Today I ran at Woodside Stadium, which is where the Watford Harriers running club, the club I used to train with, usually compete. It was a “minors” meeting, and my race was the 600 metres on the athletics track. My previous personal best for this distance was two minutes and four seconds, but I knew that was slower than what I was capable of. My goal this time was to run under two minutes, which felt tough but possible. I was excited for the chance to push myself and hopefully set a new record.
When I lined up at the start, I was expecting to race against other girls in my age group. Even though I’ve just started Year 5 at school, in athletics I am still classed as a Year 4 runner. So, I thought I would only be racing against Year 4 girls. However, at the last moment they combined the Year 4 and Year 5 girls together. That meant I would be running with older girls, which made the competition harder. At first I didn’t want this because I really wanted to win, but I told myself not to worry about it and just to focus on running my best race.
When the race started, I managed to settle into second place straight away. I felt really pleased with my start and kept pushing hard down the track. By the time I reached the 300-metre mark, I managed to overtake the leader and move into first place. That gave me a big boost of confidence, and I carried on running as strongly as I could. At 400 metres, I had built up a healthy lead over the pack, and even at 500 metres I was still feeling comfortable in front.
As I came into the final straight, I knew I had to give it absolutely everything. I started sprinting, but I could hear the footsteps of a girl behind me, and I knew she was closing in fast. For a moment I worried she might catch me, but I picked up my speed again and used every bit of energy I had left. I sprinted with all my strength, determined not to give up my lead.
I crossed the line in first place, and when I looked at my time it was exactly two minutes. I had won the race not only against the girls in my own year but also against the older Year 5 girls, which made me feel extra proud. On top of that, I had beaten my personal best by four seconds. It was such a brilliant feeling, and I was incredibly happy with myself for achieving both my goals – winning the race and running faster than ever before.
This was my last 600-metre race of the season, so it was my final chance to improve my time. I was so glad I managed to do it and finish on such a high. Now I can feel confident as I move into the cross-country season, knowing that I have improved on the track and shown what I can do. I am already looking forward to more races in the future, where I know I can push myself even further.
