Today, I took part in the Radlett Rotary Run and ran in two races — the 1.5 km race for under 11s and the 5 km race for anyone aged 7 and over. I was really excited to return this year because I had done well last time and wanted to do even better. Last year, I finished 4th in the 1.5 km race, while my brother came 1st. This time, I really hoped we could finish 1st and 2nd together — him in first and me just behind.
At the start of the 1.5 km race, I got off to a good start and settled into 4th place. After about 300 metres, I managed to move into 2nd position, right behind my brother. I didn’t want to let him go, so I pushed myself as hard as I could to stay close to him the whole way. The race is all run on grass, with a steep hill to climb, so it’s quite tricky. But I stayed focused and determined.
In the end, I finished in 2nd place, which made me feel extremely proud. My final time was 6 minutes and 20 seconds — a big improvement on last year’s time of 6 minutes and 39 seconds. I was also the first girl to finish the race, which made the result even better. After the race, there was a small presentation where both my brother and I were given trophies for being the first boy and first girl in the under 11s. I was so happy and proud to add another award from the Radlett Rotary Fun Run to my collection.
Not long after that race, it was time for the 5 km run. It started just 5 or 10 minutes later, so I quickly drank some water and got ready to go again. I was feeling a bit tired from the 1.5 km race but still wanted to give it my best. Last year, I ran the 5K in 22 minutes and 57 seconds. I knew I had improved a lot since then and really wanted to beat that time.
The 5K course was not easy — it was run on grass with lots of uphill sections, so much harder than a normal Parkrun on flat tarmac. I started the race in a good position and kept pushing as hard as I could. I had looked at last year’s results and picked a few runners I wanted to keep up with or beat. I stayed close to them and tried to stay ahead when I could. In the end, I finished in 21 minutes and 32 seconds — over a minute faster than last year! Even though I didn’t beat my all-time best of 20:16, I was proud because this course was much tougher.
At the prizegiving, I was thrilled to receive two trophies from the 5K race. One was for being the fastest girl under 12, and the other was for coming second overall in the women’s race. I felt so proud, especially because I was racing against adults and I’m only eight years old! The woman who came first finished in around 19 minutes, and that’s now my goal — I really want to get under 19 minutes and be the first female finisher in the future. Overall, it was an amazing day. I ran two races, covered 6.5 km, and took home three trophies. My legs feel absolutely tired now, but my heart is full — I’m over the moon!
