Championship Cross Country

After waiting excitedly all day we finally headed off to cross country at Bundoora Park. The juniors and intermediates had already run by time we got there so I was really annoyed as the best part of cross country is cheering the others! We arrived about 25 minutes before we had to run so I quickly changed into my shorts and we warmed up and then had to line up on the start line. It was so squishy, 240 girls from 24 schools lining up to race. The schools next to us hadn't left us any room which was really unfair. The start was the most horrible start I've ever done. I was trying to overtake many people (so many slow people sprint off at the start) and I was running on the outside of the course. There was a massive headwind and dust got in our eyes and mouths. We were to do two laps of basically a massive oval and the first third of each lap is gradually uphill. I was just cruising because I didn't want to be too tired for Sandown. I was feeling really comfortable and the first lap went really quickly. The field finally started spreading out and I could run properly. I don't have much to say about the race just that I felt really comfortable and it seemed to go very quickly. On the second lap with the headwind I didn't draft behind anyone coz it just doesn't suit me so I wasted a lot of energy. I was rounding the corner to finish feeling really good and all of a sudden a girl comes sprinting past me. I realised it was a girl who's in my netball team and who I really didn't want to beat me! She was a few metres ahead of me but I managed to come in just behind her at the line. My time was 17.05! But I wasn't really excited because I was annoyed Elise had beaten me (even though I was holding back for Sandown) and I had no idea what place I had come or what anyone else had come. I was second out of our girls. I reckon the course might have been shorter than 4km. I'm sure it wouldn't be though.

Unfortunately our school came 3rd in Div 2. That's not too bad I guess, but I really hoped to win.

I'm not really sure what time to aim for at Sandown tomorrow. Maybe somewhere between 46 and 48 minutes.