GSV Champ Carnival today

We left school at 9.30 to get to the Championship carnival at Bundoora park. I had to hang out with the year 10's because there are no year 12's and the year 11's were coming later after exams. I thought I would be really bored because my race wasn't till 1pm but it was pretty fun.
The juniors had their race at 11am and did ok. We only had one placegetter in our division. We had a bit of excitement when our tent blew over and snapped. We had to fold it back down which was hard with broken pieces of metal sticking out.
The intermediates had their race at 12pm and I didn't want to hang out with the juniors so I went and cheered for the inters up the back. I could cheer for them twice on each lap. Penny was winning by a massive margin which is fantastic because there were some extremely amazing girls out there.
The year 11's arrived and it was finally time for our race. I decided I really wanted to come in the top 10 because the top 10 got medals! But when we started I realised how hard that would be. I was probably in about 50th place after 200m but then I overtook dozens of girls going up the hill on the first lap. I counted at the top of the hill (about 1km mark) and I was in about 14th-15th place. I didn't think I would be able to overtake anyone to get into the top 10. However, I just concentrated on picking off the next girl, something which I don't often do. It was really hard going. I hate running on grass and it is grass almost the whole way. I just feel really unco. At the end of the first lap my time was 7.35 so I realised why I was feeling so tired. On the hill on the second lap I picked off another girl, who beat me in the preliminary carnival. I thought she'd chase me down but she didn't. I managed to get in front of another couple of girls and I thought I was probably in 11th or 12th place. However, when I rounded the final bend everyone was yelling "you're coming 10th" so I sprinted to the finish, not wanting to be overtaken.

I came in with a time of 15.44. I was kinda hoping to get closer to 15.30 but there's always next time. I really hoped I did come 10th. I pretty much died at the finish, I don't think I could have gone any harder. I have to say this was one of the hardest races I've ever done. Everyone else seemed to be feeling that too, many girls were collapsed on the grass afterwards.

We packed up everything and headed over to the presentations. Firstly they presented the top 10 girls in each division (we were in division 2). Mandy came in about 24th place overall so we were really hoping she got in the top 10 for division 2. My hopes were fading when she didn't come 10th, 9th, 8th or 7th but then her name was announced for 6th place! I wasn't sure what I came in division 2, possibly 2nd because I thought a Tintern girl came in front of me. My name was announced as first place though! We had to have our photo taken individually with our ribbons and then as a group - the top 10 for division 2 while the division 1 winners were announced. Then the overall winners were announced. As expected I came in 10th place! So I got a lovely medal. We each had more photos taken with our medals, then as a group of the overall top 10, then as a big group with the top 10 from each division. Finally we were able to go and sit back down with our schools.
Unfortunately my school came 7th in division 2, but we think that might be incorrect.
I'm very sad that this was my last ever school cross country but I had a really great day.