December Statistics & Targets for Year Reviewed and New Targets Set.

I managed my fourth highest mileage during December with a total of 132 miles but it could have been better but for the cold I have picked up which is currently left me unable to train.

My statistics for the year show :

Jan 127 miles No of Runs 19
Feb 45 miles No of Runs 7
Mar 94 miles No of Runs 14
Apr 97 miles No of Runs 15
May 84 miles No of Runs 12
Jun 89 miles No of Runs 13
Jul 145 miles No of Runs 21
Aug 130 miles No of Runs 18
Sep 141 miles No of Runs 20
Oct 139 miles No of Runs 20
Nov 107 miles No of Runs 17
Dec 132 miles No of Runs 17

Total Runs for the year 193 out of 365 days.

My average distance that I run is 6.88 miles

My longest run of the year was 12 miles on Boxing Day 26th December.

I have run just three races all year. My racing pb's for the year are 10 miles 1 hr 17.23 and for 7 miles 52.37.

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

1To keep fit and be able to run. Yes I am still highly motivated and keen to test how far I can progress. I have been lucky and been with out injury this year apart from a slight right knee niggle.

2. To join a club again.I joined St Edmund Pacers and I would advise anyone considering running to join a club. Anyone who is training for a marathon really ought to consider joining a club for the advise, coaching support and most important of all the company and peer support.

3. To do a race this year.I hadn't entered a race since February 2004 but I did three races. The Tarpley 10 the Stowmarket Sriders Scenic 7 and the Hadleigh 10. These were very well organised races though I have to say the Tarpley 10 in its first running was simply superb.

4. To run a 1000 miles this year.I achieved this on the 9th of October. Next year a bigger target I think.

5.To try and lose half a stone to get to 12.5 stone.In January I was 13 stone 4lbs. I am currently about 12stone 4lbs I am down a stone so this aim was achieved. It has led me to wearing belts more often!

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.I wasn't happy with the quality of the camera and I evetually replaced it with a Fuji Finepix 345 which is still nice and light weight but is a 4 mega pixel camera.

7. To run hills.No if I am honest ive failed on this one. I merely have it in the back of the mind to do a hill session each week.

8. To continue the track work.I struggle to make most Wednesdays. Commitments mean I often need to be elsewhere on this evening which is a pity. There is a lot more more to be gained from a quality session on the track than another 5-6 mile steady run. When I can I still aim to get down to 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 getting to 8 minute miling was my target. I have achieved this in the three races I have taken part in the 10 milers were completed in 7.51 and 7.45 average miles and the 7 miler in 7.31 average miles.

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.No I still no very little about web sites. Unless it is simple I don't have the time or patience to figure it out.So all told I think I have achieved eight out of turn.

Now on to next years targets

1. To keep fit and enjoy my running.

That will always be my number one aim. People some times ask why do you run? Quite often they look upon you as weird when you mention that you run. Often they will say they have tried and found it boring. Quite simply I run because I can and I wouldn't do it if I didn't love it. I get to see the changing seasons, experience all weathers and enjoy the beautiful Suffolk countryside. I meet similar folks who enjoy running. I gave up a long time ago trying to persuade others to run you either enjoy it or you don't.

2. I am a signed up member of St Edmunds Pacers and look forward to continuing doing so for next year.

3. I am setting myself an overall target to run 1500 miles next year. That's challenging for me but hopefullya realistic target that is achievable barring injuries ! I managed 1328 this year so it is an additional 200 miles at an average of 29 miles a week.

4. Long Runs - I want to up my long runs so that next year I run some 2 hour or 15 mile runs .

5. Hills - these are great sessions to include in your training. I know it but I just didn't do it this year. Can I do it next year? Probably not on my own. I remember that we used to run these as a cub session when I belonged to Stopsley Striders back in 1994. I am not going to set my target for hills anything greater than to do 1 hill session a month.

6. Races - for me racing isn't the be and end all of why I run but I would still like to run more races than I did this year which was only 3 . My target for 2006 is to do 6 races. At the moment I still think my limit for a race is around the half marathon distance. So I would like to include a half marathon as a race next year.

7. Track and Interval Work - If I miss the Wednesday track session at West Suffolk Athletics Track then I want to commit to doing the Monday session. To my mind track work is so beneficial.

8. To get my weight down to 12 stone - I could still do with losing a few pounds . My BMI still shows I am overweight for my height. This means losing about 4-6 pounds. This should be possible if I keep to my new mileage targets.

