Today I ran at Sutcliffe Park for a Track and Field Night event. This was my second time running at this event, after first taking part on the 16th of July. I was really looking forward to returning because I enjoy running on the track, and I had a goal in mind. I was going to run the 1500 metres again, and I was hoping to beat my personal best. My previous best was 5 minutes and 40 seconds, and when I ran here last time, I finished with a time of 5 minutes and 43 seconds — just three seconds slower than my best. This time, I was determined to run faster and get a new personal best.

Even though I had just recently come back from my holiday, and I didn’t feel like I was at full fitness yet, I was still really motivated to do well. I knew it might be a challenge, but I wanted to test myself and see what I could achieve. I was placed in the last heat of the event, and my aim was simple: run the best I could and try not to finish in last place. This event is mixed, so boys and girls of all ages take part, but most of the runners in the 1500m are usually 13 years old or older. That meant I was by far the youngest in the race, which made it even more important to focus and stay strong.

Today I took part in the Enfield Junior Parkrun, and it was my first time ever running at this course. I was really excited because trying a new course always feels like a fresh challenge. It was also my first junior Parkrun since I got back from my summer holiday at the beginning of August, so I was extra keen to run again. I wasn’t sure how fast I would be because I hadn’t done much running during the holiday, but I was determined to give it everything I had. The atmosphere at the start was friendly and cheerful, and it made me feel more confident. Even though I was a bit nervous, I knew that all I could do was try my best and see what happened.

As soon as the race started, I sprinted off, hoping to get a good position straight away. I quickly found myself in around sixth place and tried to settle into a strong, steady pace. The course at Enfield was quite flat, which was really helpful, especially as I was still getting back into my rhythm after the break. I kept telling myself to stay focused and not to slow down. I could see the runners ahead of me, and I felt motivated to catch them. After about halfway through the first lap, I managed to overtake two runners who were just in front of me. That moved me into fourth place, and I was feeling good about how I was doing.

Today was a really exciting day for me. I took part in the Charnwood Open Athletics meet at Loughborough University, and I was running in the under-13 800-metre race. I’ve been training hard for weeks and looking forward to this event for a long time. I love running, and I was determined to do my best and hopefully beat my season’s best time of 2 minutes and 56 seconds. My goal for the day was to get as close as possible to 2 minutes and 50 seconds, which would be a big improvement.

The atmosphere at Loughborough University was amazing. The track is one of the best I’ve ever run on, and everything felt very professional. What I like most about the Loughborough track is that they have timers on each corner, so you can always see your time as you’re running. That’s a big help because it lets you know whether you’re ahead or behind your target, and it keeps you focused and motivated during the race.

Today was sports day at school, and I was super excited. I love running, and I had been waiting for this day for ages. The sun was out, the grass was freshly cut, and everyone was in their sports kits, ready for their races. I was especially looking forward to the 300-metre race. There were only two other girls in the race with me, but I still felt nervous. I wanted to give it my best and try to come first.

As I walked over to the starting line, I suddenly realised something—I had forgotten to put on my running spikes. I was wearing my normal trainers instead. My heart dropped. Spikes help me grip the grass better and run faster, and without them, I knew the race would be harder. I quickly turned to one of the helpers near the track. He was a parent volunteer, and I asked him, “Please, can I go and quickly change into my spikes?” He looked at me and said, “Sorry, it’s too late. You need to stay at the start line.”