Bury St Edmunds Suffolk- Horringer School /Hospital /Cullum rd Newmarket rd

5.30pm 5.4 miles in 41 minutes 34 seconds

Week to date mileage 11.4

Month to date mileage 137

Average weekly rate 31.6

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 681

Life time 8459

Previous times on this course are as follows

11 May 06 43.21
27 Mar 06 42.41
8 Mar 06 42.13
24 Feb 06 42.33
16 Feb 06 44.0
10 Feb 06 41.50
2 Feb 06 42.38
17 Jan 06 42.50
10 Jan 06 42.52
1 jan 06 41.45
14 Dec 05 42.47

I ran well tonight though I had in mind trying to run within myself as I received my number today for the Bury 5 which is being held this Friday at Nowton Park Bury St Edmunds. Details of the race are here in this link and I understand you can still enter on line and pick up your number on friday night before the race at 7.30pm.

The Friday 5 series started last week at Kirton and continues on the 9th of June at Ipswich and on the 23rd of June at Haughley hosted by Stowmarket Striders.

The weather was much improved tonight sunny and dry and heres hoping more of the same for Friday.

Horringer Farm and Newmarket Road

5.10pm 6 miles in 48 minutes 53 seconds

Week to date mileage 6

Month to date mileage 136

Average weekly rate 31.5

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 676

Life time 8454

I set of for a run this evening with no real plan or direction. I initially set of along Newmarket Road and then decided to head of road. Sometimes the River Linnett is down to a trickle and is easily hopped over in places near Horringer Farm. Today after much rain the river was a bit more tricky. Although still easily hopped over with just the minor inconvience of two wet feet, climbing the wet river banks was much more hazardous so as to avoid slipping back in the river and avoid the massed stinging nettles.

However crossing the river was accomplished despite the nearby dog walker's encouragement ' You don't want to do that' he said. I said don't worry I do this all the time. I don't know why I said this as I have never done this before.

After this the weather turned to heavy showers and I got a good soaking and the wind picked up so that I felt I had been inside a washing and drying machine backwards.

Enjoyable run I must remember to cross the river more often!

Running Photographs of races in Suffolk

Just to say I am gradually adding more photos of races held in Suffolk. There are nearly a 100 now and I have recently added more pictures from the Tarpley 10 held in Beyton last year. Who knows you may just be on camera!

Click on the flickr button on the left hand side of the screen, or go to flickr.com or click here for a direct link to the set of pictures on running in suffolk.

If anyone else has pictures of running in suffolk feel free to post them on to flickr on the running in suffolk group

Eastgate Street Bury St Edmunds

No running today instead we did further work on our family tree. Last week I visited the Suffolk Records Office and got myself a readers card.

You need some form of identity which has proof of your address to do this but other than this there is no charge. We have started to trace my maternal side of the family and it turns out we are all eastenders! Well not quite but it does seem that many of us lived in Eastgate Street in Bury St Edmunds.

My great grandfather Henry Nunn who was born in 1862 was a fishmonger who lived at 130 Eastgate St. His father William was also a fishmonger and he lived at 123 East gate Street. After various runs along this street it was clear that neither of these properties is still standing. Up in the Records Office there are boxex of records and clippings from newspapers relating to most roads in Bury. From this I managed to establish that the originals houses were replaced with the current elederly peoples homes as part of a slum clearance back in the 1960's - this stretches between the road up to the Vinefields and the former Eastgate School.

Todays visit centred on the Fox public house. The Fox dates back in records to at least 1480 and may have originally been a resting home for visiting monks to the St Edmundsbury monastery from France . The sign outside the pub of a fox dates back to 1936 and was designed by a Mr Basil Oliver. It was entered by Greene King in an Inn Signs Exhibition in London though how it fared I don't know.

The Fox was often used a billet for soldiers back in the 18th century, by act of parliament inkeepers couldn't refuse soldiers a bed and keep.If you visit the rear of the pub you can still get an impression of what were once substantial stables enough for 100 horses which were regularly on site in the late 19th century.

