Week 3 of Janathon & The Green Hornet

Horsecroft Road

 A six miler today. Not bad but I had intended to run a 9 but due to the heavy rain I didn't get out until 2pm. Some how the odd time, as I normally run mornings or evenings left me feeling a bit flat in my running. So I called it quits after 6 miles as I was progressively slowing down in my mile times.

There was also the problem of the flooded road which I suppose I could have waded through but I would have got wet feet and knowing my luck a car would have come at the same time if I had tried.  I was planning an out and back but instead ran into the centre of Bury St Edmunds and along by the River Lark. This was muddy and sticky and the water levels were high.

River Lark

I will now look to do a long run towards the end of the week. As it is, 6 miles is more than my average run. I am hoping during this 3rd week of January to do 32 miles after my 30 last week and 26 before. I am hoping a steady progression will help improve my running. At the moment when I get beyond 4 miles or so I begin to slow and run out of puff basically. Not sure why or how to correct it but hoping that it will improve by running longer distances more often.

At Cineworld we went to see The Green Hornet. We had hoped to see the film in 2D unfortunately it was only available as a 3D film. What a pain 3D is! Apart from Avatar I haven't seen another film that I thought was worth the effort of donning the glasses. I just don't get 3D I really think it is just a ploy to charge more on the ticket price. There was no point to 3D with the Green Hornet film it added nothing.

I like the comic book hero type films such as Iron Man , Spiderman, Kick Ass, Scott Pilgrim v The World , Fantastic Four but Green Hornet was a disappointment. The side kick Kato is fine but The Green Hornet is a dufus and I realise that it is meant to be this way as this is a comedy. But he is such a meat head all of the time. The cars designed by Kato are great but the film is lengthy and there are not many laughs. A 5 out of 10 for me not helped by the awful 3D.

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
Day 17 - 6 miles

Total 72 miles

Longest Run since injury

I ran for an hour this morning recording 6.5 miles in my diary. Felt pretty good and a few hours on my foot hasn't flared up to cause me any problems. It felt a little tight when I finished and I was wondering if the the dreaded plantar fasciitis had returned.

Beside the River Lark

However I think I am OK and it is just my body saying what are you doing ? My breathing isn't quite smooth and regular as I lack any stamina, I feel like a slow slug because of the extra weight I am carrying but I am happy to be running again

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Today I was able to run a bit further afield. Up to now all my runs have been so short that I haven't had time to venture far or felt confident enough that I wasn't going to break down injured and therefore didn't want to be several miles from home.

I went out of Bury St Edmunds and up the Rushbrooke lane. This morning was a little cool with an Autumn feel in the air but thankfully after almost two days of continuous rain there was some sunshine.

I returned through Bury St Edmunds past the Haberdean Rugby Ground and along No Mans Meadow and the River Lark. Through the Graveyard and up Abbeygate St and Risbygate to home.

Rushbrooke Lane

Good work out . My mileage for the week at the moment is very low only totalling around 16. I am gradually adding more time to 1-2 runs per week and as I do my total mileage will rise hopefully to get a solid base of 30 -40 miles . If my body is willing?

Bats and a good run in Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

Last night my better half and I visited Nowton Park in Suffolk for an advertised guided walk at dusk. The walk indicated the possibility of hearing various bird songs and tempted to learn a little we ventured out at 7.30pm to the park.

We arrived met the ranger Malcolm and his daughter then waited for others to turn up. We waited in vain for this as no one else did! We were the only ones who turned up for the walk despite it being free and advertised in a leaflet. Not wanting to keep the ranger out just for us we did ask if he wanted to carry on but as it was his job to be there anyway he confirmed that the walk could go ahead.



Although we didn't see or hear any unusual bird life the highlight came at the end of the walk when we reached the lime tree avenue.  The ranger produced a monitor which detected  the frequency pitch of pipistrelle bats. I have never seen so many bats and as we walked down the lime tree avenue there must have been hundreds of bats diving through the air. Fantastic experience and totally free. Thanks to Malcolm and his daughter.

After last nights walk I ventured out at 8am for my long run of the week. I am building my base slowly and my log run at present is just 55 minutes. I am running for time and by heart rate monitor at the moment. The weather was good , warm with a breeze. I wore a technical t shirt and shorts with my Saucony Jazz 13's. I really like these shoes immeadiately comfortable straight from the box, light but supportive for the neutral runner.

