Race Calendar for 2009

Looking ahead at what races I might do in the second half of 2009 here are the possibilities:-

Bury 5 on 26th June a regular race I usually do or help out on with car parking/marshalling and in the past arranging the race entries. Expect a sell out on the night of 500 runners if we get good weather.
Sudbury 5 on 1st July I haven't run this race before though have run the old train route between Sudbury and Rodbridge so would like to gie it a go.
Newmarket 10k 5th July No knowledge of this one haven't done it before. I am not too good running in hot weather, in fact slighty scared of it!
Ipswich Half Marathon 30th August - a new race for Ipswich might be hot and looks a little expensive but looks a great course and event
Littleport Leisure 10k Race 6th September - love the area around Littleport haven't done this before
19th Grunty Fen Half Marathon 13th September - I really bombed on this race last year set out too fast on this flat course and ended up walking in parts - however well organised race and I would like to go back and take it out on this race it's a personal thing I owe it one!
Help for Heroes RAF Honington 10k 30th September A great cause not sure if I can do on a Wednesday though.
Martlesham Heath 10k 11th October An event organised by the Lions Club of Woodbridge & District - I haven't run before but will consider.
Stowmarket Striders Scenic Seven 8th November I have run this many times before well organised by a great running club also reminds me of the on set of winter
Norwich City Half Marathon 29th November - Enter the dark side and venture into Norfolk with your passport! Only joking Norfolk folk I did this event in 2007 though then the race was run in the peak of summer. A big race then run from the Norfolk County Showground on a 2 lap course and fairly flat.

I am unlikely to do all of these 10 races but there is enough pleasure and pain to consider in these events to give my training a focus in the up and coming months, health willing.

Any one else planning to do any races this year let me know how it is going for you. What races are you doing ? Are you following a training plan ?

Now I have listed them lets see just how many I do!!


What does the photo have to do with this post? Absolutely nothing it is a picture taken in 1965 in the Abbey Gardens Bury St Edmunds and I am in the front on the slide and my sister Melanie is in the middle.

Ipswich Town V Norwich City

Ipswich Town 3 Norwich City 1

At long last Ipswich finally managed to beat our rivals from over the border in Norfolk and things are looking a bit brighter on the football front.

Norwich took the lead through a schoolboy error from Richards in defense allowing new signing Chadwick an easy tap in. Before this Ipswich had started brightly forcing a number of corners and coming close so it was against the run of play that the Norwich goal came.

However Ipswich continued to play the passing football and just before half time a deservedly equalizer came from a flowing passing move with good ball control by Legwinski who slotted home. The crowing canaries were silenced and half time came with home fans in a much brighter mood.

The start of the second half was some what subdued and it was fairly even with Ipswich creating chances but it seemed poor finishing would come to Delia's rescue.One or two decisions from the ref when he didn't give a penalty though every one else in the ground could see he was being held down for a Norwich centre half didn't help and when Billy Clarke limped off I feared the worse.

Enter Danny Haynes the destroyer of all things green and yellow. It only took 2 minutes before he headed in a cross to give Town a deserved lead. This was followed by a lovely curling shot to make it 3-1 to Town. Danny Haynes scored the winner last year at Carrow Road and has scored against Norwich at all levels of football, to think he once had a trial at City and was rejected.

The 3pts were sorely needed by Town we are inconsistent and I would predict a mid table finish.

Jim Magilton is beginning to mold a side but it will take 2 years and if we retain our new crops of Academy youngsters we could be a force in the Championship. It has to be said that there is little difference in quality between top and bottom sides in this league.

As for Norwich the new manager was honest enough to admit that his side were well beaten on the day and that his side have been winning games despite not playing well. If they do start to play then of course there is still the play offs to aim for but if they don't succeed their parachute payment dries up at the end of the season and they will be 7 million worse off.

I don't think either side will be good enough to make the play offs this season.

City of Norwich Half Marathon

10am 13.1 miles in 1 hour 49 minutes 03 seconds

Week to date mileage 30

Month to date mileage 53

Average weekly rate 31.7

AverageMonthly rate 138

Year to Date 734

Life time 8512

On a whim last week I entered the Norwich Half Marathon partly so we could go shopping in the city afterwards. I had entered before the warm spell of weather had arrived but this is the lottery you always face when entering any race, unknown weather conditions!.

It was warm extremely warm as the guy on the pa before the start mentioned on several occasions it was 30c. To be honest this was too warm for me and as it turned out for most of the runners as there was little shade out on the course.

The race start was from the Norfolk showground and this is an excellent venue with all the facilities you would like layed on ( apart from showers just 3 for a field of over a 1000 runners and they only dribbled!) some stalls selling running gear,water food and drink for spectators. Here there were a few trees and before the race the order of the day was to rest up in the shade.

Just before 10am almost reluctantly I had to emerge from the shade and line up for the start of the race. It took some time to get to the start line hence my official time of 1 .49.20 differs from the chip time of 1.49.03. For the first time I ran with a bottle of water and this was sensible and kept me going though it was rather cumbersome.

My splits were as follows

Mile 1 7.36
Mile 2 7.32
Mile 3 7.59
Mile 4 7.48
Mile 5 7.58
Mile 6 8.23
Mile 7 8.36
Mile 8 8.14
Mile 9 8.30
Mile 10 8.43
Mile 11 8.32
Mile 12 9.12
Mile 13 9.06
.1 of a mile 0.47

My initial plan which I felt I would be able to keep to was to run miles under 8 minutes. As long as they were under 8 I was happy. I achieved this until mile 6 which included the only off road up hill section which takes you back into Norfolk Showground.

At this point a lot of people decided to drop out. Whilst 2 lap courses are great for spectators they do provide a temptation to drop out if you are not running well. On such a warm day it was sensible to drop out and this went through my mind but I was feeling well hydrated from the regular water stations and sponge stops even though I was baking hot.

The marshals and officials were very well organised and they were supplemented by the public several of whom (don't tell anyone from the water board!) had hoses and were spraying runners who were very grateful for a shower. I used every water station to tip a whole cup over my head and drink a whole cup and I stopped to do this. I was actually running soaked through and it wasn't until I finished that I realised that my feet were sodden wet and this was obviously the cause of my getting blisters. During the race this was my worst discomfort, my feet felt as if they were burning as my socks were stinging.

From mile 6 my times became progressively worse as the race became just a case of survival and keeping moving. I was no where near my pre race target of achieving a 1.45 time though with the heat I am pleased to have completed this race and would consider again.

I did see one other runner from St Edmundsbury Pacers in the adult race and there were a couple in the junior race. The winner of the race was Simon Tonui in 1 hour 10 mins 26 seconds.

Of the 729 finishers I was 165th according to chip time and 18th in my age group.So although I was disappointed with my time on a flat course considering the conditions and nearly a 3rd of the runners dropping out I was just pleased to complete the course. After the race my right foot badly cramped and I think I have a reemergence of a previous injury a tight plantar fascia so no running for me for a day or two to see if rest is the cure.