Today, I took part in the Aldershot, Farnham and District race. This race was quite special because it was a 1000 metre run on an athletics track. That’s two and a half laps around the track, and it’s a distance I’ve never raced before. I’ve seen races for 800 metres and 1500 metres, but never 1000 metres, so I was really excited to give it a try. I already enjoy running the 1500 metres, so I thought this shorter middle-distance race would be interesting and fun.
We left home thinking it would take just an hour to get to the race, but the journey ended up taking an hour and a half. That meant we were running a bit late. My race was due to start just after 7pm. When we finally got there, I quickly began warming up and getting ready. I was excited and a little nervous. There were two heats for the 1000 metre race, and I was placed in the second heat with my sister. That gave me a bit of time to watch the first heat and plan my strategy.
While watching the first race, I saw that the winner finished with a strong time of 3 minutes and 28 seconds. I knew I wanted to beat that time and become the overall winner from both heats. My personal goal was to run 3 minutes and 20 seconds, and I felt confident I could get close to that, or maybe even beat it. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I was ready to give it everything I had.
As soon as the second heat started, I sprinted forward to take the lead. That’s my usual way of racing – getting in front early and trying to stay ahead. One boy kept pushing and trying to take the lead from me at the beginning, and we were neck and neck for the first 200 metres. But after that, I managed to break away. I picked up the pace, and soon I was running with a clear lead, with no one close behind me.
I ran as hard as I could and gave it my best. When I crossed the finish line, I saw my time – 3 minutes and 22 seconds! I was really proud of myself. I had won my heat, and I had also beaten the winner from the first heat, making me the overall winner. The second-place runner in my heat was far behind me, which made the victory feel even more special. I was especially pleased because I had just raced two days before, and still managed to run so well.
This was a great experience for me. I enjoyed the 1000 metre distance and now I’m thinking about trying it again in August, as I heard there might be another race then. It’s a unique distance that sits between 800m and 1500m, and I think it suits my style of running. Overall, I’m very happy with my performance, and I’m proud of how I raced on the day.
