There were more runners than usual today — over 1,300 people were taking part. I think the huge number was because lots of people had come down for the London Marathon, which is taking place tomorrow. I lined up near the front so I would have a clear start and not get stuck behind too many runners. The atmosphere was amazing, and I could feel the excitement in the air as everyone got ready to go. I reminded myself to stay calm and focused on my goal.
When the race started, we got off to a strong and steady start. The famous runner who was pacing and looking after me was aiming to set a pace of around four minutes and three seconds per kilometre. Our goal was to finish in about 20 minutes and 15 seconds. Throughout the run, he was incredibly supportive, always giving me helpful information about how far we had gone, what pace we were running at, and how much distance was left. His encouragement really helped me stay positive and keep pushing.
As the run went on, I gave it everything I had. I stayed close to my pacer, listening carefully to his advice. I remember as we got closer to the finish, he told me that I was right on target to hit 20:15 if I kept pushing. That gave me an extra boost of energy! I focused on my breathing, pumped my arms faster, and sprinted as hard as I could towards the finish line. I could see the timing clock up ahead, and I knew I was so close to smashing my personal best.
In the end, I crossed the finish line with a new personal best of 20 minutes and 16 seconds! I was absolutely over the moon and couldn’t believe what I had achieved. Later, I even found an article online that said the world record for an eight-year-old girl in 2015 was 20 minutes and 30 seconds. That meant my time had beaten it by 14 seconds! My age grade percentage was 89.39%, which is incredibly close to 90% — and 90% is classified as “world class” on the parkrun website. I felt so proud and happy with what I had done.
Now, my aim is to run even faster and break the 20-minute barrier before I turn nine in July. I know it will be tough, but after today, I feel very optimistic that I can achieve it. With more training, belief, and hard work, I am sure I can reach my goal. I can’t wait for my next run and another chance to get even better!