9. To replace my watch - I don't have a very good running watch- sometime this year I would like to get one of those Garmin 201 devices

10. Lastly this one is a bit crazy but when the weather brightens up in the spring I am seriouslyconsidering an occasional run when I take with me a rucksack to pick up rubbish I spot in the hedgerows. I hate to see rubbish which has been dropped from car windows left on the side of roads. It can remain for years in some rural spots. Ok I could say it is not my rubbish but in a way we are all responsible for the upkeep of the countryside and I am willing to give it a go. I expect I will need to wear gloves and an old rucksack. My other though then is what to do with the rubbish as I don't particularly want to fill my own dustbin with what I collect. Maybe my run will need to by pass a recycling centre.

Ok my aims are a bit similar to last year but I think it helps to have clear targets to give you a focus and a bit of a challenge. If you have set some targets let me know what challenges you have set yourself particularly anything unusual.

Happy new year

Horsecroft Suffolk

1 .15pm 7.5 miles in 1 hour 3 mins.

Year to date mileage 1328

Month to date 132 miles

Average miles per month 112

Average weekly rate 25.7

Weather Sunny dry and cold.

No further snow but it has remained cold so there is only a slight thaw. I run out through Hardwick Heath and took a tumble as I missed a pot hole. Luckily I landed on my shoulder and
did a bit of a forward role which got a bit of a laugh and a round of applause from a big group of folks who were snowballing and sledging. Just for a moment I couldn't put much wait on my foot and I feared the worst but I was soon ok.

I ran across this field in the photo. The pathway was still evident from some metal rods posted in the ground.

The field was fine to run on with plenty of grip underneath. However once I reached the road to Hawstead I found the road was a skating rink. I only managed a mile or so by running in the
verge. I called it quits and returned by the same route.

Again a slow run.

River Lark & Water Meadows Run Bury St Edmunds

8.15am 7.2 miles in 1 hour 3 mins and 23 seconds

Year to date mileage 1320

Month to date 124 miles

Average miles per month 111

Average weekly rate 25.6

Weather Snow- heavy snow showers.

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, Risbygate street, Westley road and home. The
snow that had been promised duly arrived this morning.

Very rarely do we get the chance to run in the snow here in Suffolk. as most winters I reckon we only get perhaps at most 5-10 days of snow.

As I set off the snow showers became more heavy and running into the falling snow made visibility difficult. There was a lovely crunching sound as the snow compacted beneath my feet as my shoes landed.




As the going was difficult I found I was running a lot slower. My time for running this course was 3-4 minutes slower than normal.

Ickworth Park Suffolk

8.30am 12 miles in 1 hour 37 minutes.

Year to date mileage 1313

Month to date 117 miles

Average miles per month 111

Average weekly rate 25.5

Week to date 12

Weather: cool but not cold slight drizzle a little fog.

For Boxing day I thought I would do a long run and try a regular course, which anyone who views this blog, will know from previous entries that strange things can happen in the village of Horringer.

I wasn't to be disappointed sure enough there was a further bra in a tree this time a bright blue one. The bright purple flowery one was still there but no sign of the red one which has either been taken down or blown away? Curious, perhaps it is the time of year or may be some kind of fertility ritual performed in the village of Horringer and only there? Unless of course anyone else has seen this elsewhere. Maybe there is a network around the country or all over the world of bra tree hangers.

Seeing a bra in a tree in Horringer doesn't surprise me anymore, I have come to expect it. Imagine my surprise though when I spotted a new addition a folding chair in a tree! Totally broken of course and very high up this tree . Well that's different! I wonder if it is the same people who are responsible? Is there a connection between the broken folding chair and the 3 different bras? What kind of message are they trying to send out? To be honest this spot is fairly isolated and only frequented in the main by farmers and dog walkers.

Oh well, I will continue to look at for further developments on things in trees in Horringer next year.

I continued on in to Ickworth Park , past the house , gardens and lake. Near the lake there seems to be several paths that I am not familiar with but will explore next year. I chose a path running slightly uphill over a cattle grid which took me through Downters Wood and on to Chevington Field Plantation. There were a handful of houses here in the middle of the wood and virtually no sound it was so quiet. I wasn't so sure if I was on private land so I returned home by the same course for a good 12 miles.

