The full bronte 5mile road race

This race also incorporates the Yorkshire vet's 5mile champs. It is a two lap, undulating course around Penistone hill country park at Haworth. It is a race I like to do but hate it, if that makes any sense. The last twice I've been 2nd vet back in my age group for Yorkshire, but after seeing the list of pre-entries I was not hopeful of even being in the first four, or beating last years time of 37: 36.

The first mile is fairly flat and slightly up hill, and having set off too fast I was in oxygen debt already. The first mile marker was further on the road than last year, it was on the hilly road up to the car park , 8:12 I thought no way! I'd done a faster mile time. It was nice to see Steve Carter marshaling there giving encouragement. I knew Hazel was not far behind me (I could see her) and thought she was looking pretty good. The second mile is just as bad, up and down, 16:50 at mile two, and at this point I realised a 38min was out of the question unless I pulled my finger out. With a nice bit of down hill between two and three I picked up pace (or so I thought) 23:56 at mile three. As I turned the corner again feeling knackered I asked Steve if he could see Hazel, and he said no she wasn't in sight so what did I do? - stop and walk! until I heard him cheering her on that is. Mile four I clocked 33:02 and decided to leg it and set my sights on the Keighley & Craven lady just about 100mtrs ahead of me. I nearly had her too! I finished in 39:51. I was pleased with the run as the weather was cold and windy.