Juneathon 2011 Day 2 - RunBreeze Socks

Another lovely warm and sunny day and with no side effects from yesterdays run there were no barriers to me doing a 5 miler. The only real constraint was time as I needed to be back in order to meet with a cousin who out of the blue contacted me to discuss ancestry and our family tree sharing as we do the same great grandfather.

My Garmin 205 also seems to have given up the ghost and the battery no longer holds a charge. It may be dead but I am searching for a solution before looking at alternatives. For the moment I am using a standard watch and running courses where I know the distance I have covered.

However I digress as Juneathon day 2 gave me a chance to try out for the first time some running socks that I had been sent by a company called RunBreeze. The first thing I noticed was the good comfy snug fit . OK I only ran 5 miles in them but they were good as my feet remained cool and there was no warming sensation which you can get from some socks after a few miles. I shall them regularly over the next month of Juneathon and hopefully test them out over some longer runs

RunBreeze state this about their socks

"10 Reasons to choose Technical Running Socks over normal everyday socks:

 

1. The material.  RunBreeze.com use breathable fabrics such as CoolmaxTM that help wick moisture away from the feet which can cause irritation.  

 

2. The Fit.  Normal socks move up and down the foot and are one of the reasons for blisters. Technical running socks are designed ergonomically around the shape of the foot so movement is limited and the sock stays in position.

 

3. The toe.  A RunBreeze sock has a seamless toe.  This helps prevents rubbing at the end of the toes which occur in a normal sock.

 

4. Achilles Heal protection.  On RunBreeze’s trainer liner range they have a padded support where the Achilles Heal sits, to help prevent rubbing on this area.

 

5. The Mid-Foot.  A technical running sock will have a Mid-Foot grip to help keep the sock in place.  In a normal sock a lot of people find their socks slip down, this won’t be the case with a properly fitted sock with a mid foot grip.

 

6. Left and Right Footed.  Socks designed to fit both of our feet properly.  Our feet our different shapes, so your socks should be too.

 

7. Cushioning.  Having a more cushioned area at the bottom of the sock like on the RunBreeze Cushioning sock helps with impact protection on your feet (they are very comfortable too!)

 

8. Anti Blister.  Blisters are a runners nemesis.  Help prevent them by using double layered technology like in the RunBreeze Anti Blister sock.  You don’t get that in your normal sock!

 

9. Health.  RunBreeze asked 100 people how long they keep socks and the average response was 8 years!!  Running socks should be changed just like trainers or kit.  RunBreeze.com have a sock calculator that tells you how many socks you will need per year depending on how many times you run and allowing you to change regularly without breaking the bank!

 

10. Performance.  You want to get the most out of your run so get a technical running sock.  They are lighter as they get rid of sweat quicker, they fit better and are more comfortable – all that means a big personal best for you!"

 

The anti blister socks that I am using are priced at £8 each and if this prevents me getting blisters during Juneathon 2011 then they have got to be worth it.

For today's run I followed a route through Bury St Edmunds along the River Lark and into the Abbey Gardens. Even at 8am it was warm work but enjoyable.

Total Juneathon mileage 8 miles.

Over half way on a Janathon Journey

Norman Tower Bury St Edmunds

 I enjoy a run around the town centre of Bury St Edmunds especially on a Sunday morning when there is little traffic.  It feels as if you have the town to yourself whilst most people are still in bed.

It is great to get the daily Janathon run in early in the day and not have it hanging in the back of your mind knowing that at some point you have to fit it in . It becomes a chore then rather than an enjoyment.

This morning was warm and spring like and I didn't need any tracksters leggings so just shorts and a long sleeved shirt.

After 16 days of running I am averaging around 4 miles a day. Just 15 days to go and whilst the end isn't in site we have passed a landmark in our journey and having come this far I am determined to complete the event as long as I remain injury free and don't have an illness.


