Ipswich Music Day 2009

The downside of this years Ipswich Music Festival was the decision not to allow cars to park inside the park although you can understand the decision if this protects the grass in the park. However the event was again very enjoyable and the weather was good and we avoided any rain.

One of the bands to play at the Evening Star stage was Thee Vicars. One of the good things about watching a band at this early stage of their career is the knowledge that a band like Thee Vicars nine times out of ten will vanish and never make it beyond a little local exposure and playing the local scene (which some bands may be happy with ) or just occasionally a band will get what is often a lucky break and achieve national or world wide aclaim.

Who knows what will happen with Thee Vicars but clearly they have image with some reminders of the Beatles and The Jam in what they wear and there enthusium on stage.

Though the music is quite distinctive being a throw back to American garage rock from the 60's. American bands such as the Sonics, The Seeds and the Kingsmen are largely unknown today certainly by 99% of the population and you don't here garage music on the radio so credit to Thee Vicars for playing what they like and just maybe there can be a Suffolk Garage Band Scene! When the Clash played in Bury St Edmunds they said we're a garage band so Thee Vicars are in good company.

Certainly a band to look out for and to go and watch if you see them tour in your area.

Unfortunately they were't blessed with the best stage at the Ipswich Music Festival as several of the bands playing here seemed to have problems with the initial sound checks and set up. Bands playing at the the 102 FM and CRM stage seemed to fair better with sound quality.

That said Thee Vicars did there best and generated some atmosphere for a crowd several hundred strong that was largely sat on the grassy embankment surrounding the stage.

Ipswich Music Day 2009

You are very lucky if you have stumbled upon this blog entry by chance. Here at no cost to you is possibly the greatest dancer in the world. Every year he puts in an appearance at the free Ipswich Music Festival and never fails to wow the crowds. By close observation you cannot help but notice the many adoring fans looking on at the great unique dance moves being performed. Always the greatest dancer is imitated and in this video you will see two boys try to imitate the worlds greatest dancer and to some extent they manage it but keeping up with the unique moves are frankly just impossible for any mere mortal.

The worlds greatest dancer was spotted in Ipswich at 12pm and was still going strong wowing the crowds at least until 5pm when I was beaten and I had to give up and leave but the worlds greatest dancer was still going strong.

If you haven't been to Ipswich or Ipswich Christchurch Park then surely this video will make you think about it for 2010. Look out for the IPART festival at Christchurch Park in 2010 . The worlds greatest dancer has no inhibitions as frankly he doesn't care what you think. With the passing of the great Michael Jackson surely this man in the video is now the worlds greatest dancer. What do you think?



More videos and photos from the great free music festival to follow

Stinging Nettle Run

One of the great things about running in warm weather is to be able to remove the layers and to run in shorts and short sleeved t shirt.

For this morning's run I thought I would head through the Fornham St Martins Golf course and folow the pathway along the River Lark out to Culford. I haven't tried this route for a while and running besides a river always makes it sightly cooler.

The run started well, the weather was great and the golfers were out in force and I had managed to duck any flying balls. The pathway through the weeping willow was a bit more difficult than normal as the gap had almost grown over and I had to slow to just check there was a pathway rather than something I had imagined and I was just running into a tree as you do.

Once through the tree the obstacles became a little more daunting and as you can see from the photos it became a bit more of a jungle and my running style became more of a hop as I lifted legs in strange angles to avoid the stinging nettles. It was inevitable that I would get stung and I did but perhaps not where you would imagine first. My hopping had been quite successful and whilst my legs didn't get stung my left elbow was the first to brush with Urtica Dioica the common stinging nettle.

This perennial has many stinging hairs known as trichomes whose tips come off when touched. The tips turn into into needles that then inject a number of chemicals such as histamine causing a sting. This is all part of a run and I managed to reach the bridge at Fornham St Martin and tried the footpath besides the river on the other side of the road but very quickly gave this up as the overgrown foilage and stingers were slowing me down to a slow jog and sting.

Instead I headed for the Parkgate Woodland Walk at Fornham St Genevieve. This is a small woodland area but worth a visit. there are a number of signboards with information linked to the history of Fornham including the battle that took place here. Running under the canaopy of the trees was nice and cool and I returned home via the road giving the riverside path a miss!

Ipswich Half Marathon

Now i've gone and done it! I have entered the Larking Gowen Ipswich Half Marathon on 30th August 2009. This is the first running of this race and what appeals is a chance to run around around the town centre of Ipswich.

To date there are are only 408 entries and the race can accept 1500 so uptake seems a little slow and I can only see one other entry from a Saint Edmund Pacer my running club. However I am sure the race entries will grow and be sold out by the time of the race.