My run today consisted of a slow 5 min jog warm up and warm down which sandwiched 40 minutes of steady green zone running. This is a meduim effort run run which keeps my heart rate around 150 bpm. Adidas Micoach states:-

• Heart Rate coaching takes into account how you’re feeling each day. If you feel stressed or tired, your heart beats a little faster. As a result, you can run a little slower than usual while remaining in the zone. This helps prevent overtraining on days when you could use a break. Conversely, if you feel great, your heart rate will remain lower and you’ll be able to go faster while staying in the zone. Heart Rate also accounts for challenging terrain. If it’s hilly, for instance, you won’t need to run as fast to remain in the zone.
• Seeing results: Check your charts to see how your average speed per zone increases as your fitness improves. For instance, you may simply walk to stay in the Blue Zone at first, but as your fitness improves you may find that you’re able to jog in the Blue Zone.

I am really enjoying the Adidas micoach, I feel freed up not having to look at my watch to see my distance and times. I am running more slowly than I used to but to avoid injury I think this is sensible and hopefully by following the heart rate monitor my fitness and speed will improve.

My route took me through Bury St Edmunds town centre  and into the Abbey Gardens and along by the River Lark.

My stats today were :-

55 minutes
759 calories
5.3 miles
heart rate average 139 bpm
pace 10.26
stride rate 189 steps a min

73% of the time I kept to my heart rate zone. my heart rate remained in the green zone and didn't drop back to the slower blue zone jog pace at the end of the run 

Please with today as this was my longest run and it was pain free.

Sunday Long Run

MY last long run of my half marathon training schedule called for a 14 miler. To be honest I didn't quite manage it and I did exactly 13.1 miles in a time of 1.56.26 at an 8.53 pace. The Runners World SMART Coach training plan suggested a 9.09 mile pace so I was within this.

Next Sunday when it comes to the race will I be able to run a bit quicker? I just don't know. My prime target having not raced for so long is just to complete a race. I think I have already concluded that following the Runners World Smart coach plan has been a success for me. What I have got back is a core mileage base and  a confidence to be able to go out and run 10 -13 miles. Before the plan during the second half of last year my long run was seven miles. As long as I run under 2 hours I will be happy having a new pb for 2010 , a new target to then try and beat.

For all I know it could rain heavily and be windy on Sunday and battling the elements will be the main focus. Again as long as I get to the start line and then finish I will be happy.

Todays weather would have been ideal clear blue skies and quite cool at 7.30am. I visuted the villages of Fornham St Genevieve, Hengrave, Culford and Flempton on a circular run.

The first few miles were off road besides the river bank. As pleasant as it was besides the River Lark the ground was slippery and muddy in places. Getting back on to the road at Hengrave was actually a relief . On reaching Flempton I decided not to do and out an back run to avoid repeating the riverside run and instead returned to Bury St Edmunds via the grounds of Culford School and back to Fornham and home.

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.

Rver Lark from Fornham All Saints to Culford ,Fornham St Martin and Bury St Edmunds Town Centre

7.50am 10.5 miles in 1 hr 28 mins 30 seconds
Week to date mileage 35 miles
Month to date mileage 53
Average weekly rate 30.1 miles
Average monthly rate 131
Year to date 1091
Lifetime 10684

This run really begins for me when I pick up the footpath sign along the Mildenhall Road near the old malting's building. This takes you down to the River lark and a chance of a river bank run.

This is also the point where funding and seemingly will power ran out for the expensive project to develop the lark for larger boats to ferry large cargoes by river navigation. It succeeded from Mildenhall up to this point in Bury St Edmunds but funding and the coming of the railway ended this ambitious project.

When you reach the banks of the river following the course of the river takes you through the Suffolk Golf and Country Club.

You always have to keep one eye on a potential golf ball hitting you but running between the large weeping willow this is a lovely spot. However the peace and tranquility of the river bank only really comes after crossing over the road at Fornham All Saints and resuming the River Bank run. Here you lose the golfers in there Armani sweaters approved by Tiger Woods and the focus is on the river bank. One explanation for the name Golf is that it is really an abbreviation for Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden. Not sure if I believe that.

I soon disturbed a heron which flew up from the river and rested in a tree. Thoughts of Tarka the Otter ,Wind in the Willows and Tales from the Riverbank spring to mind. There are some great videos on You tube of Hammy the Hamster , Roderick the rat narrated by Johnny Morris a wonderful black and white series.

