On the 24 September, I raced in the Inter-Regionals Cross Country on Rabbit Island near Motueka.

Before the race, all of the South Canterbury running team gathered in the hall at the Motueka Top Ten Holiday Park. The team had a short meeting. Our coaches, Craig and Gayla told us to play by the rules and have fun.

After the briefing, the whole of the South Canterbury running team made their way down to the race track. As I hopped out of the van I could feel myself trembling. When all the other teams rocked up, that was when I really started to shake.

The first race started at 11:00am. Five minutes later all of the Year 5 boys in the South Canterbury running team had to go and warm up with one of the coaches. I felt even worse then, I was so, so nervous.

So here I am standing on Rabbit Island waiting for the starting gun to go off in the Inter Regional Cross Country. BANG! Everyone lurched forward at lightning speed.

Half way through the race I tell myself one lap to go.

As I was coming to the end of my race I sprint -finished against two people, and I came thirty-third out of 40 people.

It was a very hard course and I was really happy with my result.