My worry with the race is hot weather but it is at least an early 9am start so that is very good. My other worry is a switch of the Ipswich Town match due on the previous day Saturday to the same day as the race for tv coverage. Hopefully this won't happen but if so I am sure I can get a shower and go on to the match after wards.

Now I have a target to build my training through July and August and will need to build up my long runs to get the confidence to complete the distance. Anyone else out there running at this event ? What are you running next ?

Run to Ann Hathaway's Home

After yesterday's indoor run on the treadmill I was determined to get out doors for a run around the tourist spots of Stratford on Avon. At 7am it was nice,sunny and quiet and I was able to visit the tourist sites and take photos without cars and people in the way as a distraction.

I started of by visting Shakespeare's birthplace.Wiliam Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Henley Street. Two years ago I did visit his home which you enter though a visitor centre and there are many exhibits depicting his life. There is much to see with original books in glass cabinets. However what you really pay your money for is to see the home where he was brought up as a child. The only disapointment is the feeling of being on a conveyor belt as you are unable to stop and look for too long in any room as so many people visit this house that you just have to keep moving. The floors are worn down by the no of visitors.

I didn't no where I was going on my run but I found William Shakespeare'home very easily. When you are running in a starnge town I tend to run in straight lines as much as possible so I can find my way back . By chance I came to a place called Shottery a small hamlet outside of Stratford. Here is the the home of Anne Hathaway the wife of William.

It is clearly a major tourist attraction as the hamlet is dominated by the the house and the surrounding car park and a garden walk beside a stream. Hathaway married Shakespeare in 1582. They had three children Susanna, Hamnet and Judith which isn't a lot compared to many familes of this age but reflects the fact that Shakespeare spent a lot of his time in London whilst Anne stayed in Stratford. The farmhouse that Anne Hatahaway gew up in is an impressive building with 12 bedrooms substantialy larger than Shakespeare's home.

On my route back into Stratford I visited the Holy Trinity Church church where Shakespeare is buried. Close by is the home of one of Shakespeare's daughters Susanna who married an eminent doctor John Hall. This looks perhaps to be one of the better homes to visit and an impressive home and garden.

I used up my remaining time to make up to 7 miles bu running along by the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre which is clearly undergoing a lot of refurbishment folowing floods two years ago.

The canal looked inviting for a dip as I ran past it and I was asked for directions and times of the nearest ferry as I ran past.

I returned to the hotel after my run long before many of the other guests at the conference had stirred from their sleep.



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Now playing: The Lillingtons - War of the Worlds
via FoxyTunes

Running in Stratford on Avon

This week I have been working in Stratford on Avon which as many of you will know is a huge tourism draw it being the birthplace of one William Shakespeare.

On the first day with time being short I decided to use the gym facilities at the Holiday Inn. Luckily the hotel had a swimming pool and gym and I took full advantage. I did a triathlon not in the usual order as I started with bike doing 11.1 km in 30 minutes, followed by the treadmill doing 4.20 miles in 35 minutes and then a casual swim where I did no more than probably 100 metres. It was really enjoyable having all of the equipment to hand and not something I have done for a long time as I don't belong to a gym. The workout measurements on the bike and treadmill are useful to know and motivational in that sense for measuring progress.

However that said give me the outdoors anytime. It was hot inside the gym and looking at euro pumped up electro r&b music is a real turn off for me. I noted several others in the gym had obviously come prepared and had ipods eyephones to overcome this.

The Holiday Inn sits on the River Avon Canal and the photo above is a view from the garden.

I have now uploaded all the photos I took at the recent Bury 5 race at Nowton Park Bury St Edmunds, you can view them on my link to flickr here or on the side panel flickr tool.







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Now playing: Scott McKenzie - San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)
via FoxyTunes

Running in the Heat

After a trip to a car boot sale at Woolpit this morning I left any plan to run until the early evening at 6pm. The car boot had been a success and I bought a woolen hat just what you need in this weather! Actually it was a supporter who could no longer afford to go to games at Ipswich Town selling his collection of badges which I debated whether to buy and then did 35 badges and the hat was £20. I thought it was worth it others might not.

The weather on Sunday was never particularly bright blue skies and wall to wall sunshine but it was humid hot and sticky. When driving in the car the outside temperature meter recorded 30c or 86 f in Bury St Edmunds. The humidity levels were around 75% when I ran.

As a runner the internal battle that goes on in your mind as to whether you can a) get out of the door to run in the first place and b) run a certain distance or time is probably the biggest adversery you will face I find.

