Thurston Suffolk

6pm 9 miles in 1hr 15 mins 11 secs
Week to date mileage 34 miles
Month to date mileage 55
Average weekly rate 30 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 961
Lifetime 10554

I drove down to the Fox in Eastgate Street and parked along the Broadway which is a wonderful row of houses in a handy location for the park and town.

My evening run plan was to head out to Thurston via Moreton Hall and the national cycle network route 51. The Sustrans project which has a vision of a national cycle network is a real success with over 10,000 miles of cycle pathways around the country. Route 51 runs between Colchester and Oxford. That said I haven't really cycled on it! We have a shed with at least 3 bikes in a state of disrepair -flat tires, slipped chains.

Perhaps a well known fact - James Moore from Bury St Edmunds was the winner of the World's first official cycle race in Paris in 1868. James Moore was born in Long Brackland. His winning bike is to be seen at Ely Museum.

Once through Moreton Hall I passed the Flying Fortress once an oasis in an airfield in countryside but soon to have neighboring houses and locals which must surely please the landlord. At this point you begin to pick up the route 51 signs and a long section of fencing along the airfield.

Route 51 is a handy running route with the obvious benefit of being car free though there is a fair amount of traffic some walkers and a good no of cyclists.

There was even a box of discovery apples that some friendly soul had placed on the route with a notice to help yourself and a supply of carry bags to boot.

This time of year when fields have just been harvested is quite beautiful but there is an element of sadness as well as it reflects the year moving on a pace and raises thoughts of Autumn and the clock change when we are pitched into darkness until March. However melancholy thoughts are short in this beautiful countryside which we can take for granted sometimes.

My run followed the cycle route until this takes you across the road and along a narrow road track to the railway crossing point and into Thurston. Keeping a straight path i ran up to the Thurston Community College and after a bit of a circuit around the village returned back to the Fox by the same route.