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
Day 11 - 4 miles
Day 12 - 8 miles
Day 13 - 3 miles
Day 14 - 4 miles
Day 15 - 3 miles
Day 16 - 4 miles

Total 66 miles

Half Marathon Training using the Adidas miCoach - Week 1

St Edmunds Tavern

Armed now with my Adidas Micoach I am using a heart rate monitor as my key method of training for a half marathon. I have never trained for a half marathon using a heart rate monitor as the key determinant.


miCoach uses four personalized zones to help you gauge your efforts during your workouts. The zones are the building blocks for all workouts with miCoach. Each zone represents a level of effort: Blue is easy, Green is medium, Yellow is hard, Red is maximal.

My heart rate zones have slightly changed since the initial assessment run and are now

Red Zone                159-165 bpm
Yellow Zone            152-158 bpm
Green Zone            133-151 bpm
Blue Zone               117-132 bpm
I re did the assessment run and the new zones are slightly higher than before which is good news as it shows a slight improvement in my fitness levels 

My week 1 schedule is as follows :-

30th Aug - 50 minute run - 5 min blue zone 40 min green zone and 5 min blue

1st Sep - 40 minute run - 5 min blue zone 30 min green zone and 5 min blue

3rd Sep - 40 minute run - 5 min blue zone 30 min green zone and 5 min blue

4th Sep - 70 minute run - 5 min blue zone 60 min green zone and 5 min blue

5th Sep - 30 minute run all blue zone

1st week is a total of 3hr 50 minutes of running. Mainly at a green zone pace

Green Zone 70-80% of your max heart rate 

This is known as the aerobic threshold and is a comfortable paced run where you can run for long periods of time as a result your heart and lung capacity are all improved . You burn fats and carbohydrates at the same 50% rate.

I completed my 1st run this morning which was a 50 min run through the centre of Bury St Edmunds .


I passed the St Edmunds Tavern in Risbygate Street. This pub has had a complete refurbishment and change of name. It was formerly known as the Rising Sun and is one of the oldest public houses in Bury St Edmunds. According to the Old Inns and Beerhouses of Bury St Edmunds guide it appeared in a newspaper advertisement in 1727. However it is thought to be older than this and legend suggests that Oliver Cromwell once stayed here.

Thirty Minute Jog in Bury St Edmunds

August has been a very wet month after a better than average summer. At least that is what I think it has felt like. After heavy rain last night it has rained for several hours today as well.

However I timed my run well at lunch time when it was sunny and headed out for a 30 minute easy jog at the slowest heart rate blue zone pace.

The heart rate is useful to help you gauge your effort. As my fitness improves, I should notice that I am able to run faster for the same effort. However I am just 2 weeks into using the heart rate monitor as my method of training rather than by pace or distance.

My achievement today was running for the 3rd day in a row  injury free.

Trying to keep the Adidas mi coach heart rate zone has given my running a new focus at the moment. I have the option to switch to running by pace and I daresay at some point I will try this in the future but for the moment I am sticking to training by heart rate monitor.

Tempo Run at Nowton Park Suffolk

At lunch time I headed for a run to Nowton Park.

This is one of a number of parks in and around Bury St Edmunds. Nowton Park is on the fringe of the village Nowton and Bury and is Victorian in design. The Lime Tree Avenue was planted in 1880 and gives the park a sense of grandeur. Every Spring there is a daffodil display from the 100,000 bulbs planted as a yellow corridor along the lime trees.

I live around 2.5 miles from the park so after a mile warm up I put on some music on my IPOD and commenced a 5 mile tempo run.  Today

was another warm day and I wished I had taken a drink with me as I began to struggle after 3 miles. I think this was a combination of getting used to running in mid day warmth and a tickly dry throat. I have been fighting off a cold but may be losing the battle.

It being the second week of half term and the weather being so good the park was busy with lots of family's enjoying picnic lunches.

My run once I reached the park was to run up and down the lime avenue. There is a gentle upward incline as you head towards the maze and the Victorian Folly.

My splits were 8.11,7.52,8.01,8.31 and 8.24 for a total of  41.19 for the 5 miles - 8.12 pace. I was hoping for something closer to 8 min miles but this is fine.

I jogged home making a run of 7 miles which was slightly over my schedule which called for a 6.

