Today I took part in the National Primary and Year Seven Cross Country Finals in Coventry. I was really excited because I was running in the Year Five race, and the distance was 2.4 km. It felt special to be there, knowing I was running with the best Year Five boys from all across the country. Even though I hadn’t been feeling well recently, I was still looking forward to the race. I had a bad cough, hadn’t been sleeping well, but I told myself I would give it my all.

When the race started, I managed to get a decent start and was in around fifth place. The beginning was tough as it went straight uphill, which made it even more difficult. About 100 metres into the race, there was a really sharp turn, and I knew this could be a problem. With around 200 boys running, the narrow turning point meant only a few could get through at a time. Sadly, I got pushed over in the crowd, and by the time I got back up, I was near the back of the pack. I knew I had a lot of places to make up.

Today, I ran at Rickmansworth Parkrun on 8th March 2025, and it was an amazing experience. Right from the start, I felt strong and set off at a great pace. The weather was good, and the course was fast, which helped me feel confident. I had my eyes on a big goal – I wanted to finish in under 19 minutes. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was determined to give it my best shot.

For the first and second laps, I was right on track. My pace was steady, and I felt in control. I was aiming for an 18:45 finish, which would have been a huge achievement. Everything was going well, and I was feeling strong. But as I got further into the run, I realised I had been pushing myself very hard. My legs started to feel heavy, and my breathing got harder. I knew I had to keep going, but my energy was running low.

Today, I ran in the North West London League cross-country fixture in Greenford. I was representing my running club, and the race distance was supposed to be 2km. I had raced on this course before, so I knew what to expect. Last year, it was extremely muddy, and it was one of my first-ever cross-country fixtures for my club. I remembered how tough it had been, but I was determined to do better this time.

When I arrived, I took a warm-up run around the course to check the conditions. Just as I expected, it was extremely muddy, especially at the start. I knew that getting a good start would be really important. I didn’t want to get stuck in the mud or caught behind too many runners. My plan was to start fast, keep pushing, and try to stay with the leaders of the race.

Today, I was really excited to be running in the St Martin's School Relay with my school team. This was the first time we had entered a relay competition, and I was looking forward to seeing how it would work. Unlike normal races where I run alone, this event needed us to work as a team to win. It felt different, but I was ready for the challenge.

Our school entered eight boys, and we were split into two teams of four. Each runner had to complete 1.7km before tagging the next person to run. The idea was simple: the first runner starts, then tags the second runner, who tags the third, and finally, the fourth runner finishes the race. Our team discussed our running order, making sure we put each person in the best position to help us win.