Running everyday has become a habit

Ickworth Rotunda House

Ten days into January and I along with many Janathoners are continuing to exercise every day. The weather although generally cloudy, grey and cool  with temps hovering around 3-4C or 37 to 40F has been favourable compared to December's snow.

Decided today to inject a little more pace and do an interval session. This consisted of 10 x 30 seconds faster intervals with a 1.30 second recovery in between so nothing too tough.

Chilly Start

I ran my 4 miles in 35 minutes which was my quickest this year so the lighter mileage of the last 2 days certainly helped. I am hoping legs willing to run close to 30 miles this week. My total last week was 26 miles.

Ipswich Harriers

Yesterday after my run in the morning I went out to Ickworth Park to watch the Suffolk Cross Country Championships. There was a succession of races over several hours for different age groups. Whilst we were there we saw many of the junior races and walked the course which was a tough one with a short sharp hill near the Canal Lake followed by a hilly drag up past St Marys Church to the finish. The ground was clumpy by that I mean not like a flat playing field this had grassy mounds and tussocks meaning unless you watched where you placed your feet you could easily turn an ankle. However the weather was pretty good for runners and spectators so it could have been even harder.

This post contains a few shots from Ickworth Park and the race.

It takes guts!

The course followed a route around the Canal Lake. Much work is underway to restore an early 18th century garden. Vineyards on the slopes are producing a small quantity of wine each year and many bee hives were introduced last year.

The Grade II walled kitchen garden is situated 500m south-west of Ickworth House
on the north bank of the River Linnet. It is enclosed on three sides and is open to The Canal on the south side. Within the kitchen garden lie a further two walled enclosures also open to the water, currently used as a vineyard. Sir John Hervey's three-bay, single-storey Summerhouse (also listed grade II) built in 1703 is situated in the centre of the main garden. It is constructed of red brick with moulded cornice and a parapet which hides a flat roof. The Summerhouse is said to have stood in the grounds of the old manor house and was retained as a feature within the kitchen garden

Downhill around walled garden

St Marys Church - vineyards beyond the lake on the rise

Day 1 - 5 miles
Day 2 - 5 miles
Day 3 - 4 miles
Day 4 - 4 miles
Day 5 - 3 miles
Day 6 - 2.52 miles
Day 7 - 7 miles
Day 8 - 3.5 miles
Day 9 - 2 miles
Day 10 - 4 miles


Total 40 miles