This year was my first time entering the Twyford Together Charity Fun Run, and I was really excited. I signed up for the Year 5 and Year 6 race, which was a 2km run held at The Piggott School in Berkshire. It felt like the perfect preparation for the Donkin Cup, which is coming up next week at school, so I was eager to do well.
We arrived quite early to register and collect our race numbers. My sister was racing before me in the Year 3 and Year 4 category. She did brilliantly, coming 3rd overall but finishing as the 2nd female, which made me really proud of her. Watching her race first definitely got me in the mood to give it my all.
Then it was my turn. My race started straight after my sister’s, and I was feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. Right from the start, two boys bolted ahead, taking an early lead. I knew I had my work cut out for me, but about 300 metres in, I managed to catch up and take the lead. The race was set over three laps on a grassy field, and luckily it was pretty flat, so I felt confident once I got ahead.
I kept pushing myself, trying to widen the gap between me and the others, but there was one boy who just wouldn’t let up. He stayed right behind me, no matter how much I tried to pick up the pace. By the time we were halfway through the final lap, he overtook me, and although I gave it everything I had to catch up, he managed to hold onto the lead until the finish line. I ended up coming second. At first, I was really disappointed. I’d pushed myself so hard and had hoped to win.
After the race, my Dad and I spoke to the boy and his parents. That’s when I found out he was actually in Year 6, whereas I’m in Year 5, which made me feel a bit better about the result. He was a really nice lad, and we both had a lot of respect for how hard each of us had run. He told me I’d really pushed him to his limit, which was a nice compliment, especially coming from someone older. He ran for a local club in Reading, and several of the other boys, who were also from the same club, came up to congratulate me, surprised that I was only in Year 5. One of their coaches even came over and asked if I did any training, which made me feel proud.
When I looked at my watch afterwards, I realised I’d finished the 2.01km race in 7:16, which was my fastest pace ever for that distance – 3:37 per kilometre! That helped take away some of the sting of losing because I knew I’d given it my best shot and still achieved a great time. In the end, I was happy with how I performed, even if I didn’t win.
To top it all off, I was given a huge medal for finishing second, which now has pride of place in my trophy cabinet at home. It’s a reminder of the race and how hard I worked. I can’t wait for next year’s Twyford Together Fun Run, and I’m determined to come back stronger and hopefully go one place better to win it. It’s a bit of a shame I won’t be racing against the boy who beat me this year, as he’ll be in Year 7, but I’m sure we’ll cross paths again in the future. When we do, I’ll be ready to give him a run for his money!
