Wednesday, August 31, 2005

The Suffolk Regiment

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On many of my runs I pass the building in the photo which is the Gibralter barracks built in 1878. The Suffolk Regiment was based for long periods in Gibralter during the 18th century particularly during the siege by the French and Spanish. So when a new barracks was built in Bury St Edmunds, it would have seemed appropriate to name it after one of the Suffolk Regiments main campaigns.

The regiment was formed in 1685 originally to fight off a rebellion by the Duke of Monmouth.

The Suffolk regiment saw action at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690 and Dettingen in France in 1743.

One of its major campaigns was at the Battle of Minden in 1759 when the Suffolk Regiment won a major battle attacking French positions without aid of supporting artillery against cannon fire. Apparently soldiers plucked red and yellow roses from hedgerows to wear in their hats and every since this battle is annually remembered by a parade. Just along the road the local pub has been called the Minden Rose.

The Suffolk Regiment were involved in many campaigns in many parts of the world including India, New Zealand ,South Africa and of course during the 1st and 2nd world wars.

However all that remains now of the Gibralter Barracks Site is the Keep. The rest of the site has largely been built over with the Bury Sports Centre and College facilities. I can remember as a child often playing on this site when there was the remains of a shooting range. At one end there was a large sandpit against a brick wall with lots of bullet holes. At the other there were shooting positions often built into the ground so that only your head was above ground level. Playing with friends you could often find bullets mostly spent but some seemingly still intact.


The black and white pictures are from a superb collection of photographs known as the Spanton Jarman Collection. The Bury St Edmunds Past and Present society are working on the restoration and storage of the negatives.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Horsecroft/Nowton/Town Circular Run

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4pm 7.8 miles in 1hour 3mins 32 seconds.

Year to date mileage 810

Month to date 130 miles

Average miles per month 102

Average weekly rate 23.4

Weather Hot sunny 82

Course: Ran out on the road to Horsecroft, returned over fields to Nowton Park and the returned home via Town Centre . An unusual site for Suffolk I ran past, was this field of Sun flowers or perhaps I have never noticed farmers growing this type of crop before in this area. If you have ever attempted to grow sunflowers at home as a bit of fun or to try and get your children interested in gardening then you may be interested to know the world record stands at 25 feet 5 and half inches. This was grown in Holland in 1986.

Apparently sunflowers grow taller if planted on the northern side of fences and buildings this is because the plants stretch to reach the morning sun.

Monday, August 29, 2005

River Lark & Water Meadows

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8am 7.2 miles in 58.07 mins.
Year to date mileage 802
Month to date 122 miles

Average miles per month 101
Average weekly rate 23.3

Weather bright, sunny and warm.

Course : Head out through the water meadows
and then turn left at Bury Rugby Club . Follow the path through No Mans Meadow which is at the back of the Abbey Gardens returning to Southgate Bridge and then returning over the meadows for a 2nd lap.

Return home up Southgate Street past the Police Station and through the Abbey Gardens graveyard then through town centre and home.

Ran this course in a new pb time.

I saw several runners today seemed to be more than usual perhaps just a combination of the good weather and the bank holiday but maybe there is a a bit of a running boom at the moment. Interest levels seem to be quite high.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Fornham Circular Run

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8.30pm 7.5 miles in 57.42 mins.
Year to date mileage 795
Month to date 115 miles

Weather bright and sunny

First run after returning from vacation in the Lake District. Still a little tired from long car journey down the M6 and A14

After only running twice last week I intend to put in some good mileage this week. I hope to visit one or two different places in Suffolk over the next week.

I have had my running number for the Tarpley 10 which is on Sunday 25 September at Beyton Middle School, Beyton near Bury St Edmunds. This will be my first race since February last year.