Onwards the river bank run takes you through to Culford and Hengrave. I chose to run into Culford before returning to Bury along the busy B1106 Thetford Road into Fornham St Martin and to extend the run I ran into Bury Town Centre before returning home .

River Lark Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

9am 6.4 miles in 53 mins 10 secs
Week to date mileage 36 miles
Month to date mileage 91
Average weekly rate 30.2 miles
Average monthly rate 131
Year to date 997
Lifetime 10590

I decided on a run around the town centre of Bury St Edmunds. There is always so much to see and after a good week's mileage this was easy work.

My run took me around the Abbey Gardens, I like the height added by the gardener to some of the flower borders. In the early part of the last century when entrance to the Botanical gardens was chargeable I imagine the gardens were more like Kew and some of the photographs give an impression of a jungle with lots of tall plants.

Over the bridge over the River Lark I ran two laps of the circular walk which takes you around No Mans meadow and the Haberden Rugby Club.

Many years ago I worked at the Haberden Service station before self service pumps were in operation. I believe 4 gallons were £5 and folks did ask for a fill up, a fiver's worth or so many gallons. The pumps didn't operate then in litres. I was still at school so this must have been around 1977/78.I can recall my hours on a Sunday were 9am to 7pm on my own with no official break though it could be quiet at times.

Abbey Gardens Bury St Edmunds and Moreton Hall

8am 8.1 miles in 1 hr 7 min 30 seconds

Week to date mileage 28 miles

Month to date mileage 14

Average weekly rate 29.9 miles

Average monthly rate 130

Year to date 920

Lifetime 10513

After a rest day yesterday I decided to run a little further distance today. I chose to run around the Abbey gardens and around Moreton Hall.

The Abbey gardens was fairly quiet and I ran around the park 1-2 before heading out along Eastgate Street and up around Moreton Hall.

The barley at Moreton Hall near the Sugar beet factory is looking ready for harvest any day. Where as the winter oil seed rape and many fields of wheat have already been harvested the barley remains standing for now with its long feathery appearance.

Back into the Abbey gardens via the bridge over the River Lark after doing the circular walk around No Mans meadow I was able to run around the park a bit more before running up Abbeygate Street and heading home

Culford Suffolk

1pm 5 miles in 40 mins

Week to date mileage 31 miles

Month to date mileage 119

Average weekly rate 30 miles

Average monthly rate 130

Year to date 750

Lifetime 10343

Parked just off the main street in Culford which is now well known for its public preparatory school in the grounds of the former home of the Marquis of Cornwallis. Cornwallis being the Commander who surrendered British forces at York Town in the war of independence

I immediately set off into the grounds of the school past St Mary's Church.

I stopped briefly at the back of Culford Hall before following a path named the David Anderson Way which led through some trees to the back of Culford Hall.
I continued past the lovely cricket ground and down to the River Lark and another visit to the Cornwallis Bridge.

Actually I am not sure what it is called but I have read that this was built under Cornwallis direction using an old cannon from a battle in India when he was the Governor General.


Back round past the front of the hall and then along the main road in Culford for another 20 minutes.

River Lark Run Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

12.30pm 7.2 miles in 56 mins 27 seconds

Week to date mileage 32

Month to date mileage 61

Average weekly rate 31.7

Average Monthly rate 138

Year to Date 1019

Life time 8797

Course:Head out through the water meadows and then turn left at Bury Rugby Club . Follow the path through No Mans Meadow which is at the back of the Abbey Gardens returning to Southgate Bridge and then returning over the meadows for a 2nd lap.Return home up Southgate Street past the Police Station and through the Abbey Gardens graveyard then through town centre, Risbygate street, Westley road and home.

This was my best run over this course as I simply blitzed my best time though I didn't feel particulalry fast or that I had made any extra effort to achieve it.

Plenty of rabbits near the Rugby ground including this one I nearly ran over.

















My previous times over this course are as follows

11. 28th April 06 58 minutes 8 seconds
10.15th April 06 58 minutes 50 seconds
9. 13th Feb 06 59 minutes 52 seconds
8.27th Dec 05 1 hour 3 mins and 23 seconds
7.19th 05Sep 56 minutes 42 seconds
6.29th 05 August 58 minutes and 7 seconds
5.2 july 05 1 hourand 53 seconds
4.26th june 05 1 hour and 9 seconds
3.28th May 05 58 minutes and 51 seconds
2.13th April 05 59 minutes and 25 seconds
1.11th March 05 1 hour and 31 seconds


The path besides the River Lark .

