Today I ran in the North West London League at Kingsbury, in Fryent Park. I was running in the boys’ under 11 race, which was a cross country race about two kilometres long. The course was two laps around the park, and it had a few little hills and lots of twisty paths. The grass was quite firm and dry, which made it fast but a bit harder to grip. I like Fryent Park because it’s open and you can see the runners ahead, but you still need to think carefully about when to speed up or slow down.

Before the race started, I did all my warm-ups properly — a light jog, some drills, and a few short sprints to get my legs ready. I always make sure to focus before the race because I know that the start is really important. There are some tight, narrow parts on the course where only one person can run at a time, so I knew that getting to the front early would make a big difference. My coach and I had talked about getting a quick start, so that was my main goal when the whistle blew.

Today I ran in the Donkin Cup. It’s a yearly school race where everyone in my year takes part, so it’s always exciting and competitive. The distance was 2.65 kilometres, and I really wanted to finish with a strong time because this was my last Donkin Cup. The weather was cool, and the course had both grass and road sections, with some tricky hills along the way.

I started off with an okay start — not the fastest, but steady. After a short while, I took the lead and began to pull away. On the grass section, I built up about a five-second gap ahead of the others. I felt good and focused on keeping my pace smooth. It was hard work, but I knew I had more speed to give once we got onto the road.

Today I ran in the Metropolitan League at Claybury. It was the Under 11 Boys race, and I was really excited because I had been training hard for it. The course was 1.5 kilometres long and went up and down some steep hills. The weather was cool and perfect for running, and the ground was quite hard, which made the race feel fast but a little tougher on my legs.

When the race started, I got off to a really strong start. I felt fast and confident as I took the lead. The first part of the course was smooth, and I tried to keep my pace steady. I could hear lots of cheering from the sides, which made me push even harder. I knew it would be a tough race, but I wanted to stay at the front for as long as I could.

Today I took part in a race at my school called the Habs Dash. The Habs Dash is a 3.5 kilometre run around the school grounds, mostly on the pavement. I was very excited to run because I have recently been promoted to run with the senior school. I am in wave one, which means I start with the fastest group — the Year 13 boys, some teachers, and other really quick runners. I am the only Year 6 boy running in the senior school race, which makes me feel proud and a bit nervous at the same time.

Last week, I ran the same course for the first time and set a school record of 13 minutes and 10 seconds. I really wanted to beat that time today. I felt confident because last week I was still learning the course and didn’t know exactly where the finish line was. This time I knew the route better, so I felt ready to push myself even harder and aim for a new personal best.