Friday, August 26, 2005

Keswick to Threlkeld

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4pm 7.5miles in 1hr 1min and 5 secs.
Year to date mileage 787
Month to date 107 miles

A repeat of yesterdays run along the old Keswick to Threlkeld railway line. This really is a great walk or cycle ride for anyone visiting the area. It is pretty much all on the flat which is unusual for this area. You cross over and under many bridges. With the recent heavy rain the River Greta was in full flow. The only disappointment is when you reach Threlkeld and find your way is blocked by the very busy A66.

Running Shoes

I currently prefer the Brooks Addiction range of shoes. I have the Brooks Addiction 6 model which seem to be extra tough on the outer sole. I have high arches and seem to over pronate leading to wear on the outersoles. However the Brooks shoes seem to last longer before the outersole is worn so they suit me well even they feel a little heavy.

However I always used to swear by New Balance so when I chanced upon a New Balance factory shop in Keswick I bought a pair of 1060's . I wore these on the run today and they seem a lot lighter though I am not sure if they will cope with my over pronation, only time will tell.

Fell Walking

I have spent most of my vacation walking in the fells rather than running. Keswick is a perfect base for exploring the Northern Fells. If you are based in Keswick you can walk up to many fells without needing to use a car. Overlooking Keswick are Latrigg (1203 feet) and Skiddaw at (3054 feet) . If you take a short boat ride on Derwentwater you can then climb up the very popular Cat bells ( 1482 feet) Maiden Moor (1837 feet) and High Spy ( 2143 feet).

A short drive to Braithwaite enables you to to undertake a lovely ridge walk climbing up Grisedale Pike and circling around over Eel Crag (2749 feet).

On 2 or 3 occasions I saw a different breed of runner out on the fells , the kind of runner that you look at in awe and wonder just how they have the nerve and strength to run up and down the side of mountains. If you lived up in the lake District and had a love for the hills then it would be natural to want to run over the fells.

I am currently reading 'Feet in the Clouds' a story of fell running and one mans obsession with undertaking the legendary Bob Graham Round. You can qualify to be a member of the Bob Graham Club if you can run within 24 hours a set course, up and down 42 peaks covering a distance of 72 miles. More on this another time

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

On vacation

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I am on holiday this week and taking a vacation up in Keswick in the Lake District. I am mainly taking a break from running for the week but I have today been out for a 7 mile run.

8am 7 miles in 57 mins.
Year to date mileage 780
Month to date 100 miles

I ran along what was the old Keswick railway line and which is now part of the national cycle way. This path leads out to Sunderland. I didn't go that far but I did take in the Castlerigg Stone circle. This is a very atmospheric stone circle which is placed in an open field with views in all directions. It stands below Blencathra otherwise known as Saddleback and is worth a trip to see a site which various guide books seem to age between 3 to 5 thousand years old.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Fornham Circular Run

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1.30pm 7.5 miles in 59.36 mins.

Year to date mileage 773

Month to date 93 miles

Weather: Steady rain.


The course - head out of Bury on the Beetons Way past Tollgate and through the village of Fornham St Martin. Return to Bury through Fornham All Saints along the A11101 Mildenhall Road , back to Tollgate and return up Beetons Way hill and home.

News from Bury and Norwich Post August 20th 1861

James Lawrence aged 11 and James Oyst aged 14 were charged with stealing turnips from Mr Henry Deeks a farmer of Long Melford. Both to Bury Gaol for 21 days.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

My Running Aims Reviewed

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Back at the beginning of July I set myself some running aims

1To keep fit and be able to run. I have been lucky and been with out injury so achieved this one.

2. To join a club again. I have yet to do so but plan to join St Edmund Pacers in October

3. To do a race this year. I haven't entered a race since February 2004 . I have entered the Tarpley 10 which is on Sunday 25 September at Beyton Middle School, Beyton near Bury St Edmunds.