River Lark Run Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

7.30am 7.2 miles in 57minutes 33 seconds

Week to date mileage 26

Month to date mileage 83

Average weekly rate 32.1

Average Monthly rate 140

Year to Date 900

Life time 8678

Course:Head out through the water meadows and then turn left at Bury Rugby Club . Follow the path through No Mans Meadow which is at the back of the Abbey Gardens returning to Southgate Bridge and then returning over the meadows for a 2nd lap.Return home up Southgate Street past the Police Station and through the Abbey Gardens graveyard then through town centre, Risbygate street, Westley road and home.

This was my second best run over this course. The weather was already warming up despite it being just 7.30am. Clear blue skies and another warm day.

My previous times over this course are as follows

11. 28th April 06 58 minutes 8 seconds
10.15th April 06 58 minutes 50 seconds
9. 13th Feb 06 59 minutes 52 seconds
8.27th Dec 05 1 hour 3 mins and 23 seconds
7.19th 05Sep 56 minutes 42 seconds
6.29th 05 August 58 minutes and 7 seconds
5.2 july 05 1 hourand 53 seconds
4.26th june 05 1 hour and 9 seconds
3.28th May 05 58 minutes and 51 seconds
2.13th April 05 59 minutes and 25 seconds
1.11th March 05 1 hour and 31 seconds

Lark Valley River Path Suffolk

10am 7.5 miles in 1 hour

Week to date mileage 26

Month to date mileage 136

Average weekly rate 33.9

Average Monthly rate 147

Weather: Cold hard frost clear skies and sunny

Course - I set out from County Upper School in Bury St Edmunds and took the Thetford Road near the Tollgate Pub through Fornham St Martin.

I turned left at the first roundabout and went through Fornham St Genevieve before joining the Lark Valley Path. This pathway takes you along the side of the River Lark out to Mildenhall for about 15 miles. I only went as far as Hengrave. I saw a Heron busy hunting fish in the river and noticed that the Ducksluice Farm
looks like it is on the verge of falling down.

There were plenty of people out fishing near Kingsburyhill Woods. I think they looked at me and thought daft beggar what's he want to go running for in this cold weather and I kind of thought the same as to why you would want to sit in the cold and try to catch fish. I actually like coarse fishing but not in this weather.

Fornham Circular Run Suffolk

8.15am 7.5 miles in 1 hour 5 seconds

Week to Date mileage 18

Month to date mileage 62

Average Monthly rate 135

Weather: Dry cool.

The course - head out of Bury on the Beetons Way past Tollgate and through the village of Fornham St Martin. Return to Bury through Fornham All Saints along the A11101 Mildenhall Road , back to Tollgate and return up Beetons Way hill and home.

A bit slow this morning but I didn't set out to blow it hard and couldn't have any way.

The 2 pictures show a typical Suffolk Pink Thatched house and the River Lark. You can follow a path nearby that takes you on the Lark Valley Path also

known as St Edmunds Way. The pathway takes you 13 miles over to Mildenhall .

My times over the Fornham course over the last year have been as follows

17 Dec 59.29
29 Oct 59.52
3 Oct 60.19
11 Sep 60.14
28 Aug 57.42
19 Aug 59.36
22 Jul 58.24
10 Jul 59.48
1 Jul 59.42
23 Jun 64.0
18 Jun 62.18
23 May 59.38
5 Apr 62.41
1 Apr 60.26
19 Mar 59.0
12 Mar 60.43
5 Mar 62.16
26 Feb 62.16
6 Feb 61 .23
28 Jan 61.02
16 Jan 61.14

So a pretty average performance today some way of my best back in August when I did a 57.42. How did I do that ? Then again how did I run a 64.o back in June thats over a 6 minute difference between my best and worst getting on for nearly a minute a mile difference.

River Lark & Water Meadow Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

9.am 5.7 miles in 48min 16 secs.

Year to date mileage 1034

Month to date 83 miles

Average miles per month 109

Average weekly rate 25

Weather: A warm autumn day.

Course: A short run this morning through the Water Meadows, No Mans Meadows and by the River Lark.

Felt a bit sluggish this morning and I ran slowly, so slowly that I managed to run into a spiders web. There seemed to be an abundance of spiders webs hanging from bushes and trees,shining wet with morning dew.