My maternal relatives the Nunn's had big families as was normal for the age. Many of the children of Henry and William Nunn when they left home also lived in Eastgate Street. Eliza Nunn when she married lived at a certain 20 Mustow Street in 1873. Today I managed to establish that 20 Mustow Street would have been the last house in Mustow Street before you are in East gate Street. In fact 20 Mustow Street is no longer there, next door 19 is but we couldn't see No 20. However on closer inspection it is clear that No 20 is now part of the Fox Inn. No 20 is directly adjacent to the new Eastgate Sign. I took a picture looking out of the pub whilst the diners were having there dinner which would have been Eliza'a living room if I am right.

You can see the outline of the original house which is now part of the pub at least that is how it appears. However this only leads to more questions. As I believe the original houses of Mustow Street up to Cotton Lane were pulled down to widen the roads back in the 1920's. So when did the Fox acquire No 20 Mustow Street?

Further up Eastgate Street another relative William Nunn was living at 37 Eastgate Street. Which was then a shop. On the census records William is shown as a general dealer so what would he have been selling? Presumably fruit and veg but more questions. No 37 East gate Street is still there. William married a Lucy and had 6 children between 1892 and 1900. They must have been fairly well to do part of the family as they also had a servant girl living there a girl called Florence Scales and a visitor living there called Alice Marsh. So there were 10 occupants in this house which seems to be the norm for then.

When William had his shop at 37 Eastgate Street from 1868 he would have been right on top of the railway line. In 1865 Great Eastern Railways opened a new line from Bury St Edmunds to Long Melford and there was a new railway station with a platform called Eastgate. The train line would have run pretty much where the A14 flyover bridge is now. The Eastgate Station was only open to passsengers until 1909. It seems the railway continued in operation for goods until the 1960's before Nice's Works was built on this site which opened in 1968. More questions as to where exactly the Eastgate Station would have been but I imagine it would have roughly been where the Bowling Alley is now.

Fornham St Martin Drifts

8.00am 11 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes 13 seconds

Week to date mileage 31.4

Month to date mileage 130

Average weekly rate 31.7

Average Monthly rate 138

Year to Date 670

Life time 8448

I set of to do a fairly long run and I had in mind a footpath I have seen at Forham St martin but never taken nearly opposite the church. The footpath is called the drifts and I really wasn't sure how long this would be.

As it turned out the drifts is a fairly long path it starts in between houses next to Fornham House and you soon pass over the A14 by bridge. There is still some evidence here in the hedgerows of the former railway line which I think ran into Bury's other passenger station which was at Eastgate.

After crossing the bridge you continue on a narrow concrete road which is not open to vehicles apart from local residents and farm machinery. The path is very straight and passes 3-4 flint stone cottages at Hall farm. When you reach the Carr Plantation there is a deep water lake and you turn left here uphill on to Clay Drift Track. Here I was surrounded by endless fields of potatoes. Eventually you emerge from the drifts at a little wood called Conyers plantation on the Barton Bottom B1106 road.

At this point I was unsure whether to to go right or left so instead I did neither and retraced my steps. Having looked at the map next time if I turn left and right I can visit Timworth Village. I returned back to Fornham and took the footpath down School Lane which runs along the back of some houses before emerging in Fornham All Saints.

By this point I had used up my time and energy and decided to return home feeling satisfied that I had explored 2 new paths.

Bury St Edmunds Town Centre

8.30am 9 miles in 1 hour 15 minutes

Week to date mileage 20.4

Month to date mileage 119

Average weekly rate 31.4

Average Monthly rate 136

Year to Date 659

Life time 8437

This morning I chose to run around the town centre. It is surprising how there always seems to be new places to visit and run where I haven't ventured before even in a small town like Bury. Today I visited the Saxon Gate Nature reserve which runs along Cullum Road. Although I have seen some of this I haven't run all of this before.

