Today I ran in the Under 11s Girls District League race at Wheatfields School. I’ve been running really well in the district league this season, and I had already won my first two races. Because of that, I felt determined to keep my winning streak going, even though I knew the other girls would be trying their hardest to stop me. I felt confident but also a little nervous, because it’s never easy to win three races in a row. Still, I arrived ready to give everything I had.
In my last district league race, my victory was much easier than the first one, and it taught me something important: if I take the lead early and control the race, things usually go really well for me. So I decided to use the same strategy again today. My plan was to get into the lead as fast as I could, hold it strongly, and push on whenever I needed to. I kept telling myself to stay brave, stay calm, and run smart from start to finish.
When the race started, I sprinted out quickly to get the lead, and after about 300 metres, I was in front. But this time, the girls behind me stayed close. They weren’t letting me pull away like I did in my second district race. I could hear them not far behind, and every time I tried to accelerate, they stuck with me. It was a tough first lap, but I refused to give up. I was determined to fight for my place and not let anyone pass me easily.
As we began the second lap, I was still in first, but I could feel the girl in second place getting closer step by step. I knew I had to react, so I raised the tempo and tried to run a little faster to break away. When we reached the hill near the end of the second lap, I used it to my advantage. I powered up the hill, pushing as hard as I could, and luckily I managed to steal about five or six seconds from the girl behind me. That small gap gave me the confidence I needed for the final sprint.
I sprinted down the last stretch with everything I had left and crossed the line in a time of 3 minutes and 17 seconds, running at a pace of 3 minutes and 48 seconds per kilometre. The course was just under 1 km long, which usually doesn’t suit me because I’m better in longer races where my stamina can really shine. Even so, I was extremely pleased to finish first again and win my third district league race of the season, keeping my 100% record.
I was also really happy that one of my teammates finished in fourth place, and overall my school performed very well. Even though I love winning individually, I also understand that the district league is a team effort. I want my school to do well so we can try to win the schools’ trophy at the end of the season. I felt proud of how I ran today. My pace was strong, my determination was high, and there were lots of positives to take away. Overall, I was very happy with my performance and excited for the next race.
