Today I ran in the Abbots Langley Tough 10 race, which takes place in Abbots Langley every year. I was running in the 3 km race, but it’s actually more like 3.9 km because I measured it last year when I did it. The race starts on grass, then goes out onto closed roads around the village, and there’s a really steep hill that makes it extra hard. I ran this same race last year when I was in Year 5, and even though I was one of the younger ones then, I managed to win with a time of 15 minutes and 10 seconds. So this year, I really wanted to win again.
I knew that one of the boys who pushed me really hard last year was running in the 5 km race this time, so I didn’t have to race against him directly. The 3 km and 5 km races start together and follow the same route, but the 3 km runners turn off to the finish while the 5 km runners carry on. My goal was to stay ahead of him for as long as possible and get the best time I could.
When the race started, I got off to a good pace on the grass and then pushed even harder when we got onto the road. I wanted to go fast but also keep some energy for the big hill. It wasn’t easy — the hill was really tough, and my legs were burning, but I kept going. I ended up finishing first again with a time of 15 minutes and 17 seconds. It was seven seconds slower than last year, but I was still really proud of myself.
I’ve had a cough and a cold all week, so I wasn’t feeling my best, and I even got a really bad stitch during the race. But I didn’t stop, and I pushed through it all the way to the finish. I beat the boy in second place by over a minute, which made me feel really happy. Considering how I felt, I think I did really well.
The course itself is tough, especially with the long hill, but I actually enjoy it because it’s such a good challenge. Since the 5 km runners go a bit further, I think if I had done that race, I would have got a time of around 18 minutes, which I’d be really pleased with.
At the end, I got another lovely trophy for coming first, and that made me really proud. It feels amazing to have won this race in both Year 5 and Year 6, especially since those are the only years allowed to do the 3 km race. Next year, I’ll be moving up to the 5 km race for Years 7 and 8. Even though I’ll be one of the younger runners, I’m already determined to do my best and maybe even win again.