Cullum Road/Ramada Hotel and Newmarket Rd Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 5.4 miles in 43 minutes and 34 seconds

Year to date mileage 1301

Month to date 105 miles

Average miles per month 111

Average weekly rate 25.5

Week to date 32

Weather mild and dry

I didn't realise until I looked at my watch how slowly I ran tonight. I think I am generally tired after finishing workfor the christmas break.

I have posted a few pictures that were lurking around from previous runs. These are a few more photos of the Tarpley 10 in September at Beyton that I don't think I have posted before. In the background is Beyton School. I remember well

playing football here for my school.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

6.20pm 7.5 miles in I hour

Year to date mileage 1296

Month to date 99 miles

Average miles per month 111

Average weekly rate 25.5

Week to date 26

Tonight I ran an interval session down at the west Suffolk Athletics Track. There was a good turn of club members from St Edmunds Pacers for the final track session until the new year.

I decided to run down to the track which is a mile and as I was early I managed to get 5 laps in before we started the intervals. The session consisted of 3 blocks of 4 x 3minutes with a minute recovery inbetween each 3 minute run and 5 minutes between the block.

All in all this was 36 minutes of track running. It was intended that we run theintervals at slightly faster than race pace. I think I generally run most of the intervals at a speed of 1.45 per 400 metres which I assume is 7 minute mile pace?

The big squeeze will be on over the next 2 weeks as we runners try to somehow balance family life with a desire to also maintain a decent level of fitness and get the mileage in. The stress can come if you try to do everything and I for one won't worry if I miss the odd session after all there is plenty of time in the new year.

This week in preparing for Christmas we had a little bit of a clear out of the drinks cupboard. Out popped all this bright colourful drinks such as peppermint cordials and orange liquers which have hardly been touched. I think they are drinks that have been given as presents or won in competitions. Anway they have all headed for the bin and I know this is a terrible waste but I think they have lurked in the cupboard for 10 years already and no one ever wants a peppermint cordial drink do they?

On the plus side I did find quite a good selection of whisky ( which I am not throwing out) and again these have tended to be presents or duty free bottles we have bought on the ferry from trips to France.

I have found Old Masters , Lenlivet, Murray McDavid, Islay, Famous Grouse, Old Pulteney,Bowmore, Bells, Glenfiddich, Glen Ord and a bottle of Seagramms.

That lot should keep me going over christmas and might be good reason why I might miss a session or two!

November Statistics

• November was a month when my overall mileage suffered as I prepared for my second and third races of the year. The Stowmarket Scenic Seven on the 13th of November and the Hadleigh 10 on the 27th of November.
  
  My statistics for the year show :
  
  Jan 127 miles No of Runs 19
  Feb 45 miles No of Runs 7
  Mar 94 miles No of Runs 14
  Apr 97 miles No of Runs 15
  May 84 miles No of Runs 12
  Jun 89 miles No of Runs 13
  Jul 145 miles No of Runs 21
  Aug 130 miles No of Runs 18
  Sep 141 miles No of Runs 20
  Oct 139 miles No of Runs 20
  Nov 107 miles No of Runs 17

• Total Runs for the year 176 out of 334 days.
• My average distance that I run is 6.8 miles
• My longest run of the year has been 11 miles back on the 12th of June.
• I have run just three races all year. My racing pb's for the year are 10 miles 1 hr 17.23 and for 7 miles 52.37.

I have dug out my old running diaries in an attempt to catalogue those and work out what years I ran and which I didn't and just how far have I run.

Abbey Gardens & Nowton Park Suffolk

8.10am 11 miles in I hour 33 minutes

Year to date mileage 1288

Month to date 92 miles

Average miles per month 111

Average weekly rate 25.5

Week to date 19

Weather Mild clear blue skies.
I dropped my car off to be serviced and ran from the railway station around town and through the Abbey Gardens. The sun was just rising and the sky was bright pink just for a while.

The completed tower of St Edmundsbury Cathedral has completely changed the skyline of Bury and is a wonderful sight. It is a pity there is no walkway or opportunity to see the views from the top.

I wasn't sure where to run this morning it took a little while to wake up after a late night in London. Eventually I decided on a couple of laps of Nowton Park. There is a lovely circular trail of the park which is about 2 miles. As the park is quite popular you can expect to encounter several dogs and for this reason I don't run it as much as I should. There is a small pond and a lovely avenue of trees to run through. Lime Avenue was planted in 1880 and gives the park a sense of grandeur. This morning much of the pathways were heavily covered in leaves and a few times I nearly tripped on tree roots. I was ok after telling myself to lift my feet up a bit more. Outside

of the woods several of the paths were a mixture of crusted ice where the overnight rain had frozen, mole hills and some really nice springy ground up by the school pond. Over the years it appears the conifers have regularly shed their needles and made the ground soft and springy to run on.

