Today I ran in the Metropolitan League at Horsenden Hill. The race was meant to be 2 km, and I was running in the boys’ under-11 category. Horsenden Hill has never been one of my favourite courses, so I wasn’t feeling very excited when I arrived. The hills, the tight corners, and the long grass make it quite a tough place to run. Still, I knew I had to give it my best and try to stay focused even if I wasn’t looking forward to the course
When the race started, I settled into around fourth place. I felt okay, but I knew I wanted to be in the lead as quickly as possible. About 300 metres into the first lap, I managed to work my way to the front. Another boy came with me, and the two of us were fighting for the lead all through the first lap. It felt like a proper battle, but I stayed in control and kept my position at the front. I felt strong, and at that moment I thought I had a good chance of winning.
As we reached the second lap, everything changed. The boy who had been behind me suddenly pushed past, and I just couldn’t keep up with him. I tried my hardest to stick with him, but I felt my energy dropping fast. My legs started to feel like jelly, and every step felt heavier than the last. I could tell the boy in third place was closing in on me, but even though my mind was shouting “Go faster!” my legs simply weren’t listening.
In the final stretch, I pushed with everything I had left to try to keep my second place. I knew the boy behind me was right on my heels, and I tried so hard not to let him pass. But almost on the finish line, he managed to sneak past me, and I finished in third place. It was upsetting because I was so close to first and second, and I felt like I had lost the places right at the end. Looking back, I think I might have pushed too hard during the first lap and used up too much energy too early.
Next time, I think I need to run the first lap at about 90% instead of 100%. That way, I can save some energy for the second lap and avoid getting so tired. Even though I finished third, I was only five seconds behind the winner and less than a second behind second place. That shows me that I’m very close, and with better pacing I can definitely improve. I know there’s a lot more to come if I race smarter.
Next week, I run in the North West London League at Trent Park. That’s my club’s local course and one of my absolute favourites. My plan is to try my new strategy: stay just behind the leader on the first lap, conserve energy, and then kick hard on the second lap. I’m happy with my performance overall, even though I wish I had held onto second place. Losing a place right at the end always stings, but it also teaches me something important. I’ll use that lesson to run a stronger race next time.