I also visited No Mans Meadow and the Cathedral Graveyard.

I watched the Da Vinci Code at Cine world today. The cinema was packed. Rather lengthy didn't compare with the book as it struggled to put across so many details and facts. Some of the acting came across as rather wooden. Six out of Ten.

Cullum Rd /Ramada Hotel/Newmarket rd Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 5.4 miles in 40 minutes 33 seconds

Week to date mileage 11.4

Month to date mileage 110

Average weekly rate 31.2

Average Monthly rate 135

Year to Date 650

Life time 8427

Previous times over this course

18 May 41.18
7 Apr 40.30
7 Mar 41.31
3 Mar 41.34
21 Feb 41.35
27 Jan 41.56
13 Jan 41.30
2 Jan 42.42
23 Dec 43.34
9 Dec 42.0
6 Dec 42.04
29 Nov 42.17

Just outside my best time over this course tonight. I ran hard at times tonight as I have been lazy this week and I missed a run I had planned on Wednesday. I instead went to see The Indian Runner at Cineworld which is a great film.

I also got confused this week thinking tonight was the Bury 5 from Nowton Park. It is of course next Friday.

I have been busy digging out my old photos and am in the process of scanning some of these for the flickr free photo web hosting site.

Here is an oldie from the 1986 London marathon. You can just see me all in green near the back with my arms up. Wow that is 20 years ago!

Acton Suffolk

5pm 6 miles in 49 minutes 30 seconds

Week to date mileage 6

Month to date mileage 105

Average weekly rate 31.5

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 644

Life time 8422

Tonight I parked the car at the village of Acton in Suffolk. Acton is a large village in the shadow of Sudbury and Long Melford. As it isn't on a main road of any consequence it is the sort of place you might never visit unless you had a direct cause to go there.

I parked nearby the Crown pub and set of towards All Saints Church. I passed the cricket ground and Acton Hall on a narrow path along the side of fields of oil seed. I took a right turn and arrived at Clay hall on the Slough Lane. I carried on along the minor road to reach School farm.

By this time the weather was threatening a heavy down pour but although it rained it was never that heavy.I ran up to Slough farm before returning along the same route back to Acton. At Acton I had a run around the village which has some impressive houses.

There is an excellent account of All Saints Church on Simons Suffolk Churches website.
There are so many stories linked to the history of Acton including the one about the Acton Miser. William Jennens inherited a vast fortune from his father who had made money from the Birmingham Iron Foundaries in the 17th century. He chose to live in an unfurnished basement at Acton Place. Never seemingly spending any money or receiving any visitors. It is said that when he died he was the richest man in England owning 2 million pounds the equivalent of 500 million today! I think Acton Place was destoyed after his death according to his will so I am not sure of the former location.

Ickworth Park Lady Herveys Wood

9am 10.2 miles in 1 hour 22 minutes 51 seconds

Week to date mileage 33

Month to date mileage 99

Average weekly rate 31.7

Average Monthly rate 138

Year to Date 638

Life time 8416

I couldn't resist returning to Ickworth Park having spotted a pathway yesterday that I thought might lead to a large lake in the woods. I ran through Adkins Wood but took a turning through the middle of the woods at firepoint 115 which lead me over to Lady Herveys Wood and the lake that I have never visited before in Ickworth Park. The lake appeared very shallow and I imagine is much less frequently visited than the main canal lake near the summer house.

On the OS Map it appears to be twice the size of the canal lake but it is difficult to get an impression of this as there only appears to be a pathway at one end of the lake though I am sure on another visit I will take a look to see if I can run around it.

After the lake through the woods there is a pontoon or duck board slate bridge over a wet section. The boards are somewhat bouncy and I thought I was going to put my foot through a board though I am sure they are stronger than they look. This is a wet section it appears there is a stream or an outlet from the Canal lake down to Lady Herveys Wood lake hence the duck boards.