I ran slowly this morning and my laps of the park took 19.50 for the first lap and 19.30 for the second.

Fornham Circular Run Suffolk

8.30am 7.5 miles in 59 minutes 29 seconds.

Year to date mileage 1277

Month to date 81 miles

Average miles per month 111

Average weekly rate 25.5

Week to date 7.5

Weather Cold clear blue skies.

Mind numbingly cold this morning. Gloves, hat and two layers of clothing kept out the cold and towards the end of the run I felt well and truly glowingly warm. I bought some second hand players sweatshirts whilst at Portman Road for a fiver and they have turned out to be quite a good investment. I must admit I wasn't sure about them as they looked a bit heavy but if they are designed for football players running around then they are good enough for me.They certainly seem to wick away any sweat so they have the same properties as the designer running gear which can set you back a lot of money.

I have just finished reading two books.

'Passion is a fashion The real storey of the Clash ' by Pat Gilbert. This was a bargain basement book, cost I think was £2.99 from HMV. A good read if you are in anyway interested in the Clash. It brought back a lot of memories for me of the late seventies and early eighties when I was living in London. The Clash based themselves in Camden and many people will have shopped at Camden Market whererehearsallrehearsall Studios used to be.

This was a time when unemployment was very high, the fascist National Front regularly held marches and you could easily get beaten up for wearing the wrong clothes. The Clash played a mixture of punk and reggae songs and so by following them you naturally supported movements such as Rock against Racism.

'Life of Pi by Yann Martel' £7.99 from Ottakers. I am always a bit suspicious when I see on the front cover that a book has won the 'The Booker prize' . I often find these books a bit disappointing however this was a good book and I would certainly recommend it. It would make a really good film. This is the storey of a shipwrecked boy called Pi (shortened from Piscine Patel so as not to get bullied as it sounds like Pissing Patel) who is the only survivor from a cargo ship which sinks in the pacific ocean. The Patel family are emigrating to Canada from India with a cargo of zoo animals that Mr Patel, Pi's father a zoo manager used to manage.This is a storey of survival with a difference as the only survivors on board the lifeboat are Pi , a hyena, a zebra and a tiger.

Moreton Hall to Gt Barton Suffolk

9.30am 7 miles in 58 minutes 56 seconds.

Year to date mileage 1270

Month to date 73 miles

Average miles per month 110

Average weekly rate 25.4

Week to date 34

Weather Mild windy and overcast.

I ran this morning from the car park at Matalan in Moreton Hall out to Gt Barton on the busy Bury Road. Heavy clouds threatened a downpour but it never happened because of a good breeze.


As far as the mileage goes 34 miles this week represents the most I have run since the beginning of November. I got in five runs which is what I like to do with 2 rest days.

I took a photo of I think of a cat on a roof at Gt Barton , it looks as if it has just had a fright. Maybe it is a good luck charm to ward off witches. It reminds me a little of the victims that the White Witch of Narnia chooses to freeze.

Horringer School /West Suffolk Hospital /Cullum Rd & Newmarket Rd Bury St Edmunds

5.45pm 5.5 miles in 42 minutes 47 seconds.

Year to date mileage 1263

Month to date 66 miles

Average miles per month 110

Average weekly rate 25.4

Week to date 27

Tonight I ran a circular town centre run which is about 5 miles plus. I don't have a GPS System so I don't really know. I guess the time approximately from the time I run and don't get to hung up on the distance. Of course I would love a GPS system as I love statistics but I could see myself getting really attached to it because of this reason. However time on your feet is the most important aspect as a beginner rather than the speed you run . However after a while the quality of the session also becomes important.

So included in my steady run I ran a few sprints. I included 4 faster 1 minute bursts with 2 minutes recovery in between. This helped to give a regular run a bit more variety and I hope to do more of this.

My right knee which was giving me some grief on Monday at the track returned to complain at the end of the session. I obviously have some form of injury. I notice it particularly when I am climbing stairs as I don't feel able to fully extend my leg and put weight on my right leg without some jarring pain.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

6.30pm 4 miles in 32 minutes .

