Today, I took part in a cross-country race for my school team in the Under 11 District League at Wheatfields Junior School. I was thrilled to be selected to represent my school and was determined to give my best effort to try and win. At the start of the race, I sprinted forward to take the lead, but some of the other girls were quicker off the mark. Although the race was supposed to be 1.3 kilometres, it actually measured only 0.91 kilometres. My pace was 4:00 per kilometre, and I finished with a time of 3:35.
In the end, I came fourth out of around 60 girls, which I felt was a strong result. I was especially pleased to be the first finisher from my school, as I wanted to make them proud. However, I know there are areas where I could improve to perform even better in the future. Reflecting on the race, I realised that I need to work on my sprinting skills to get a stronger start, which could help me stay ahead right from the beginning.
During the race, I also felt that I could have pushed myself harder to overtake the other runners a bit sooner. There were moments when I held back slightly, and I think this cost me some valuable seconds. To add to that, I had a particularly intense training session with my running club the day before, which may have affected my stamina on race day. Next time, I’ll try to manage my training better beforehand so that I feel fresh and fully prepared.
One thing that bothered me during the race was seeing some girls cut corners, which I found disappointing. I always stick to the correct course, as fairness and honesty are important to me. Although it was frustrating to see others take shortcuts, I’m glad I competed fairly and gave my best without bending the rules.
Looking back, I think I did well, especially considering that the girls who finished ahead of me were older, taller, and in Year 5 or Year 6. As a Year 4 runner competing among them, I feel encouraged by my performance and believe that, with more training and experience, I can close the gap. This race has shown me where I need to improve, and it’s made me even more determined to train harder.
In the next race, I’ll focus on getting a faster start, working on my sprinting, and pacing myself better to reach my goal of winning. I’m excited to put in the hard work and hopefully bring home a victory for my school team!