Bury St Edmunds Five Mile Run

After a hectic couple of days work I was really wanting to run tonight. However today was so busy that apart from cereal for breakfast I hadn't eaten all day and I was tired. So arriving home I had a banana got changed into shorts and a t shirt the weather being superb and headed out.

I reasoned with myself that I would feel better for the run and I could always cut the distance if I felt realy tired. As it turned out I did a circular route in Bury St Edmunds along Horringer School /Hospital /Cullum rd / Newmarket rd .

My mile splits were 8.25,8.07,8.26,8.46,8.40 making for a total of 42.25 for 5 miles an average pace of 8.29 miles. This was my quickest time over this route since the 8th of May 2009 when I ran 42.01. Its a funny old world when you are feeling tired and you run well without trying and expect the opposite! I guess not running for a couple of days acted a bit like a taper before a race so I ad more energy. Plus the weather is wonderful at the moment  not too warm but dry, sunny and no wind.
 

Bury St Edmunds Town Centre Five Mile Run

Saturday morning and the weather was set fair with a little drizzle in the air.

I was tired this morning before I started to run and consequently I ran a very slow five miles. It was however at the half marathon schedule pace of 9.09 miles.

I decided to run around the centre of the town which is possible on a Saturday before 8.30am as although the market stalls are set up there was very few people about .

I had the Abbey Gardens more or less to myself but unless you are going to run in circles over and over you need to venture a bit further afield if you are running five miles. So running out of the Abbey Gardens you pass through the old graveyard next to the St Edmundsbury cathedral shown in the  photo on this post.



There are many interesting old gravestones particularly in the old charnel. Mary Hasleton in the photo on this post was said to have been struck and killed by lightening in the act of prayer at the age of nine.

 The second photo is an epitaph to the prime mover and founder of Jamestown North America - Captain Gosnold. His daughter Mary is buried in this churchyard hence the naming of the place known as Martha's Vineyard

Five Mile Easy Run

After a late night at the football on Tuesday I was feeling wiped out and didn't run on the Wednesday either. So I was looking forward to a run as I set out this evening.

I was in two minds whether to switch my schedule around and do the 10 miler or the shorter 5 miles. However my mind was made up for me as my battery on my Forerunner 205 ran out of juice. Consequently I had a releaxed easy 5 miler over a regular route.

Along Cullum Rd, up to the Ramada Hotal and back to Newmarket Road in Bury St Edmunds .

Long Run Sunday from Bury St Edmunds to Sicklesmere, Gt Whelnethum and Stanningfield and back

This morning was misty, overnight there had been a thin covering of snow but nothing to really affect my footing and I didn't find it too slippery. I decided to repeat the same long run distance as last week and do 12 miles. I am very much still getting used to the distance again after such a long period when my long run was 7 miles. My weakest point is climbing hills I am very skow climbing these.

However hill training is something I am not going to work on until after my half marathon training has been completed at the end of March. By then if I remain injury free I wil have had 3 months of good training and this will provide a base to start adding a quality session such as hill training.

My route today was all along pavements initially heading out of Bury St Edmunds to Sicklesmere. At Sicklesmere you pass a round house which is a reminder of the days of coach and horses. One of the coaching routes ran between Norwich and London 4 times a day and used to run through Sicklesmere. The toll house was built by a Turnpike Trust in the 19th century as a lodge house. To use the road you would have had to pay a toll.

After Sicklesmere I headed slighlty up hill for a mile or so through Gt Whelnethum a village which ajoins Sicklesmere.

At about this point I removed a layer of clothes and my hat and gloves. I had been feeling slightly hot and bothered but felt much better after this.

The Jelly Belly Super Sours were also a welcome treat on this long run.

It was a snowy,frosty murky world when I entered the village of Stanningfield. Very few cars or people to be seen today.


I turned at 6 miles and returned home feeling a lot better in the middle of the run without the hat and gloves.

My mile splits were 8.50,8.56,9,8.50,9.22,8.41,8.37,8.12,8.41,8.50,9,8.56 this was an average of 8.50 per mile.

My total time was 1hr 46 mins and this compares well with my last 12 miles a week ago when I ran 1.49.16.