Year to date mileage 1257

Month to date 61 miles

Average miles per month 110

Average weekly rate 25.4

Week to date 21

Weather: Dry not too cold for this time of year. I know I shouldn't tempt fate but where is the coldest winter for donkeys years?Seems fairly typical to me so far.

Tonight I returned to the track after some 3 weeks. I am struggling to get down there on a Wednesday night because of family commitments. Up to now I have given Monday nights at the track a wide berth as I know it is a shorter quicker track session which is something I struggle with having no sprinting speed at all.

Still with no sign that I can make Wednesdays in the near future I ventured down to give it a go. I was right to be a little cautious the interval session is a bit quick for me. The session consisted of the following 3 sets:

6 x 75 seconds with a minute recovery inbetween and then a 3 minute break
6 x 75 seconds with 45 seconds recovery and a 3 minute break
6 x 75 seconds with 30 seconds recovery .

I warmed up with 3 laps before and a lap afterwards.

For the first set I reckon I ran most of the intervals just over 300 meters. For the second set I also hit 300 meters comfortably . However during the last set I slowed and just managed 300 meters each time.

For the last 2-3 intervals I began to feel my right knee and I guess I should have pulled out but I hate not to complete a session so I completed but time will tell if that was sensible or not.

I think I have probably slightly over down it as this was my fifth run in five days and this is the first time this year I have run five consecutive days this year.Whilst it looks good in my diary and boosts the mileage it will be plain foolish if I find I have an injury and I can't run for a week. Oh well pride comes before a fall!

Hopefully all being well I will continue to give Monday nights a go at the track. I do want to do an interval session once a week but for me it isn't the best night as I like to do my long run on the Sunday so this means 2 of the quality sessions on consecutive days.

There was a very good turn out especially from the young St Edmunds Pacers which is great to see in December when there are so many other alternative attractions on offer.

Horsecroft Hawstead & Norton Circular Run

9am 11 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes .

Year to date mileage 1253

Month to date 57 miles

Average miles per month 110

Average weekly rate 25.4

Week to date 17

Weather: Damp and foggy.

My fourth consecutive day of running. I decided to run out on the road to Hawstead. Unfortunately it was very foggy and visibility was poor so I couldn't get many clear photos.

Hawstead is a lovely village I particular like these almshouses built by Phillip Metcalfe in 1811 for the aged and deserving as it says on the plaque.

I returned to Bury via Norton and Nowton and went through the graveyard next to St Edmundsbury Cathedral. There are some interesting memorial stones here I particularly like the one I have included here.It reads

Here lies interred the body of Mary Haselton
A young maiden of this town
Born of Roman Catholic parents and virtuously brought up
Who being in the Act of prayer repeating her vespers
was instantaneously killed by a flash of lightening
August the 16th 1786 Aged Nine years old

I ran through Bury Fayre which was doing a great trade this morning.

Beetons Way & Railway Path Bury St Edmunds

8.30am 6 miles in 49 minutes .

Year to date mileage 1242

Month to date 46 miles

Average miles per month 110

Average weekly rate 25.3

Week to date 6

Weather: Dry weak sunshine.

A short run today. I was undecided where to run and headed off towards the Sports Centre along Beetons Way. Bury Sports Centre was closed following fire damage on the 20th September 2004. This morning as usual there were loads of workmen and vans working on the site. It is supposed to start opening many of the sport facilities any time now with a completion in January 2006. I haven't heard anything as to whether they are on target or not?

At the bottom of Beetons Way there is a path which runs in between the railway line and King Edward School. There are one or two wooden sculptures but they have been badly vandalised.

Cullum Road/Ramada Hotel and Newmarket Rd Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 5.4 miles in 42 minutes .

Year to date mileage 1236

Month to date 40 miles

Average miles per month 110

Average weekly rate 25.2

Week to date 33

Weather: Dry cool.

I repeated Tuesday's run and improved my time again for this course. I was jet propelled listening to the Ramones on my MP3 player.

The photo above will be familiar to locals as the welcome sign as you arrive in Bury from Horringer. You will see Bury is twined with two places Compiegne and Kevelaer. I have never had any involvement my self in twinning and it generally has a bad name I think. I would imagine a lot of people think that it has provided free foreign trips for councilors.

The objectives of twinning are very laudable but I don't think they ever involve that many people from all parts of the community. Twinning arrangements are supposed to help with the exchange of different cultural ideas and help form friendships. I would imagine this has only worked at a very superficial level for a small band of people.

