Today was a really special but mixed day as I ran in my school’s annual Inter-House cross-country race. The course was one lap around our school fields, covering a distance of 1.1km. I was super excited to get out there and represent my house, but I also felt a little bit sad inside. As a Year 6 pupil, this is my final year at junior school, meaning it was the last time I’ll ever run in this specific event. Because of that, I was even more determined to give a great performance and secure the win for my house one last time.
However, I had to be quite clever with how I managed my effort today. I have a big 5km race scheduled for tomorrow morning, where I’m aiming for a target pace of 3 minutes and 52 seconds per kilometre. My parents gently reminded me before the start line to conserve my energy and not burn out my legs completely. That meant I had to balance my desire to win the school race with saving enough power in my muscles so I can perform at my absolute best for tomorrow’s longer challenge.
When the race whistle blew, I took off smoothly and made sure not to sprint too recklessly out of the gate. After a couple of hundred metres, I was able to comfortably move into the lead and set the rhythm for the pack behind me. Once I held the front position, I focused on staying relaxed, maintaining a smooth stride, and controlling my effort level across the fields. It felt slightly unusual to consciously hold back, but keeping tomorrow's big goal in mind kept me strictly disciplined.
I crossed the finish line in first place with a time of 3 minutes and 14 seconds, which worked out to an average pace of 3 minutes and 58 seconds per kilometre. While that is a fair bit slower than my usual top-speed pace for a short distance, it was completely deliberate! I managed to secure the victory for my house while keeping my legs feeling reasonably fresh and ready for the 5km test ahead.
The individual victory was a proud moment, but what made the day truly unforgettable was finding out the overall results. It was so bittersweet knowing it was my last time competing, but my house, Julian, actually won overall and lifted the official house trophy! I am so incredibly happy for Julian House and every single girl who ran her heart out today to help us claim the overall win.
Taking top spot individually and celebrating with my housemates made this the ultimate perfect day to end my junior school cross-country journey. I have absolutely loved competing in this championship every single year, and now my focus is fully shifted to tomorrow's 5km race. I'm going to get plenty of rest tonight so my legs are completely ready to hit that 3:52 per kilometre target on the start line tomorrow!