I am also considering entering the Framligham 10k on 4th September , the Kentwell Hall 10k on 9 October though this is £17.50 entry fee but it is for Cancer Research and the Stowmarket Sriders Scenic 7 on 13 November

4. To run a 1000 miles this year. I am on course to do this my average monthly mileage is 102 miles a month

5.To try and lose half a stone to get to 12.5 stone. I am currently about 12 .8 I am down about four pounds since July so again I am getting there

6. To take my camera with me so I can capture those sights in nature that sometimes runners are lucky to see because only they are daft enough to get up early in the morning whilst most others are still in bed to go for a long run. Yes I am doing this I am still not that happy with the quality of the camera and would welcome any suggestions for a very light weight digital camera

7. To run hills. There is no excuse really to avoid them after all there are so few in Bury St Edmunds. No if I am honest ive failed on this one

8. To continue the track work. Yes most Wednesdays I am down at the West Suffolk Athletics Track

9. To aim to get back to under 8 minute miling. I was a regular 7 minute miler but after such a long lay off just getting to 8 minute miling would be an achievement. Not sure how fast I am running apart from track sessions I don't have many accurate times. I constantly stop on a run to take photos so none of my run times are accurate.

10. My tenth and final aim will be to learn more about blogging as I am a total novice and I am not sure what I am doing. It would be great to hear from any exiled Suffolk folk around the world especially runners. I still don't no very little so I can't claim to have succeeded on this one.

So a mixed picture but I believe I am going to achieve all these if I remain healthy.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

West Suffolk Athletics Track

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6.30pm 6.5 miles in 53 mins.
Year to date mileage 765
Month to date 85 miles
Weather: Warm sunshine summer is back!

Tonights interval work consisted of 5 minutes at 5k pace 1 min rest followed by 4 minutes and 1 min rest and then 3mins with 1 minutes rest and then 500 metres at 1500 metre pace with 1 minutes rest and then 300 metres .

After a five minute recovery we repeated the whole set again.

It was warm tonight and I felt I struggled. I don't think I drank enough water beforehand and I struggled on the second set of intervals .

My times slowed as follows : I ran the 500 metres in 2.04 and then 2.09 and the 300 metres in 1 min and then 1.04.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

My Favourite CD's - 5th in a Series

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The great Bob Marley a musical,political and spiritual icon who must have influenced a whole generation of artists. I am sure most people's collections if they contain any reggae they will have a Bob Marley Album. Personally I love reggae and have several including Exodus and Soul Rebel

This is a greater starter album if you are unsure but want to give reggae a try

This album includes Buffalo Soldier, Could You Be Loved, Exodus, Get Up Stand Up, I Know a Place, I Shot the Sheriff, Is This Love, Jamming, No Woman No Cry, One Love, Redemption Song, Roots Rock Reggae, Stir It Up, Three Little Birds, Waiting in Vain.

There is also a bonus disc with Concrete Jungle, Africa Unite Coming in from the Cold and Pinky Reggae Party.

Oone of my favourite all time songs is One Love / People Get Ready.

One love, one heartLet's get together and feel all right
Hear the children crying (One love)Hear the children crying (One heart)
Sayin', "Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.
"Sayin', "Let's get together and feel all right."Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One love)
There is one question I'd really love to ask (One heart)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinnerWho has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe meOne love, one heartLet's get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning (One love)So shall it be in the end (One heart)
Alright, "Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.
"Let's get together and feel all right."One more thing
Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (One love)
So when the Man comes there will be no, no doom (One song)
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation
Sayin', "One love, one heartLet's get together and feel all right.
"I'm pleading to mankind (One love)Oh, Lord (One heart) Whoa.
"Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.
"Let's get together and feel all right.

This song was I think originally on the album Exodus which I bought in 1977.

You can find out a lot more on about the life of Bob Marley on this site.

If I could only choose one artists music and had to throw everything else away then Bob Marley for me would be the one I would keep above all else.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Horringer Farm Circular Run Suffolk

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5.45pm 5.5 miles in 44.46 mins
Year to date mileage 759
Month to date 79 miles
Average miles per week this year 23.4
Average per month 102

Weather: Dry and Sunny.