I am now half way through my 12 week Runners World SMART Coach Training schedule. So far so good no injuries.

George Parrott, known affectionately as "Coach George" on the Dead  Runners Society, presented this idea a couple of years ago.  He suggests  that a runner can run no faster in the Marathon than he runs his fastest 26.2 miles in a week during training.

At the end of week 6 my Parrott Predictator shows a time of 3.47.37 this compares well with last week 3.49.11 and week 1 of my training which showed 3.53.07.

Five Mile Tempo Run in Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

Wednesdays are my days for tempo runs. Today the tempo run distance was a little longer being 5 miles instead of 4. Then again everything is a little longer I think in week 4 of the Runners World SMART Coach training schedule.

I am continuing to hit the mileage targets as per the schedule so that is going very well. However I am going through a week at the moment where I am feeling tired, whether that is due to the steady increase in mileage every week or it is a week where my energy levels are lower I am not too sure.

When I set out at lunch time the weather was dry but it has turned colder again and temperatures are hovering around freezing due to the winds having picked up.I ran an easy first mile in 8.26 to warm up though this should have been a bit slower. Some how knowing I am going to pick up the pace during the tempo run I usually run a bit quicker in the warm up than I should.

For my tempo run I couldn't really avoid some hills unless I chose to run on a track or found  a flat mile to run up and down over and over again. So my times for the 5 miles seem to flucutate quite a bit  8.06, 8.35, 8.15,8.17 and 8.23. Total 41.38 average pace 8.20. As the schedule called for 7.59 mile pace I am again outside of this.

I jogged home the final mile in 9.24

Just 24 days into the new running schedule there is a need for patience as I don't have a consistent platform of base mileage in the bank in the last 6 months of 2009 and can't expect instant results such as noticable reductions in times. The main indicator of how the training is going at the moment has to be on how successfully I am able to complete the longer runs. I have another 11 mile run this Sunday and completing this distance in reasonable shape will boost the confidence as the body gets to used to spending this amount of time on the run.

What I found helpful when out on the run is to listen to podcasts as a change from music sometimes. A brand new podcast which I think is an excellent listen is called Marathon Talk. The episodes tend to be about an hour which is just right for me as all my training is for an hour or more these days and it saves having to change the ipod over not easy to do I find when the player is in armband wallet.

What I like about this new podcast is how they have chosen to have a no of regular features. It has a news desk feel and is introduced by Martin Yelling and Tom Williams and each episode they interview a running personality.  Although it is marathon talk it would appeal to any runner though they have clearly launched it at this time to appeal to the mass of folks training for a Spring marathon.

Six Mile in and around St Johns Street,Bury St Edmunds. Suffolk

Day 19 of the Runners World SMART Coach training plan in my bid to complete the Joe Cox Half Marathon at Stowmarket Suffolk on the 28th March 2010.

I am mainly aiming through the training schedule to build up my stamina and have a good base level of mileage . If this goes well then I can begin to add some faster quicker sessions perhaps in the Spring.

Today was a 6 miler at 9.20 pace.  It was dark and damp with steady rain .  I was a little unsure where to head towards but decided to run the pathways and roads around St Johns Street named after the church St John's the Evangelist.

Built in 1840 this Victorian gothic church is often described as a rocket ship or as Thunderbird 1. It's appearance is like an Apollo space ship waiting to take off.

St Johns Street runs steadily up hill and is the route followed into the centre of Bury St Edmunds if you are walking from the train station. It used to be on the route of the Bury 10. Running up this hill was the final challenge at about 9.5 miles.

Looking back on my splits for the 6 miles  I set off quickly though I didn't notice this at the time and then gradually slowed as I get progressively more soaked.

Splits were 8.17,8.39,8.54,8.40,9.09,9.07

Total 52.49

Four Mile Tempo Run in Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

Day 17 of my Runners World SMART Coach Schedule. Wednesdays are tempo run days and tonight it was a repeat of the session I did 2 weeks previously.

