to prepare this race; 18 students with different performances signed up to participate in D2R. Trainings started slowly, and unfortunately we lost 2 good members 2 weeks after; Karim AlHaddadin suffered a sprain in his ankle and Leanne Conway started to feel a shin pain, she knew she cannot run.

Students were training 3 days a week with Mr Bowman on Sunday, with me on Monday and alone (!) on Wednesday. Although I wasn’t sure about their commitment to work alone, they showed a very mature attitude to prepare the race with a liberty they all enjoyed. So once a week, we met to designate who will lead on Wednesday and in which work out they will work with; Mansoor Ghoto and Yursa Bitar played a decisive role to help and deal with that. The weather didn’t help to have good moments to train, many times we were force to do workouts in the gym based on abs; when they were alone, few times I saw the students running under the rain; I was really moved.

Time ran and at the beginning we were thinking to have only one team; and here is where we had some difficulties, because 6 of very committed runners cannot participate. Some people suggested to choose the best runners, but between other factors we took into account the grade of commitment and also the ones who tried to participate in 2010, whatever their performance was. Between elections and coaches opinions we design the 10 runners’ team who will represent KA. But soon, and thanks to Ms Julianne, Dr John and Coach Iyad we started to work to have 2 teams, so everybody will participate in the race, and here was when one of my dreams came true: run with the students, most provably my last D2R. All this happened a week before the race… yes, how stressful!

In 2009 my policy was not to interfere with a 100% student’s team and show them they can do it alone; also it was and is still important for me to have a coed team. Due to this year 2 teams was possible to meet, I decided to run with them; being both teams coed. In the last week Zahira Shaban gave up due to a backache so to complete the second team we invited 4 students selected from a mile test; and in the very last training where we relayed even with the bus, Joseph al Nimri dislocated one finger; Reema Lateef spent 2 days in bed because flu… we were at 2 days before the race… Finally everybody was in shape on Wednesday and here are the teams and their names in alphabetical order:

Click on the teams name to read more details about our experience and anecdotes during the race.

We went there thanks to many people who has been working hard to be able to have two students teams. We want to thank: Ms Rita Naber (for her magic wand to have two buses with drivers), Ms Dana Adwan (in charge of the accommodation at Tala Bay), Ms Ola Bseiso and Mr Bassam Amer (for the meals); Ms Julianne (for all the support); and the athletic department Ms Ghadeer Diab, Coach Iyad and Dr. Khalid Zeidan (for the first aid kits). I can’t forget the drivers who patiently and safely drove for us before, during and after the race: Hassan Abded Khalaf Al-Hawawsheh, Aref Omar Salah Iben Taree, Abdullah Husni Johar Al-Harethy and Ibrahim Salim Hasan Abu Mousa.

I am sure I forgot someone, even I am not aware how many people was involved, for all of them: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

*Great Amman Municipality, got 7th position in the general ranking and 1st in the semi-marathon style.

Thanks Ms Linde Behringer for the great pictures.

THANKS A LOT for organizing this and MABROUK for the big success in this 14th edition: over 40 running teams!!! (and what a mess of cars!!!).

Relaying during the D2R practice. Click on the images to discover to whom belong these hands…

Runners meeting!

Someone who couldn’t stand anymore…

A nice CD cover picture… [Click on it to see it laaaaaaager]

Mansoor! Enlighten us!

Here you have some pictures from the last Cross Country tournament. Congratulations to all the first positions [click here to see the results]; and thanks everyone involved to help in the organization, and also Ms Ghadeer to share all these pictures. (Click on them to see them bigger).

Alex Heupers facing the last meters of the race in first position.

Runners taking the last curve before to go to the Stadium.

Mr. Stephen Morison spotting with the bike. Thank you!

Mixed ages girls running together.

A young runner escorted by his father? coach? Bravo!

Tarik as always: positive attitude!

Is Yusra concentrated on the race or is she karaoking?

A great spirit from young runners.

A group of runners waiting for the prizes.

More runners waiting the results. Thank you Ms. Emily Allen to be with them.

A great moment to share: the Girls Under12 y-o winners.

A group of finalists.

We hope to meet again soon!

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Congratulations to all first places!!!