Today I ran in the York House cross country event, which is usually a 1.85 km race for the Under 11 girls at York House School. Normally, I would feel confident going into a race like this and would have a strong chance of winning. However, this time was very different.

Over Christmas I was extremely ill. I had severe vomiting, couldn’t keep any food down, and had a very high fever. I had only properly recovered two days before this race, so I knew I was nowhere near peak fitness. Realistically, I understood this race had come far too soon for me to perform at my best.

Today I ran in the Middlesex County cross country championships, and I was really excited to be there. This was the first time I had ever done this race because it is usually held in January, when I am away on holiday. Because of that, I normally miss it completely, so it felt special just to be able to take part this year. The race was meant to be 2 kilometres, which sounded tough but also fun. I couldn’t wait to see how I would do against lots of strong runners. I felt nervous but also proud to be on the start line.

When I arrived, I went for a walk around the course to see what it was like. I honestly could not believe how steep one of the hills was. There was a huge climb that looked absolutely massive, and straight away I knew it was going to be a very tricky run. The hill made me feel a bit worried, but I also felt determined. I told myself that everyone had to run up it, not just me. I decided that no matter how hard it felt, I would try my best all the way.

Today I ran in the Metropolitan League cross-country race at Wormwood Scrubs. The course was meant to be 1.85 kilometres long, and that is exactly what I recorded on my watch. Before racing, I walked the course to see what it was like. It was one lap and mostly quite dry, but there was a large muddy section about halfway round, which I knew would make the race harder.

At the start, I tried to get away quickly and have a strong first few seconds. However, I settled into about fifth place, which wasn’t really where I wanted to be. I could immediately feel the strong wind pushing against me, making it harder to move forward. I struggled to get past the girls in front of me, even though I was trying to push on.

Today I ran in the North West London League race at Trent Park in Cockfosters. The race was meant to be 2 kilometres, but I knew it would be longer because I ran the same course last year and it ended up being about 2.4 km. Going into the race, I prepared myself for a tough run, knowing the distance and terrain would make it challenging.

When the race started, I tried to get into a good position early on. The course was quite unpleasant, with a mix of muddy sections and very hard ground. It was difficult to find a smooth rhythm, and I had to be careful not to slip in the mud while still pushing myself forward.