The session called for 6 miles in total  1 mile warm up followed by 4 miles at 7.54 pace and then a one warm down. How did I do? I am happy with the session because It is a definite improvement on the same session two weeks previously. My splits were warm up of 1.07 miles in 9.24

followed by tempo miles four miles with no rests in between miles of 7.52,8.11,8.12 and 8.20  followed by warm down of 1.04 miles in 9.19

So the first mile was pretty much spot on what was required I then began to slow for each mile so I couldn't keep the consistency. However all the miles were quicker than 2 weeks ago when I ran 8.30, 8.44, 8.50 and 8.53 for the same course.

Too early to say if the training programme and push ups are working but perhaps some green shoots of recovery are beginning to blossom I hope though never count your chickens before they hatch . Hows that for a cliche filled sentence!

Bury St Edmunds Suffolk - 5 Mile Wet and Windy Run

Day 13 of my Runners World SMART Coach schedule called for a 5 mile run at an easy 9.20 mile pace.

The snow has gone to be replaced by wind and rain today. I don't mind a little rain but running in the wind can be disconcerting one moment giving you extra propulsion and next moment stopping you in the tracks. However wouldn't it be boring if every day  was the same.

Running is about being prepared and being able to run in all weathers. In a race you can tuck in behind other runners and get the advantage of a wind shield. However this morning I was running on my own.

With a cold wind like this morning you need to continue to wear layers as the wind chill effect will penetrate and could lead to a chill or worse still grinding to a halt several miles from home. However wearing  tighter  fitting clothes is your best option to reduce resistance.

Running in the wind can lead you to tense up and start fighting against the wind for a training session its better to remain compact, lean slightly forward to reduce the amount of drag , accept the wind and don't fight it. If you keep a running diary be sure to note it was a windy day as your times are likely to be slower.

My run was circular today, if it had been an out and back I would have given more thought to the wind direction as it is always better in the cold to run out into the wind and come home with the wind behind you. On a warm windy day best to do the opposite.

From what I have read a10 mph headwind slows you down by about 8 percent. So running into the wind is a form of resistance training and it is totally free!  Hopefully by embracing the wind rather than avoiding it any training will pay dividends giving a mental edge if and when any races are windy.

As per usual I took my Casio Exilim EX-Z70 with me on the run.These two photos show a wet and windy market stall at Bury St Edmunds market. Normally this would be a bustling hive of activity with crowds of shoppers.

The other photo is the Cullum Road Water Meadows. The ice has thawed and there is some slight flooding.

I got my 5 mile run done with splits of 8.41, 8.55,9.06,8.48, and 9.16 for a time of 44.46 which was within the target time of 9.20 miles.

The 2nd week of my Runners World SMART Coach schedule has seen an increase in mileage overall from 31 to 34 miles. It is going to get a lot harder from now on so time will tell if I can stick to the plan.

The Snowman's lost his carrot

The slow thaw continues in Bury St Edmunds Suffolk and snowmen all over are shrinking and losing their eyes and in the case of this one at Fornham All Saints his carrot nose.

Although the roads are clear the pavements are a variety pack you just don;t know what you are going to get ice slush snow and clear sections. All of which meant that for my tempo run today I did a warm up in search of a fairly clear section of pavement which I found out at Fornham All Saints.

This was day 10 of my Runners World SMART Coach schedule which hopefully will gear me up for a crack at a half marathon at the end of March. Yesterday was a total rest day no running or push ups and I felt strangely inactive after 4 continuous days of running. Today called for a tempo run of 7 miles including a warm up 3 miles at 7.24 mile pace with half mile jogs in between before a warm down mile home.

How did I do?  Warm up of 1.73 miles in 15.08  Tempo miles in 8.11, 8.17,8.17  . I did the half mile jogs and then ran home 1.33 miles in 11.49 A total of 7.12 miles.

Ok again I was nowhere near doing my tempo runs in the pace suggested by the schedule I am just not in that condition and it was still slippery in places. However taking the positives from this my 4 tempo miles last week were between 8.30 and 8.53 so perhaps there has been some improvement. Perhaps I am increasing my anaerobic threshold or it was just less slippery than last week

Felt good today after my rest yesterday which was needed as I had been feeling a little pain on the outside of the knee. A sure sign of Iliotibial band syndrome. It didn't affect my running and I only felt pain by pressing it. But seemingly gone today though something to watch out for in the coming weeks. I have never had this before so not sure what may have caused it but I suspect overuse brought on by the sudden regular running in this training schedule, running on ice, overpronating which I do or running on hills which I do.