You emerge from the woods into open fields and rolling countryside with excellent views of the Rotunda House and St Marys church. Eventually you arrive at the red brick walls that surround The Bothy. On a rise over the canal lake there is a well tended national trust vineyard , a summer house and the brick house called a bothy.

I ran around this lake and then returned past St Marys Church and out of the Ickworth Grounds before returning home.

Ickworth Park Adkins Wood

8am 11 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes

Week to date mileage 22

Month to date mileage 89

Average weekly rate 31.4

Average Monthly rate 136

Year to Date 628

Life time 8406

The weather was a mixture of sunshine and showers as I set of for a woodland run around Adkins Wood in Ickworth Park. The run takes me along a footpath over farm fields through to Horringer village. Immediately inside the national trust grounds of Ickworth Park if you turn left and climb a stile you are into Adkins Wood.

Here there a multitude of paths that you can follow and I have yet to explore them all. I decided to keep to a straight path so as to go out 45 minutes and and back in the same time. I didn't quite keep to this as I ran out of woodland when I arrived at the road called Poulters Lane on the main A143 near to Whepstead.. On the OS map Adkins Wood becomes Lady Herveys Wood and then finally Lady Catharine Wood. I have realised now that I could have carried on over the road to pick up a path into Dovedenhall Wood, something to look forward to another day.

In the woods the tracks were wonderful and squelchy plenty of puddles and mud to dodge from side to side as I ran down the paths. I didn't see anybody at all during the whole run in the woods. I must venture back asap as I can see there is a large lake shown in Lady Herveys Wood that I have to see maybe tomorrow if time allows.

After my recent problems with running I felt a lot better for a longer run. There is nothing like it for sorting out your pace and breathing and for getting into a good rhythm

Cullum Rd /Ramada Hotel/Newmarket rd Bury St Edmunds

5.40pm 5.4 miles in 41 minutes 18 seconds

Week to date mileage 11.4

Month to date mileage 78

Average weekly rate 31.3

Average Monthly rate 136

Year to Date 617

Life time 8395

My recent times over this course have been :

7 Apr 40.30
7 Mar 41.31
3 Mar 41.34
21 Feb 41.35
27 Jan 41.56
13 Jan 41.30
2 Jan 42.42
23 Dec 43.34
9 Dec 42.0
6 Dec 42.04
29 Nov 42.17

Another poor run and I am still struggling with my running.

Nayland Suffolk

4.40pm 6 miles in 48 minutes

Week to date mileage 6

Month to date mileage 72

Average weekly rate 31.5

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 612

Life time 8390

Tonight I stopped at the village of Nayland in Suffolk which is just 5 miles from Colchester on the border of Essex. Driving from Colchester out on the A134 when you cross the River Stour you know you are in Suffolk. if you immeadiately turn right you arrive in the centre of Nayland.

I parked immeadiately and ran into the village which I don't think I have visited before but looks well worth returning to. Some beautiful houses many dating back to the early 17th century and the reign of James 1st. The White Hart Inn is a 16th century pub which became a coachinghouse and more recently is now owned by Michel Roux and is a restaurant.

The village reminds a lot of Bures. After running around the village I decided to follow the Stour Valley Path from Nags Farm which entailed crossing the main road. However once on the path you are taken into a world that Constable know and loved and painted.

The path is wonderfully maintained along by the river and I only wish I had had more time. I ran past Wiston Mill where I could here the sound of a weir. There is a pathway that takes you through the grounds of Wiston Hall though I decided against this and instead continued on the Stour Valley path over the river and through a lovely wood and into open fields. Just before Little Horkesley in Essex I decided to retrace my steps back to Nayland. A wonderful run in beautiful countryside and a lovely village.

Bury St Edmunds Town Centre ,Nowton and Horsecroft

4.15pm 7.5 miles in 1 Hour

Week to date mileage 32

Month to date mileage 66

Average weekly rate 31.6

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 606

Life time 8384

I ran this course the opposite way to normal through the town centre and past Nowton park. I turned right at Fox PinLane and then I picked up a path across fields to arrive at Horsecroft before returning home.

