The Race

• Felicity Webb, Grade 5, Oberon Public School
• Short Story
• 2014

Excellence Award in the 'The Text Generation 2014' competition

I feel so sick. I am waiting for the race to begin. The commentator is announcing the runners of my race. My opponents look so fit! I can see the hunger for winning in their eyes. One of my opponents has won lots of races before. Almost every person in the crowd is betting that she will win. The grandstand is quickly filling up with people. This race is even on TV live! I had to travel to Melbourne for this
race. I can’t back out now. Oh, no! The commentator just announced two minutes till the race and I haven’t warmed up!
I used what little time I have trying to warm up by running in circles and stretching my leg muscles. I felt faint, this race was going to be so nerve-wracking!
Now I really feel so sick! All I can hear is the commentator yelling, “Get ready, get set, GO!”
I started to sprint. All the millions of people in the grandstand are yelling, “RUN, GO FASTER, YOU CAN WIN!”
Something hard was hitting my back, so I ran faster to get away from it! I was coming last. My opponents were flicking dirt up into my face.
The thing kept hitting harder and harder so I ran and ran. I passed four opponents but three were still in front of me. I ran so fast that it felt like the world was whizzing by. I passed two opponents and one was still in front. She was quick. As we ran around the bend and only 100 metres in front of us, I was starting to get sick of the thing hitting my back, so I just bolted and passed my last opponent and won!
I can’t believe it! I won. All the people in the grandstand were cheering and clapping so hard that I thought that my ear drums were going to blow up. I won the Melbourne cup!
I probably will get lots of hay tonight!