However after this as a runner you are always battling the elements, whatever the seasons chuck at you. Running in the cold in mid winter may seem daunting but you can always put extra layers on and combat this. Spring and Autumn are just about the best for me and summer is also wonderful but is an adversery to respect. Two conditions can result from running in the heat overheating and dehydration.

When you start to heat up the body sweats and more blood is sent to the skin surface where it is cooled. However your muscles demand oxygen and blood to run at a pace and as a result less blood flows to the skin resulting in overheating. I find I slow down in heat as the blood tends to go to the skin more than the muscles in an effort to cool down. In humid conditions like today there was no way my sweating was going to evaporate and therefore give me a chance to cool down so running slowly was my only option.

As you sweat and lose fluids from the body dehydration can start to occur. It is the combination of losing both water and electrolytes.

I have never enjoyed carrying water on a run but will now plan to do so perhaps a sports drink with electrolyte replacement.

I do wear sunglasses but not a hat something else to think about buying along with a bandana perhaps.

My concusion is that I could do more myself to combat heat by a little more preparation . Anyone have any good tips on running hats and sports drinks?

Pinford End and Whepstead Suffolk

After last nights race I felt ok but the weather continues to be humid and as a result I again ran slowly.

This run took me out and back from Bury St Edmunds 5 miles to Whepstead.

One of the landmarks on this run is this very traditional Suffolk Pink house at Pinford End. It is familar to any one who has run the Bury 10/20 mile road race. The Bull's Green Lane takes you through to Mickley Green on the Brockley Road.

Listened to a new podcast today from Phil the Twilight Runner at
http://twilight-runner.blogspot.com/

I was interested to read about the world war 2 airfield at Ballyhalbert at County Down. Well worth a listen if you enjoy listening to a a podcast.



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Now playing: Talking Heads - Road to Nowhere
via FoxyTunes

Bury 5 at Nowton Park Bury St Edmunds

The Suffolk Friday 5 series continued with Saint Edmund Pacers turn to host the five mile road race series. This was the 4th race after events organised by Ipswich Jaffa, Felixstowe Road Racers and Stowmarket Striders.

The good weather increased the number of entries compared to last year. Wheras there were 391 finishers in 2008 this year the number was up to 451. The weather was warm , sunny but also humid and this had its effect on more than a few runners who needed help from the medical attendants due to the humidity.

I entered on the night and this year parking was easier as we were allowed to park within Nowton Park. Like many other runners I took advantage of the Lucozade Sports Mobile Stand which was providing free sports drinks and energy bars.

I am never very good with running in heat it always to sap my energy and so I knew before the start this would be more of a training run than a race. I also had in the back of my mind last years DNF!. My only ever did not finish race.

As a consequence I set off at a moderate pace and ran the first mile within the park in 7.40. The first mile has lots of bends and is narrow in places with some up hill sections and generally you have to watch your footing for mole holes.

Once you leave Nowton Park and emerge on to Fox and Pin Lane you are starting to gradually climb up hill and my second mile time had slipped to 7.57. The steepest section of the course takes you up the old town lane to High Green and through a local farm. I seem to struggle with hills and was passed by many here as my time for the 3rd mile was 8.36.

However once at the top of the hill I knew I was at least going to finish albeit in a slow time . There is a good long downhill stretch past Nowton Church and my time recovered in the fourth mile to 7.40. There is another up hill section at Nowton Road near the Nowton Village Hall but by this point you know the finish is close by and you return down Fox and Pin Lane and into the park for a sprint to the finish line. My final mile was my best in 7.33. In fact at this point I felt as if my legs had woken up and I was ready to do another five though very hot. At the finish the humidity had left me resembling a river of sweat and absolutely soaked I took the offer of a cold shower from a jug of water from one of the race helpers at the finish funnel.
My official time was 39.22 for 216th place right in the middle of the pack bearing in mind the 451 finishers. Probably my slowest ever 5 mile race but I was still happy relieved I think to get this bogey dnf out of my mind.

The junior race had a good entry and many of the photos in this entry capture the beginning of this race. I will load other races to flickr in due course


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Now playing: Ramones - Chasing the Night
via FoxyTunes

Beyton Country Fair

Last Saturday we ventured over to Beyton Country Fair. Beyton is a small village about 5 miles East of Bury St Edmunds and always holds a good country fair.

There is all the usual attractions such as vintage cars, stalls selling plants and bric a brac and a marque where the judging of the entries for cakes flower arranging and photography is held.

Although it rained just as the fair opened at 2 pm it soon stopped and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.I picked up a couple of books from a stall including an autiobiography of david Gower for the princely sum of 30p.

We then had a nice beer a local one from Brandon called Old Rodney. followed by an ice cream. I then got an important job holding the finishing tape for the childrens egg and spoon race.