Burn, Burn and Burn some more Valley Half Marathon.

Today was the Burn Valley Half Marathon which is part of the Blacksheep Series Race championship. This is along way from being an easy run with just about no flat sections for the whole 13.1 miles and to make it even more of a challenge the sun came out when the race started. Non the less it doesn't matter how hard this race is as just about every runner has a good day. Myself with quite a few other runners were slower than last year but we all enjoyed the race as usual which at the end of the day is the most important part of racing, that is enjoying it.
From the start I had Ian Fisher from Otley AC ready to make my life hard as he was the race favourite having won the race six times already and holds the record for the fastest time round this course. I stuck to my plan of a steady start as I was a long way off being in top condition with missing so much training over the last month. Passing the first mile marker Fisher was slightly ahead and by the second mile he was still within catching distance if I saved myself and went for a fast finish. Then from three through to five miles he just seemed to drift off into the distance. By the time I reached half distance I would of expected to be in good shape having run a good steady effort but in reality I was thinking this is getting hard as each climb sapped even more power from me. Reaching the nine mile point I managed to pick the pace back up and even though I could see along way down the road ahead Fisher was out of sight, the heat seemed to be effecting me but to be honest I think I just wasn't prepared to suffer as much as I normally can. The last couple of miles went quite well, but 2nd place it was to be. 76 minute 14 seconds.Two minutes slower than last year and considering the lack of form and the heat I was very pleased. Ian Fisher won the race in 73 minute 47 seconds which is without a doubt top class in those conditions. But if my finger hadn't been injured two days prior to the race which probably added an extra three minutes to my time I might of taken the win, only problem with that is my finger was fine and cost me no extra time at all. Another runner to add to my winter training motivation revenge list I think. I did extend my lead in the Blacksheep Sheep Series and I now only have two race left to try and keep myself fit and healthy. The Burton Leonard 10k on the 19th July and the Wetherby 10k on the 13th Sepetember.
This year my winter warm weather training camp also know as the family holiday has been moved to mid August, hopefully I should get some short fast training session whilst I'm on holiday as I think it's always to warm for anything over five miles. Usually with a cool breeze most of the time in Lanzarote running should be bearable unlike Cyprus where three miles was like running in hell and required an instant dive in the pool fully dressed to prevent heat stroke each time I got back to the hotel.