I picked the best part of the day as the weather was quite warm and sunny. I again stuggled with my running always feeling a little sluggish.

Fornham Circular Run Suffolk

8.15pm 7.5 miles in 58 minutes 22 seconds

Week to date mileage 24

Month to date mileage 59

Average weekly rate 31.5

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 598

Life time 8376

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.

6 May 06 57.03
25 Apr 06 57.02
18 Mar 06 56.51
11 Feb 06 59.25
14 Jan 06 60.05

2005

17 Dec 59.29
29 Oct 59.52
3 Oct 60.19
11 Sep 60.14
28 Aug 57.42
19 Aug 59.36
22 Jul 58.24
10 Jul 59.48
1 Jul 59.42
23 Jun 64.0
18 Jun 62.18
23 May 59.38
5 Apr 62.41
1 Apr 60.26
19 Mar 59.0
12 Mar 60.43
5 Mar 62.16
26 Feb 62.16
6 Feb 61 .23
28 Jan 61.02
16 Jan 61.14

I again struggled with my running I don't feel ill or anything but I am not on form. I don't feel I have anything in reserve and although it was early in the morning I felt warm and unable to run with any confidence.

I might not be drinking enough water which would be a cause in a dip in performance so I will give this a go and try to consciously drink more.

Horringer School /Hospital /Cullum rd Newmarket rd Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

5.45pm 5.4 miles in 43 minutes 21 seconds

Week to date mileage 17

Month to date mileage 51

Average weekly rate 31.6

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 591

Life time 8369

Previous times on this course are as follows

27 Mar 06 42.41
8 Mar 06 42.13
24 Feb 06 42.33
16 Feb 06 44.0
10 Feb 06 41.50
2 Feb 06 42.38
17 Jan 06 42.50
10 Jan 06 42.52
1 jan 06 41.45
14 Dec 05 42.47

I was increadibly slow tonight I justy couldn't find any get up and go. I have noticed this dip in performance usually before I come down with a bug of some sort. It was warm and this was my 3rd run in 3 days and it did include a heavy session on the track last night so these are probably good reasons for the dip in performance.

I was also somewhat distracted by listening to a book on my MP 3 player. I borrowed Stephen Kings 'Everything is Eventual' from the library on cd then converted it to mp3 for my player. I saw an article in Runners World which suggested this and I have to say it makes a great change from listening to music on the player and is very absorbing. I will certainly give this ago again. I think it was £1.50 to borrow from the library so this is good value.

West Suffolk Athletics track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6pm 6miles in 48 minutes

Week to date mileage 11.3

Month to date mileage 46

Average weekly rate 31.5

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 585

Life time 8363

I finally managed to get back to the track after an absence of a month and boy did I notice it! Tonights session consisted of 2 sets of 3 x 2.5 minutes at about 5k pace with a 1 min recovery inbetween followed by 2 x 300 metres at 1500 metre pace with a 15 second recovery.

As per usual the objective was to try and be consistent throughout the two sets and to finish at aproximately the same place on the track. I failed on this tonight. I was consistent for the 2.5 minute intervals at least for the first 5 of these but the final one I know I was about 10 metres adrift of my finishing point.

As for the 300 metres I really struggled as I don't feel I have a 1500 metre pace! I ran the first two of these in 66 seconds but then slipped on the 2nd set to 71 and 74 seconds.

It was great conditions for the track being warm but my lack of regular attendance at the track really showed.

Lavenham Suffolk

5pm 5.3 miles in 42 minutes 20 seconds

Week to date mileage 5.3

Month to date mileage 40

Average weekly rate 31.4

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 579

Life time 8357

I returned to Lavenham today and parked the car near St Peter and St Paul the beautiful church on the hill which is visable for miles away as you approach this village. At the church I found signs for a 3.5 mile circular walk which follows in part a dismantled railway line which apparently used to run to Long Melford and on to Bury St Edmunds. This is the former great eastern railway line closed in the early 1960's and is now a nature reserve.

