On 14th February 2025, I ran at the Beechwood Park School Cross-Country race. It was an exciting day, and I was ready to give it my best. As the race started, I found myself in 5th place, staying close to the runners ahead of me. I knew the competition would be tough, but I wanted to stay strong and not fall behind too early. The first kilometre went by quickly, and I managed to push my way up to 2nd place. I was feeling good at that moment, but I knew there was still a lot of running left to do.
Soon, the course started to change, and we hit the uphill section. This part was really tough. I had pushed myself too hard in the first kilometre, and now my legs were feeling heavy. The hill felt never-ending, and I struggled to keep up my pace. I could feel the runners behind me closing in, but I kept pushing, trying my best to stay in a good position. The race wasn’t over yet, and I needed to stay focused.
As we reached the final part of the race, I found myself in 4th place. I knew I had to dig deep and give everything I had left. The finish line was getting closer, and I wasn’t ready to give up. With one last effort, I pushed forward and managed to overtake the runner in front of me, moving back into 3rd place. My legs were burning, my heart was racing, but I held on.
The final stretch felt like it lasted forever, but I kept going. I could hear the cheers from the crowd, pushing me to keep my speed. There wasn’t enough time to catch the front two runners, but I made sure not to lose my position. As I crossed the finish line, I was exhausted but happy. I had finished 3rd with a pace of 3:47 per kilometre, running a total distance of 1.93km instead of the expected 2km.
Even though I didn’t win, I was proud of my performance. I had learned a lot from this race, especially about pacing myself better at the start. Next year, I am determined to come back stronger and go for the win. Since I’ll still be in the Under 11s category, I know I have a great chance. With more training, especially on hills, I believe I can improve and aim for first place.
This race has made me even more motivated to train harder and run smarter. I now know what to expect from the course, and I’ll be better prepared next time. I can’t wait for next year’s race, and I am excited to see how much faster I can get!