Course: Since I last ran this course on the 11th of July much of the corn fields have been harvested, though you can still strips that have yet to be cut. The cutting of the corn is a big marker in the seasons and reminds you that before too long we will be in to Autumn. The Rowan Tree berries are now fully red

The route takes me along fields near by Horringer Court/School near to great Horringer Hall and then over to Lord Herveys Wood up and down Westley lane and return home through Horringer Court.

The weather was perfect for running and I ran a PB for this course

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Gt Barton & Famous men and women of Suffolk No 5 in a series

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8.45am 10 miles in Ihr 25 mins
Year to date mileage 753
Month to date 73 miles
Average miles per week this year 23.3
Average per month 101

Weather: Overcast & dry.

Course: Bit of a reconnaissance route today looking for new places to run. Set off from Bury Town Centre along the A143 road. There is a good pathway which runs alongside the main road all the way to Gt Barton. Here I took a turning left towards Gt Livermere . I turned left again on a trackway which took me to Vicarage Farm. I turned around and retraced my steps and then continued towards Gt Livermere. I ran as far as Red Castle Farm and then returned over the A143 and headed towards Thurston before returning back to Bury.

unfortunately the camera I take on my runs isn't good enough quality to show the words on plaque above Linnet House in Bury. It refers to Henry Crabb Robinson 1775-1867 who was a famous diarist. Robinson was a Bury boy. He is remembered chiefly as the friend of many writers and poets from this era such as Lamb, Coleridge, Wordsworth and Southey. He was a foreign correspondent for the Times.

He maintained diaries from the age of 12 and these apparently extend to 35 volumes. He also wrote and received many letters and these extend to 36 volumes.

Robinson struck up a friendship with Wordsworth and met his sister Dorothey who stayed in St Marys Square .

One of William Wordsworth's poems is dedicated to his friend Crabb

COMPANION! by whose buoyant Spirit cheered,
In whose experience trusting, day by day
Treasures I gained with zeal that neither feared
The toils nor felt the crosses of the way,
These records take, and happy should I be
Were but the Gift a meet Return to thee
For kindnesses that never ceased to flow,
And prompt self-sacrifice to which I owe
Far more than any heart but mine can know.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Moreton Hall , Flying Fortress and the Town Centre

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7.45am 10 miles in Ihr 24 mins

Year to date mileage 743

Month to date 63 miles

Average miles per week this year 23.1

Average per month 100

Weather: Overcast & dry.

Course: Around the centre of town down Whiting Street past the Greene King Brewery then headed out towards Moreton Hall. Moreton Hall is the new Housing development which is stretching the boundary of Bury St Edmunds ever further out towards Thurston on the eastern boundary. You can get totally lost around the new housing on Moreton Hall which is springing up. I went as far as the pub known as the Flying Fortress where a new sign has appeared.

The new sign refers to the National Cycle Network and is known as the Millennium Milepost. It is one of many cycle signs going up around the country creating 10,000 miles of cycle routes. The section in Bury is part of the National Cycle Route 51, between Felixstowe and Cambridge.

Above you see a couple of pictures from the entrance of the Greene King Brewery. If you grow up in Bury St Edmunds one of the great smells of the Town is from the Greene King Brewery. If the wind is in the right direction you get a lovely seet bitter smell.

Greene King has been in the Town since 1799. In recent years it has been expanding acquiring Moreland Brewery and Ridleys.

Some of the great beers from Greene King include Abbot Ale . IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles County.

Abbot Ale is the company's flagship beer and has brewed in Bury since the 1950's.

You can take a guided tour of the brewery and see many of the art deco features from the mash tub room built in the 1930's.

Friday, August 12, 2005

Colchester Castle Park

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12pm 5 miles in 38 mins.
Year to date mileage 733
Month to date 53 miles

Weather: Sunshine about 23c

Course: A lunch time run over the border in Colchester Essex around the Castle Park. A two lap course over park land . Easy run.