This is an enjoyable place to walk or run although it was somewaht wet and in places under the railway bridge under water so if you plan to walk it take boots.

High Green Suffolk

12.15pm 9.5 miles in 1 hour 17 minutes 5 seconds

Week to date mileage 35

Month to date mileage 35

Average weekly rate 31.6

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 574

Life time 8352

The first decent rain I can recall this year set in from about mid day Saturday and continued all night and this morning. I waited and waited and the rain abetted a little by 12 so I set of for Whepstead along the B1066 of the Horringer Road.

It was actually rather enjoyable to run in the light rain and at times the road was nothing short of a river as the rain ran off the fields. In fact I did a u turn somewhere near Sharps Lane as the road was flooded and I didn't fancy wading through so early in my run.

Instead I took the Horsecroft Road and at one point I decided to run across the pathway across the fields but quickly gave this up as it was like a paddy field. Back on the road I headed left at Park Lane to High Green. High Green is nothing more than a few almshouses and a few nice thatched farm houses. I returned to Nowton via Breckley Ley and back through town and home.

An enjoyable run no photos though as it was just too wet.

Fornham Circular Run Suffolk

8.15am 7.5 miles in 57 minutes 3 seconds

Week to date mileage 25

Month to date mileage 25

Average weekly rate 31.4

Average Monthly rate 136

Year to Date 565

Life time 8343

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.

25 Apr 06 57.02
18 Mar 06 56.51
11 Feb 06 59.25
14 Jan 06 60.05

2005

17 Dec 59.29
29 Oct 59.52
3 Oct 60.19
11 Sep 60.14
28 Aug 57.42
19 Aug 59.36
22 Jul 58.24
10 Jul 59.48
1 Jul 59.42
23 Jun 64.0
18 Jun 62.18
23 May 59.38
5 Apr 62.41
1 Apr 60.26
19 Mar 59.0
12 Mar 60.43
5 Mar 62.16
26 Feb 62.16
6 Feb 61 .23
28 Jan 61.02
16 Jan 61.14

I ran well today I felt stong and confident that I could have gone quicker. This is a run in which I pass many pubs and churches, then again that is hardly unusual in Suffolk.

I pass by the Tollgate Pub and then St Martins at Fornham St Martin. Here there is the Woolpack pub This is a circular run which takes me round to Fornham All Saints. All Saints Church, parts of which are 13th century dominates the village. Then I turn back into Bury St edmunds and head for home back past the Tollgate Inn and the Greengage.

Newton Suffolk

5pm 5 miles in 42 minutes

Week to date mileage 18

Month to date mileage 18

Average weekly rate 31.4

Average Monthly rate 137

Year to Date 557

Life time 8335

I parked my car at the Saracens Head at Newton in Suffolk. The village of Newton is about 3 miles from Sudbury on the A134 road to Colchester. The village is dominated on one side by Newton Green Golf Course and on the other side there are some wonderful properties many of them in suffolk pink.

To be honest the village suffers some what from the main road. On my run it was difficult to avoid the constant noise of the traffic on this busy road. I decided to head off towards the 14th century All Saints church in Newton. About half a mile down church road I came to a dead end with the church on one side and Newton Hall farm on the other there was no other choice but to return to the main road.

I decided to follow a footpath sign through the golf course but I could find no other signs and rather than get in the way of golf balls I retreated back to the main road. I ran to both ends of the village back and forth but never really found a path that I could follow for any length. I should have studied the ordance survey map explorer no 196 but on impulse I stopped here and thought I would easily pick up on a footpath. I could have done but I should have folowed a minor road throught he golf course and I could then have had a better run.

A beautiful village especially if you are a golfer then it is probably paradise.