Cross Country

FIlled with excitement I gradually got ready for my house colour Tainui to dominate the course. If you didn’t already know am the house leader for Tainui. I was waiting eagerly on the hardcourt for my race to start. As I was getting ready I was thinking to myself saying what is my game plan and then I said to myself “just enjoy the race and have a lot of fun”, and that is exactly what I did. I also had set myself for a goal which I accomplished. The goal was to make it into the top 8 and got to the inter-zone cross country competition.

Friday the 17th of august was when it all happened. Earlier that morning I was selected house captain which was a glorious moment in assembly. Suddenly with no surprise Mr Burt (our principal) had told us to do a chant for our house colour.

Next we assembled on the hard court at exactly 12:30 to get ready for the big race. Without a chance to stretch, our race was just a heartbeat away. Then with an echoing voice I heard “can the thirteen year old boys please come to the starting line” and then I got really really anxious. I got to the line walking very slowly. My heart was beating like it was the end of the world. Then I heard “ready set” then Mr Burt banged the two wooden blocks together and off we went.

Around the first corner trying to keep up with front pack. I had stopped and waited for my cuzzy bro Shawn, Then I said “hurry up Shawn” and he did. As I entered the bush walk I lost sight of Shawn so I gave it my all and jogged. I came upon a really huge puddle which I decided to stay and jump in because it was fun and it also cooled me down.

Taking off my t-shirt with a lot of energy in me, I picked up the pace and used what was in me to catch up to the leaders. I failed but when I got to the forest part of the bush walk it got really lethal because I almost slipped off the cliff and fell in the water. Also I had hit a tree.

I ran past some of the Telecom helpers and they saw me with no t-shirt on and asked me “are you getting hot young man” and I replied “yes sir”. Then the man said “good luck” and I replied “thank-you”. We all had to do a turn when we got out of the bush walk and ran to the other side.

As I ran through the other side of the bush walk I saw my mates Joshua and Jephte. Jephte was the target to beat because he was in my age group but Joshua is twelve years old. So when Jephte saw me, he started to run because he didn't want me to beat him. I started to get tired and felt like giving up, but I was really determined to overcome the obstacle and so I strived to succeed.  

Shortly after, I came upon the last five hundred meters. I saw the other boys and counted them up. 1, 2, 3...5 and I realized my goal had been accomplished. So I ran very confidently and looked back and saw my friend Shawn. He had caught up to me very quickly so I decided to wait for him. As I waited I saw first second and third go past and they looked very eager to win. Anyway Shawn caught up to me and we jogged very lightly pass plenty of people. Then we got past the third cone and I had left him in the dust.

Coming around the last corner I put what I had left in me and gapped down the last one hundred meters. I felt really determined and also I was in agony but somehow I had survived and cross that line. Breathing raggedly I sigh with big relief and said ‘yay I am finished” and went to my flag and cheered on my friends.