It was the 30th April. I had been waiting, worrying and looking forward to this day for a long time. It was the day of the Cross Country.

I slowly propped myself up on one shoulder to look around the room. Even though I had been looking forward to this day for a long time, I still felt like staying in my nice, comfy bed for the rest of eternity. Eventually though, I picked myself up and placed myself on the ground, walked out of the room and had my breakfast (which was a slice of toast).

Mum took me to school in her shimmering blue Toy-o-ta and before long I was standing in front of the huge green, open iron gates that I saw nearly every day of the week.

The long, long sound of the bell had just been heard throughout the school and I was noisily walking to Castle Glen Oval with my friends. We all went our separate way when Mrs Johnson (the black-haired one) asked us to go to our sporting houses. The houses are fern green Timburra, fiery red Koonaka, sea blue Gundaroo and Allunga, which is as yellow as the sun.
As I sat down on my tarpaulin with my fellow Koonaka lovers, the first race was called.
“8 and 9 year old girls please come to the marshalling area.” As the white haired Mrs Johnson blew her whistle and the girls shot off, before I knew it, I was wishing Matt good luck. By the time they called my race, I had butterflies. For a moment I was dumb-struck.

“Ready, set, go!”

I shot off with the other contestants. It seemed like days until I finally saw the finish line in the distance. I sprinted the rest of the way. When I finally reached the end I was shaking all over but I had finished the Cross Country.

I came 4th overall and it was an interesting experience. By the way, I also came 4th last year. Now I’m going to Zone!

On Castle Glen oval two sounds took over the area. There was the pounding of runners’ feet but that was drowned out by the cheers of Samuel Gilbert’s house teams, Allunga, Koonaka, Gundaroo and Timburra cheering everyone on. No doubt about it, it was the Cross Country Race.

The first fleet of children to run were the 8 and 9 year olds girls. When Mrs Johnson blew her whistle to signal the start of the race, the cheers for the runners were so loud that the people across the stree probably heard us! 8 and 9 year old boys were called to the marshalling area as the girls started to come into view, aiming for the finish line.

I felt nervousness overcome me. 10 year old girls would be next and that was me!
“Tweet!” Mrs Johnson blew her whistle and the boys shot off down the course, setting off another round of cheers. Soon the boys had disappeared from view, running into the bush. Then a voice announced on the microphone,

“Would the 10 year old girls please come to the marshalling area?” I forced my numb legs over to the table, to be directed to the lines. In what seemed like hours, Mrs Johnson blew the whistle and we ran.

“The two hardest parts of this race are the start and the fence bit,” I thought to myself as I raced into the bush, slowly overtaking a few girls. My legs started to ache as I ran along the fence. It seemed like weeks before I saw the finish line and my mum. Using a burst of speed that I didn’t know I had, I made it to the finish line and I came 15th!

The race was over before I knew it, leaving me thirsty and sore. Last year I came 32nd, so I improved by 17 places! Since all the stress was gone, the best thing about the Cross Country was that it was over.

“Left, right, left, right. Come on Bec. Keep that pace. Don’t give up, you can do it.” That’s what I was mumbling to myself on the 30th April 2008, the day of the school cross country.

After recess Years 2-6 of Samuel Gilbert Public School made their way to the Castle Glen Oval for the annual Cross Country carnival. We all sat on a tarpaulin with our house while the teachers were trying to get us to quieten down and sit down, as we were all too eager to get started!

The carnival began with the 8 and 9 year old girls, then the boys, next with 10 year old girls and so on. Finally my race was called; my insides felt as if they were going to flip! I was soooo nervous!

I suddenly saw the finish line; I started to sprint as fast as I could. I slapped Miss Cater’s hand and there I was standing there; I had finished the 3km race! I had come in 4th place. I had made it to zone for the second time!