Of course I had no time to grin, as I had my time to beat.

But it was very lonely doing those next three hurdles.

I didn't know how I was going, only I could swear I'd been twenty seconds long before I got to the eighth.

I nearly mulled the ninth, and lost a step after the jump.

That made me positive I'd not beaten my time; and I had half a mind to pull up, I was so jolly miserable.