Met League Claybury - by Frankie Snell (age 13)

I went to Claybury to run my second cross country race since joining The Eagles Juniors.  

The weather was hot for a cross country race so the ground was quite dry but I still wore my spikes. It was just me racing out the Eagles in the U15 youth race. I know quite a few ESM runners from school and others friends, so I was having a laugh with one of them then the gun went off. It was crowded as we ran down the hill, many people cheering us all on. We had to do two laps of the course which meant going up the big hill twice.

One of the lads from ESM followed me around the last race and pipped me to the finish which I wasn’t going to let happen again this time. I took it steady and made my plan to get ahead of the ESM lad. A few boys had to walk the hill but I managed to take it slow and keep running up and that is when I made my get away from my friend. I passed Mum (Lisa), Jennifer and Paul (taking photos) getting a few cheers and up another small hill back round to the start to do it all again. I remember two Eagles cheering me on and giving advice for the hill but I wasn’t sure who they were. Mum didn’t know who it was either when I told her.

I was getting tired as I passed the start knowing the hill was coming up again but remembered I had to keep my friend behind me. I managed to run at a steady pace up the hill again and flew down the hill. Coming down the hill was the best bit and it wasn’t far to go now to finish. I came into the finish feeling quite tired and my legs were aching but I didn’t let the ESM lad beat me.