I know many people are scared of spiders but it is said that without them we wouldn't be able to go outdoors so easily in the summer months as they keep down the number of flies, wasps, mosquitoes and gnats.

All spiders have venom glands but very few are poisonous and most cannot penetrate the skin. In Suffolk there are apparently over 400 types of spiders most of them are very small and hard to identify.

A spider that has excited naturalists in Suffolk is the fairly recent arrival of the wasp spider. Previously confined to the South Coast they are now spreading North and appear to be here to stay. If you spot one it is worth informing the Suffolk Naturalists Society.

Talking of spiders I have enjoyed both the first 2 spiderman films. I was always a reader of the Marvel Comics and still have a stack of these in the loft. The art work from Stan Lee and Steve Ditko was also impressive.Stan Lee was born in New York in 1922 and is now 83 years old.

An ideal music soundtrack to go with Spiderman 3 would be any of the Ramones Albums. I understand Spiderman comes up against the Sandman and it is released in May 2007

Moreton Hall Circular Run Suffolk

5.30pm 7.6 miles in 1hr 2 mins.

Year to date mileage 950

Month to date 141 miles

Average miles per month 106

Average weekly rate 24.4

Weather: Heavy rain showers

Course: Set of through the Town Centre along Cullum Rd and the Water Meadows. Along by the River Lark and No Mans Meadow then over the A14 bridge. I did a circuit around Moreton Hall before returning home via the Town Centre.

When looking at the low level of the River Lark in Bury St Edmunds you would hardly believe it was once navigable, however the barnack stone used to build the Abbey was transported up this river. The Barnack Hills are near Peterborough and the original medieval quarry is now a nature reserve.

September has been my second most successful month of the year for mileage

Jan 127 No of Runs 19
Feb 45 No of Runs 7
Mar 94 No of Runs 14
Apr 97 No of Runs 15
May 84 No of Runs 12
Jun 89 No of Runs 13
Jul 145 No of Runs 21
Aug 130 No of Runs 18
Sep 141 No of Runs 20

Total Runs for the year 139 out of 273 days which of course is a run every 2 days approximately.

My average distance that I run is 6.83 miles.

Favourite Beer!

River Lark and Water Meadows Run

6pm 7.2 miles in 56.42 Year to date mileage 912

Month to date 106 miles Average miles per month 106

Average weekly rate 24.4

Weather bright and sunny.

Course:Head out through the water meadows and then turn left at Bury Rugby Club . Follow the path through No Mans Meadow which is at the back of the Abbey Gardens returning to Southgate Bridge and then returning over the meadows for a 2nd lap.

Return home up Southgate Street past the Police Station and through the Abbey Gardens graveyard then through town centre and home.Ran this course in a new pb time.


I was generally running this course in 1 hour back in June so I may have improved a little though it was warmer of course.

One of the great things about living in Bury is the smells of the Town. I suppose it brings back memories from childhood. Today they were definitely brewing at Greene King and the lovely malty smell of what I imagined to be Abbot Ale floated on the breeze giving all passers by an intoxicating whiff of one of the great beers of this country.

Send me an e-mail and let me know your favourite beer I would have to say my favourites are

• Abbot Ale Greene King
• Speckled Hen Greene King
• Adnams Broadside Adnams Brewery
• Guiness
• Sneck Lifter Jennings Brewery from Cockermouth Lake District

Hardwick Trig/Nowton Park/Abbey Gardens Circular Run

10am 8 miles in 1hour 4mins 54 seconds.

Year to date mileage 827.

Month to date 18 miles

Average miles per month 103

Average weekly rate 23.6

Weather: Hot and sunny

Course: Ran out through Hardwick Heath and along Hencote Lane out to Hardwick Trig point. Ran over fields along the Bury to Clare footpath to Brecley Ley House. I then ran into the Abbey Gardens along the River Lark through town centre and home.

The two photos above are of the same building on the corner of Risbygate Street and St Andrews St South. Today it operates as an Estate Agents. From childhood I have always remembered it as being a Grocers. However the black and white photo depicts a time when it was a butchers shop. The display shows very elaborate decorated cuts of meat hanging outside the shop. All the staff seem to be posing for this photo with Mr Clarke who was the owner.

The black and white pictures are from a superb collection of photographs known as the Spanton Jarman Collection. The Bury St Edmunds Past and Present society are working on the restoration and storage of the negatives.

The Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds are well worth a visit if you are ever visiting Suffolk