Q5 Write an alternative ending of the book - 11 May 2009

The day has come for Charlie Feehan to compete in the Ballarat Mile. So Charlie wakes up and has a light breakfast because Mr Redmond said ‘Charlie if you eat too much it could cost you the Mile by getting a stitch when you need your energy the most during the race’. 11.45 a.m. soon to be 12.00 midday was when the Mile started right on the stroke of 12 noon. The Ballarat official called for all the competitors to the track ready for the start of the race. ON YOUR MARKS, SET, BANG the runners pushed strongly out of the starting blocks, their arms swung hard beside them. The runners were in a straight line as they had just completed the first lap, Charlie was in a strong position as he was fourth in the race. Charlie thought to himself ‘I am so close to the leaders I have to try and have a stab at the lead position’. So Charlie started trying his hardest to hang in there but all of a sudden a head wind hit the runners and you could see the physical strain of the runners as they were starting to tire. This is where Charlie’s stamina came into effect, if Charlie could only just keep on running head wind or no head wind. Two and a half laps to go in the Mile, Charlie saw a chance to take the lead and he took the chance and is now even with the leader. One lap to go at this final leg of the race there are now only three runners in the chance to win the Ballarat Mile. Half a lap to go and suddenly Charlie starts sprinting but is still evenly matched with first and second. Without warning Charlie trips and the runner from Harriers falls on top on Charlie. Charlie quickly gets up off the ground. He can see that the Harriers runner is still on the ground in a lot of pain, Charlie thinks about running on to win but he gathers himself and instead of finishing the race returns to the fallen runner. Charlie helps the injured Harrier onto his feet and arm in armhe helps him across the finish line . The crowd cheers wildly because Charlie Feehan has helped a fellow runner, the judges decide that the race be a draw and that the first four runners would have to race again on another day. After the race the Harrier runner went up and thanked Charlie for what he had done to help him. It was a very unselfish thing that Charlie had done.