36 miles for the week

Thursday, August 11, 2005

My Favourite CD's - 4th in a Series

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Art School/I've Changed My Address/Slow Down/I Got By In Time/Away From The Numbers/Batman Theme/In The City/Sounds From The Street/Non-Stop Dancing/Time For Truth/Takin' My Love/Bricks And Mortar
(Released May 1977 - Highest chart placing #20

What is it about the first album by any band ? This in my opinion is still the best of the jam. Any bands first album gives you an open door to the heart and soul of a band. After which they often struggle with the second album which is often a disappointment. This is simply great. Paul Weller spits out the vocals you can here the anger in his voice. Paul Weller has succeeded with a solo career neither of the other two really did much after this band split. I believe Bruce Foxton played with Stiff Little Fingers for a while and I am not sure what happened to the drummer Rick Buckler.

This album has a Motown feel and you could easily see the band were great fans of The Who from the early Mod era - MY generation. In the late seventies early eighties there was a re-emergence of the scooter and the mod and battles with greasers/rockers down at seasides such as Brighton/ Margate and Clacton. About the time of 70's disco fever The Who released Quadrephenia and there was a different world for those kids who didn't have an interest in the Bee gees and Saturday Night fever.

It was difficult to like bands like the jam back in the early 70's when 95 % of people liked disco. I bought In the City the first single by the jam in about 77 , they made great singles and had a lot of success in the early eighties.

This is a great album you can pick up for just a fiver

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

West Suffolk Athletics Track

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6.30pm 6 miles in 48 mins.
Year to date mileage 728
Month to date 48 miles

Weather: Heavy shower for 20 mins and then dried up.

Tonights interval work consisted of 6 minutes at 10k pace 1 min rest followed by another 6 minutes and 1 min rest and then 600 metres at 1500 metre pace.

After a five minute recovery we did 5 mins, 1 min rest 5 mins 1 min rest and a 400 metre at 800 metre pace.

The track was full of puddles following the downpour but it was a well atended session.

The sports centre at Bury St Edmunds remains closed following serious fire damage in September 2004. It is hoped that the majority of facilities will be opened by the end of this year. Full details of the facilities available at the web site below.
http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/sebc/play/sport-and-leisure.cfm

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Famous men and women of Suffolk No 4 in a series

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Thomas Gainsborough 1727-1788 was born in Sudbury in Suffolk. One of Englands greatest painters of both landscapes and potraits.

Two of his most famous paintings are the Blue Boy and the Duchess of Devonshire.

He was the son of a non-conformist spinner who began to sketch as soon as he could write.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Culford & Flempton Circular Run

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6pm 5 miles in 38.45 mins.
Year to date mileage 722 Month to date 42 miles
Average miles per week this year 23.0
Average per month 100.

Weather: Warm and sunny.

Course: Go past Culford Church, Culford Hall, the Cricket pitch and a narrow lake. You emerge on a minor road outside of the Culford school grounds turn left and follow the road where you eventually emerge at Flempton.Follow the road back through Hengrave and into Culford. This was a repeat of last Mondays run.

Between the villages of Flempton and Hengrave there is a memorial stone to those who died in the 1st world war. Set back from the road about half a mile outside of both villages the memorial stone is obviously still well tended. I have yet to find any history as to why the stone has been placed outside of the villages and not within the grounds of one of the churches such as St Catherines above.

My averages are steadily increasing each week as my training has gone well over the last 6 weeks.

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Hardwick Path & Clare Footpath

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9am 10 miles in1hr and 24 mins.
Year to date mileage 717 miles
Month to date 37 miles
Average miles per week this year 22.9
Average per month 100.

Course: A repeat of some of yesterdays and Fridays run. From the town centre head towards the West Suffolk Hospital picking up the footpath for the St Edmunds Way. This takes you through Hardwick Heath and you then pick up the Clare footpath. Turn left at the next bridleway sign which takes you over fields . When you reach the wood turn left until you reach a trig point showing a height of 84 feet above sea level.