More grey snowy photos on this post. The church is All Saints at Fornham All Saints village. You can only just see that the snowman has lost his carrot.

Run in the Abbey Gardens Bury St Edmunds Suffolk - January 8th 2010

This lunch time between snow showers and with a little blue sky I fitted in a five mile run. This is day 5 of my 11 week Runners World SMART Coach Schedule which called for an easy 5 mile run at a 9.20 pace per mile.

Most of my training last year apart from the interval track sessions was run at the one pace that being dependent on how I felt and what I could run which varied between 8 and 9 minute miles.

There was a lot of lying snow on the ground which has been regularly added to with snowy showers. A thaw isn't due until the middle of next week according to the Met Office weather forecast so it is a case of getting used to it and running the best you can in the snow.

I can certainly feel new muscles on my inner thighs that I didn't know I had as a result of running in the snow. I find you have to work a bit harder in snowy conditions to look where you are putting your feet and when the snow is shoe depth you can tend to slow. As a workout running in snow must be equivalant to running on sand providing resistance training.

Keeping warm hasn't been a problem as long as you layer up well with clothes. The one area that inevitably tends to get damp is the feet and this could be a problem over a longer run. Perhaps double up on the socks anyone else have any ideas on avoiding damp feet in the snow?

Choosing a route to run in the snow is difficult. On the one hand choosing to run in a built up area near traffic and people is safer than running a trail in the country. I largely prefer to do the later but realise that it is all to easy to have a trip or turn an ankle and this isn't something to do in below freezing conditions. The trouble with running near roads is the potential for drivers to lose control and spin off the road , you can also get a lovely wash of slush so I tend to run as far as I can on the inside of pavements.

A good compromise is to find a park or field to run around. Here you obviously avoid the traffic and there will be people around to watch your embarrasment if you take a tumble.

I got most of my run in the Abbey Gardens and avoided one or two snowballs. My speed was slow. The snow actualy helped in this respect as I ran the 5 miles at a 9.20 pace as required. My mile laptimes showed splits of 8.52, 9.23,9.30,9.39,9.14 making for a 46.38 time overall.

One other great preparation for running in the snow is to fuel the body with porridge oats! I did this morning . 
The right breakfast can keep your energy levels high for the rest of the day, says nutritionist Natalie Savona.

The author of the Kitchen Shrink says 'My favourite winter breakfast is a bowl of porridge. It's warm, satisfying, comforting and is a great source of B vitamins, which help convert food to energy in the body, and play a role in making serotonin, the feel-good chemical, in the brain.'

Breakfast may even keep you healthy. Scientists at Cardiff University have shown that breakfast eaters are less prone to winter ills than those that grab a coffee and run. I must admit I generally do the later due to lack of time!!

Tempo Run in the Snow - Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

Day 3 of my 11 week Runners World Smart Coach Schedule saw me venture out in the snow. Compared to much of the country I think we have got of lightly so far as snow fell in Suffolk today at lunch time and for a while was heavy but at the moment I think we have had around 7-8 cm so not too bad. The Met Office forecast for tomorow in Bury St Edmunds is much the same with the possibility of more heavy snow and icy roads.

Once I had layered up with hat and thick gloves two tops and tracksters my schedule called for me to do a "warm up" mile! Which I did and to be honest apart from the inevitable slipping effect the snow was ok to run in.

I then had a go at the 4 mile tempo run but to be expected I couldn't run at the suggested pace which was 7.54 miles. Instead overall I ran 8.45 miles. I did put in tempo type effort in to the run but a combination of my lack of fitness/sharpness , lack of previous tempo running and the snow conditions lead to my downfall. However I am taking the positive from this run firstly I got out there when it would have been so easy to giveit a miss, running in the snow must effect your pace so perhaps my 8.45's were worth a little more and practice makes perfect so each week I might see some improvement in my tempo running.