I may be totally wrong on this but I am not aware if it is has been successful for Bury. Anyway aware or know of a twinning arrangement that has been successful? Have you been involved in a twinning arrangement?

Bury was twined with Compiegne in 1967 which is in the Oise District of France fairly near to Paris. It is the town where the armistice which ended the First World War was signed

In 1981, Bury was twined with Kevelaer which is a German town near to the Dutch borders between the Rivers Maas (Holland) and Rhine.

Horringer & The Abbey Gardens

9.30am10.5 miles in 1 hour 25 minutes 38 seconds .

Year to date mileage 1231

Month to date 34 miles

Average miles per month 109

Average weekly rate 25.2

Weather: Dry weak sunshine.

I decided to run out to Ickworth Park but changed my mind as the section I have to run on road beyond Horringer Farm was too busy with cars.

Instead I double backed on myself and got another surprise. Another bra has appeared in the trees at Horringer Farm this time a bright red one. There was no sign of the previous one which I photographed on Sunday. Very curious obviously bras grow on trees!

I ran up to Hardwick Heath and then down to Bury Rugby Club at the Haberden. Went along by the River Lark and into the Abbey Gardens. If you visit Bury St Edmunds you can walk among the ruins of a once great Benedictine Abbey. One of my photos shows the ruins and beyond St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Bury's cathedral was originally the parish church of St James. Building works were completed this year on the tower. The cathedral dates from 1503 so it has only taken 502 years to complete.

The Abbey Gate with the portcullis dates from the middle of the 14th century. The original gate was destroyed by poor Bury folks in 1327 on an attack on the rich inhabitants of the abbey which resulted in the Abbot being kidnapped.

Cullum Road/Ramada Hotel and Newmarket Rd Bury St Edmunds

6pm 5.4 miles in 42 minutes 4 seconds .

Year to date mileage 1219

Month to date 23 miles

Average miles per month 109

Average weekly rate 25.1

Weather: Dry a little milder than recently.

An easy run tonight following the same route as last Tuesday night. Again a lot of runners out and about which is good to see. I ran well and a little bit quicker than last week despite feeling tired all day. Today was one of those days when I was a bit of a passenger observing life going on around me but trying not to be too involved myself. I wasn't very full of get up and go and I just felt tired. Perhaps my biorythms are a bit low or something.

Anyway another run in the bag and I did feel a little better for the run. It would have been so easy to give it a miss tonight.

I have posted a couple more pictures from my run at the weekend in Ickworth Park. St Marys Church in Ickworth Park has been boarded up for many years. I have never been inside. The graveyard is also out of bounds but buried here are many of the Hervey family.

Bra in a tree

Every picture tells a story. Well what is the story behind this one?

Whilst out for my run yesterday I spotted this in a tree. I just had to stop and take a picture as it is not every day you see a bra in a tree.

I looked around but the owner was no one where to be spotted unfortunately.

Why would anyone deposit their bra in a tree?

Have you spotted anything unusual when you have been on a run?

Lets have your best suggestions as to the possible story of the bra in a tree!

Ickworth Park Suffolk

10am 12 miles in 1 hour 37 minutes 30 seconds .

Year to date mileage 1215

Month to date 18 miles

Average miles per month 109

Average weekly rate 25.2

Weather: Dry, sunny.

My longest run of the year was in Ickworth Park. Conditions were perfect, winter sunshine. It was busy at Ickworth Park as the new refurbished West Wing of the house opened yesterday.

My usual run around Ickworth Park was blocked by a new sheep electric fence. I was forced to double back on myself although I did think for a second about leaping over to carry on.

My intention is to continue with similar long runs throughout winter. I am half thinking of running the Bury 20 in February and will need to build up the mileage and long runs if I am to have any chance of doing this race.

Moreton Hall Suffolk

6pm 6.4 miles in 50 minutes 29 seconds .

Year to date mileage 1203

Month to date 6 miles

Average miles per month 109

Average weekly rate 25.1

Weather:Windy and wet

An easy run up to Moreton Hall and back along the same route. A windy night please to get a run in after a pretty poor week where I have struggled to find anytime to get any running in. Hopefully December will be better.

Hadleigh 10

A few more pictures from last Sundays Hadleigh 10. I have finally loaded the last of my pictures on the flickr site. On flickr there is a group photo pool for any pictures related to running in suffolk. If you have any pictures why not add them to this site.