The photo opposite is of the trig point. It seems fairly insignificant. Trig points were a a surveyors tool to provide a reference point for surveying the UK before electronic positioning aids were available (GPS etc).
The trig point is called UKTP2801 or Hardwick.
Lat/long: N 52 13.049 E 0 42.531, Grid ref: TL 85146 61155 . A flist of over 6,000 trig points is to be found at web site http://jeremyp.net/trigpoint/index.php.

At 84 feet this trig point is well situated and you have a panoramic view looking down over the Suffolk landscape. The only sounds here are the rustle of the corn and birds singing. Well worth a day out!

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Nowton Park & Nowton

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9am 9.5 miles in1hr and 22 mins.
Year to date mileage 707 miles
Month to date 27 miles
Average miles per week this year 22.7
Average per month 99.

Weather: Sunshine and clouds.

Course: Follow the Bury to Clare Footpath. Start from Nowton Park and turn inti Nowton Road. Turn left up the driveway to Breckley Ley. At the bridleway sign turn left and when you reach the narrow road turn right . Turn right again at the next bridleway sign which takes you over fields . When you reach the wood turn left until you reach a trig point showing a height of 84 feet above sea level. I then took various paths and got thoroughly lost at one point being hemmed in between a hedge on one side with brambles and a field of wheat on the other.

I eventually arrived at St Peters Church at Nowton after going through High Green. The church is really in splendid isolation there being no village nearby. Why is the charge in the middle of nowhere ? I can only presume it was for the benefit of the residents at the nearby Nowton Hall.

After this turned around and followed path back into Nowton Park and ran around here for a couple of miles. A nice easy long run.

Friday, August 05, 2005

Hardwick Path & Clare Footpath

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1pm 7 miles in 59 mins. Year to date mileage 697 miles, Month to date 18 miles, average miles per week this year 22.5 and average per month 98.

Weather: Sunshine and clouds.

Course: From the town centre head towards the West Suffolk Hospital picking up the footpath for the St Edmunds Way. This takes you through Hardwick Heath and you then pick up the Clare footpath. I returned on the same route when I reached Horsecroft farm.

Hardwick Heath was a former prisioner of war camp which housed many Italian troops in temporary accommodation. The prisioners were put to work building roads and many of them stayed after the war.


This statue has seen better days . Its design is to provide a drinking trough for dogs and horses. It is however a memorial stone to a victorian author called Ouida. Real name was Louise Rame was born in Bury St Edmunds -1839- 1908.

This memorial stone was placed in 1908 from funds raised by national newspapers . Apparently several thousand people came from all over the country to pay tribute to this author who was one of the most popular novelists of her age.

I have never seen or read one of her stories. They appear to be romantic tales and include

Under Two Flags (1867), Moths (1880), and In Maremma (1882). Her stories for children include Two Little Wooden Shoes (1874), Bimbi (1882), andthe Dog of Flanders (1872).

Thursday, August 04, 2005

My Favourite CD's - 3rd in a Series

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The great Penetration a band I saw 3 times at Reading, Cambridge and Colchester in 78 and 79.

Visit the official website http://www.loversofoutrage.co.uk/

You can get this great value complilation for around a fiver in some shops, I did and am playing it a lot.

Personally my favourite track is Nostaglia actually written I believe by Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks.

Penetration were one of the better live bands from the late seventies and I have good memories of talking to Pauline at the Colchester gig I believe in early 79. I recall helping to offload some of the speakers/pa system from their tour van.

Pauline Murray has great energy and stage presence.For me they were a better live band and the recordings though they are good can't compete with their live performances.

I understand they are rehearsing and starting to play a few gigs again, hope they come down East Anglia way.