Times were warm up 8.56.Tempo miles 8.30,8.44,8.50,8.53. Warm down mile 9.35

So I definitely slowed on the tempo miles as I tired.

1st January 2010 - New Year Day Run in Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

As I set out for my run a heavy snow shower had just begun.This if anything hastened me out of the door not knowing if we would get several inches of snow thus making the pathways too slippery to run on. As it turned out it was just a shower and blue sky arrived 10 minutes later.

My route through Bury St Edmunds is depicted in these photos below . The water meadows along Cullum Road are  still frozen as temperatures continue to hover around freezing.

There was no problems with slipping this morning despite the tiny covering of snow if anything temperatures were a little warmer than of recent.

It was good to get in my first run of the new year. I still haven't got round to planning out a training schedule and haven't yet signed up to any races but I want to do that in the next few days.

Last night I believe more fireworks went off in our area than on the 5th November bonfire night. Eventually these ceased around 1.30am ,so I should have felt a little jaded for this run as theses kept me awake but I didn't have any problems.

I am continuing with my push ups programe and have completed week 2 of the training which finishes with what is called an exhaustion test . Basically you do as many push ups as you can until your arms won't do any more.

It has turned into a bit of a competition with my son who isn't doing the training programme. As he had recently done 35 that was my target and some how I managed to just do 36 to become the champion for all of five minutes. Until that is Tom did 40 oh well it gives me a new target to beat and hopefully I can do this in a week or so.

As I get further into the run the snow continued to melt and I stoped to take this photo of St Johns Church in the centre of Bury St Edmunds - you can just see the spire.

My last photo is taken along Eastgate Street and has a view of St Edmundsbury Cathedral

Boxing Day Run 2009

 This morning after a week of ice and snow, finally most of the ice had gone and a bright blue sky and temperatures above freezing brought out many runners on to the roads of Bury St Edmunds.

If they were like me they were rolling more like a barrel rather than running smoothly through the parks. Many runners and non runners alike will start to think about starting their training schedule for the Virgin London Marathon 2010. I didn't get a place in the ballot and probably just as well. t present I don't have the stamina to run a marathon.

I initially headed to Nowton Park  but conditions here were dodgy with the car park like an ice rink it was impossible to run through . Once through the car park the grass was water logged in places and boggy and whilst runnable I didn't fancy a slow bog run.

So instead I headed back into the centre of Bury St Edmunds and headed to the Abbey Gardens. As you can see from the photos the ice has gone from the centre of town making this the safest place to run at the moment.

During the holiday break will start to think about plans for training and races to enter for 2010

Running in the Suffolk Snow December 2009

After yesterdays 'wimp out' I decided I was going for a run this morning regardless of what the weather was doing. I wished I had gone yesterday but didn't feel confident about keeping my footing and avoiding slipping. Running in newly laid snow is to be honest easier than a day later when it has been walked in and becomes lumpy!

Only my hands felt a little cold. I wore a hat, a sweat shirt and thermal top and tracksters. My thin gloves were ok but I could have done with a thermal pair.

After some initial caution I found I could trust my shoes to get sufficient grip. I decided to run along Cullum Road and then head for the pathway along the side of the River Lark in Bury St Edmunds. The sheep grazing in Cullum Road seemed to be enjoying eating bark of the trees presumably to get some kind of mineral intake.

My run time for 5 miles was extremely slow with a time of 46.42 but this is meaning less in these conditions.

On my ipod I listened to a new podcast called Running and Life. This is different from many podcasts as firstly it is a UK based monthly podcast. Most running podcasts are based in the USA so it is always good to hear from fellow podcasters in the UK. On this apart from the UK and the USA there are very few podcasts seemingly from anywhere else in the world unless I am looking in the wrong place as they don't show on I Tunes.

Anyway I have subscribed to Running and Life and recommend if you like listening to an IPOD on a run to give this a listen. It is also different in being more like a running podcast magazine of featured articles and news from fellow runners who have taken apart in races. The 1st episode had a feature on the Eddie Izzard run around the UK.