Lakenheath XC 2007

I have loaded up quite a number of additional photos from the Lakenheath XC back in January. These are to be found on my Flickr site try link here or on my flickr mobile on the left hand side of the page.

Lakenheath Charity Race 5 - 2007

11 am 5 miles in 41mins 40 seconds

Week to date mileage 34 miles

Month to date mileage 134

Average weekly rate 33.4 miles

Average monthly rate 145

Year to date 134

Lifetime 9727

The Lakenheath Charity 5 cross country race always represents my first race of the year. The race starts from the Lakenheath Cricket Club and at this time of year you can pretty much guarantee both cold weather and a strong breeze.

This years race was advertised on the Runners World Website so I imagined there would be a higher entry than last year though from the number of finishers it appears only slightly up on last year with 121 finishers. The Brandon Fern Hoppers carries all of the results on their site , see my link under Suffolk running clubs.


When I arrived I did think twice about getting out of the car such was the apparent cold and wind. However once I completed my entry form and managed to bang my head on the window of the scoring room where the two ladies where working hard on last minute entries I sought sanctuary in the cricket club room. This seems to double as a children's creche facility with every wall packed with packages and hanging mobiles.

After a while it became necessary to warm up and along with several others I did a few laps of the cricket field. After running the last 4 days in a row i came into the race a bit tired and as I wasn't expecting much of a time I decided to keep my leggings, sweatshirt and hat and gloves on.

The start of the race had slightly changed this time starting on the bridge over the River Lark instead of off road so unless the finish was brought forward a little perhaps we ran a little further this year than last?

Conditions under foot were really not too bad after recent rains. There was some mud and plenty of puddles. The run across the ploughed field was quite sapping and knocked the stuffing out of me and I think this and the combination of running up and down field banks avoiding root branches caught up with me and resulted in a slightly slower time for me than last year. My time last year was 41.11 so I was down half a minute which I had expected but was still disappointed with.

The course is generally flat and suits a studded running shoe perhaps spikes if you own them. All of the run is over fields and tracks. The finish is a long straight besides the River Lark. During the race I had felt too warm and I had disposed of the hat and could have done without the sweatshirt, I will remember next year.

Mike Chambers from Saint Edmunds Pacers puts on a really well organised event and it does deserve a much bigger entry.

I will get round to loading up many other race pictures on to flickr as soon as I get time.

Lakenheath XC Suffolk 5

11am 5 miles in 41 minutes 11 seconds.

Week to date mileage 29

Month to date mileage 29

Average weekly rate 33.9

Average Monthly rate 147

Weather: Cold and grey

I decided to run the Lakenheath cross country five miler although I hadn't tapered my mileage in fact I have upped my mileage at the end of this
week.

I was also a bit in two minds whether to do the race as it coincided with the East Anglian derby Norwich City v Ipswich Town which had the odd kick off time of 11.15am!

I reckon there was roughly 140 starters for the 5 miler and a good number for the fun run. The race start is from the Lakenheath Cricket Ground.

The weather was misty which meant little could be seen of the landscape in the distance.

Before the start the race organiser informed us to be careful out on the course as at the far end there were a number of badger setts with some pot holes to avoid.

The course was all of road and was mostly over farm track, sometimes over fields and up and down embankments. What I remember most was the fields of dead sweet corn. Whether this was a failed crop or had been picked but the plants left standing and not ploughed who knows?

This was an enjoyable run but I personally ran poorly my time was disappointing. I expected to get well under 40 minutes whether this was because it was across country or I simply ran slower I don't know a bit of both I expect.

Well done to the organisers for putting the event on. The pot holes were well marked with sand and low branches with tape.

When I finished the race I was back to the car for the football score and I found out that Ipswich were drawing 1-1 at half time.

On the drive back to Bury I listened to the match on Suffolk Radio and it was clear Ipswich were on top. I caught the end of the match on Sky just in time to see Ipswich score a deserved winner and the East Anglian bragging rights until next season.

I will post some more photos of the event on my flickr site when I get time during the week.