Don't Dictate

Penetrating voices going thru’ my head I haven’t listened to a thing they’ve said
Always there waiting with the answers Won’t suffer the consequences
Torn between the two Right or wrong There is no answer
Don’t tell me what to do Its my choice I’ll take it I’ll chance it
Don’t dictate Don’t dictate To me

Penetrating voices going thru’ my head I haven’t listened to a thing they’ve said
Always there waiting with the answers Won’t suffer the consequences
Torn between the two Right or wrong There is no answer
Don’t tell me what to do Its my choice I’ll take it I’ll chance it
Don’t dictate etc

Some of the singles I bought included the ablove Don't Dictate, Come into the Open , Firing Squad and Danger Signs

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

West Suffolk Athletics Track

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6.30pm 5.5 miles approx in 46.50. Year to date 690 miles, August mileage 11 miles.

Weather sunny with a good breeze.

Tonights interval work consisted of 4 minutes at 10k pace followed by a 500 metre sprint followed by another 4 minutes and a 400 metre sprint . A five minute rest and then a further 4 minutes followed by 400 metre sprint and a final 4 minutes followed by a 300 metre sprint.

I only began going to the regular Wednesday track sessions since the 15th of June. I am hoping this will help give me to 'two gears ' which is one more than at present as I often feel I run at the same pace all the time.

At the moment when I am running 4 minutes around the track I run a 400 metres in a regular 1.45 pace for a couple of laps and I manage another 50 metre -100 metres before the 4 minutes is up so I probably run about 7 minute mile pace.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Famous men and women of Suffolk No 3 in a series

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Matthew Hopkins the notorious Witch finder General who was born in Suffolk.He was briefly a lawyer in Ipswich.

In 1644 Hopkins was appointed by parliament to seek out anyone suspected of witchcraft. This was during the time of the English cival war when parliament over throwed Charles the 1st and puritanism was very dominant.

He was paid very well about £1 for each witch found.

In 1645 the largest Witch trial in English history at the time took place at the Shire Hall Bury St Edmunds. Neighbours and self appointed searchers had dragged over 120 old women and a few men to Bury Jail.

One sad case was of a vicar John Lowes aged 80 from Brandeston, Suffolk who had preached for 50 years at his church. After undergoing days of sleep deprivation he eventually confessed to employing two imps to sink ships at sea, having a bad temper, and keeping a ginger cat called Tom. He was compelled to read his own burial service before they hanged him along with 15 others on the 27th August 1645

Anne Alderman, Mary Bacon, Henry Carre, Alice Denham, Thomas Everard, Mary Everard, Mary Fuller, Nicholas Hempstead, Anne Leech, Jane Linstead, Rebecca Morris, Mary Skipper, Mary Smith, Margery Sparham, Katherine Tooley.

You can adopt a witch in memory of those who lost their lives at a web site called http://www.geocities.com/witchofsolstice/Adopt.html

Of course most of these people would have been entirely innocent and Hopkins basically acted on the fears and heightened tensions of this period in history to make a small fortune for himself.

Monday, August 01, 2005

Culford & Flempton Circular Run

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6pm 5 miles in 38.50 mins. Year to date mileage 685 miles, Month to date 5 miles, average miles per week this year 22.5 and average per month 98.

Weather was dull and overcast.

Course: A bit like the Suez Canal which links the Red sea to the Med I always like to find the link that can turn out and back courses into circular routes. I did that today by accident. I set of with the intention of running through the Culford School Grounds. You can follow a public footpath which is part of the familiar friend the Lark Valley Path. Go past Culford Church, Culford Hall, the Cricket pitch and a narrow lake. You emerge on a minor road outside of the Culford school grounds turn left and follow the road where you eventually emerge at Flempton.

Follow the road back through Hengrave and into Culford.

Culford School Grounds is a 500 acre park, I suppose its more recent claim to fame would be that this is the public school attended by John Motson. The hall was built by the Marquis of Cornwallis an army commander who became governor general of India.


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