Joe Cox Half Marathon 2010

St Mary's Church Buxhall

Finally the race that I have been training for really since the beginning of January arrived. On a dry but breezy day I set of for the new race venue headquarters which were in the small village of Buxhall in Suffolk.

The Headquarters were at a firm called John Deere a tractor and lawn mower company. There was plenty of car parking and the directions sent by the Stowmarket Striders who organised the race were good. The decision to switch the race from Gt Finborough last years venue was clearly a good one at least from the participants point of view.

As I got out of the car I was caught out a little by the weather. It was much cooly than yesterday with a chilly breeze blowing across the prominatory position of Buxhall. Walking to the headquarters to pick up my race number the views were quite stunning looking towards St Marys Church and the tower windmill in the village.

Joe Cox Medal

I wished I had brought my gloves and my thoughts were changing regarding what I was going to wear for the race. I had been confident the day before that I could just wear the St Edmund Pacers club singlet and shorts.

After picking up my race number I had nearly an hour to kill. This I did by listening to the latest episode of Marathon Talk podcast. I do think this podcast is one of the best out there at the moment. Good mix of training tips and humour in a magazine style format.

Junior Race at Buxhall

I then took in the start of the juniors funrun . There seemed to be a very good turnout of runners from the St Edmund Pacers.

It was then decision time on what to wear and I wimped out and decided to wear a long sleeved top under my race vest. The start at 11am came and I shot off too quickly carried along by those around but I felt good and I ran the first 2 mile loop in  7.43 and 7.31 miles. The course was very rural often along single track roads. The roads were open to traffic but there was very little and this didn't appear to be a problem.

Final bend

Finish in site

There were frequent drinks stations during the race I believe there was either 3 or 4. Drinks were provided in small bottles most of this being wasted after a few sips and then lobbed into the verge. This must provide the marshalls quite a lot of work in the tidy up.

After about 5 miles I felt warm and wished I wasn't wearing my long sleeved top and I toyed with removing it and chucking it but decided to just ignore it and hope for the best.

Bobby Moore Charity Runners

It has been so long since I last raced that I had forgotten how so much of the race is about the mental focus and whole miles go by once you get yourself into a trance like focus on the race and who is around you. The course was generally flat but large sections of the race were spent running up hill down in short bursts. The strong breeze was a constant consideration.

I began to stiffen up after around 10 miles and I stopped at the drinks station here to have a drink. Although I realised I had slowed my pace I was confident of finishing which was my first target. My second target was to get under 2 hours and if I ran well to get under 1hr .50 mins.

Daisy Tractor Girl

So I was pleased to complete the race in 1hr 48 mins on my watch and officially I believe in 1 .48.03. My mile splits for the race were

7.43,7.31,8.09,8.01,8.27,8.11,8.21,8.15,8.28,8.19,8.24,8.34,8.13 and 1.17

This is an average of an 8.15 pace so plenty to work on here but I am going to have a restful week before considering what to do next?

Stowmarket Striders Half Marathon 28th March 2010

I really have a focus to base my training on now. I have gone and done it and entered a race for the first time since June 2009.

I have entered the Joe Cox Half Marathon at Stowmarket Suffolk.  This year the race course is a new one with a new venue at Buxhall near Stowmarket. I did last years race when I was feeling fairly fit and did a 1.45. 39 time I think. I doubt even with a successful 11 training programme that I will get close to this time because I don't have a solid base of regular running behind me.

The main thing for me is to finish with confidence and get familar with road racing again. Even if I run it as a training run it is the taking part and the experience of the event that counts.

Photos from last years race at Stowmarket

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.

Scenic Seven at Stowmarket Suffolk

5.30pm 7 miles in 53 mins 17 seconds
Week to date mileage 19 miles
Month to date mileage 39
Average weekly rate 29.7 miles
Average monthly rate 129
Year to date 1336
Lifetime 10929

The Scenic Seven is a regular fixture in my racing calender and despite my lack of training and various injuries I headed to the Stowmarket Sports centre for this race. It always takes place on Remembrance Sunday and the 2 minute silence is always impeccably observed leading to a 11.02 minute start.

This year like many others I must have run 2 dozen laps of the sports centre car park before the start as a chilling drizzle accompanied by a breeze meant standing still was not a great option.

This year Stowmarket Striders had a record entry of over 400 and 379 finishers. The Sports Centre as a HQ must play a big part in this offering as it does a good size hall for pre race and after race , showers and toilet facilities which makes a good base for any family accompanying a runner.

This was the first race that I have used my Garmin and I recorded the following times

Mile 1 7.28
Mile 2 7.45
Mile 3 7.47
Mile 4 7.07
Mile 5 8.05
Mile 6 7.20
Mile 7 7.36

From 3 to 4 miles you pretty much have a downhill mile before returning back up hill for a mile between the 4th and 5th mile. My leg abductor injury behalved itself until the hill and then provided a uncomfortable tug for the last 3 miles. This is my excuse for not beating last years time when I ran 52.41.

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Now playing: Ramones - Poison Heart
via FoxyTunes

Stowmarket Striders Friday 5

7.45pm 5 miles in 37 mins 2 mins

Week to date mileage 19 miles

Month to date mileage 107

Average weekly rate 29.9 miles

Average monthly rate 130

Year to date 738

Lifetime 10331

The Stowmarket Striders Friday 5 took place at Haughley Park which was once the home of the Dukes of Suffolk and you can see why with the extensive grounds and 17th century house.

This was my first attendance at the Stowmarket Friday 5 having previously only attended the Bury event. This is a lovely cross country event with 2 laps of a course combining woodland pathways, trackways and plenty of twists and turns and 1 or 2 hills.

I liked the fact it was 2 laps this gives the spectators in a short race something to view all of the time.

The weather held fair despite the ominous looking dark clouds and the appearance of a double rainbow proved that heavy showers were present in the area.

Entry on the night at the registration tent was possible and it certainly appeared that good numbers were taking part.

The only problem with the whole event was the lack of toilets. The four portaloo's couldn't cope with the numbers but it wasn't a big problem as large numbers chose to visit the bushes and water the rhododendron's.

After a good junior race the entries to the main race walked out to the start and then commenced along the flinty trackway back up a slight rise and past the spectators and into the woods where the course was lovely and shaded.

You had to watch your footing for trees roots and a few pot holes but this is an enjoyable course and a real pleasure to get of the road.

I ran most of the way with Chris Cook from Saint Edmund Pacers before he got a 2nd wind on the last lap and I couldn't keep with him and I see he just managed to catch Roger Brand before the finish line also from the Pacers.

I always prefer the t shirts given at races to the medals given at races and the bright distinctive orange t shirt given out at the end of this race was good.

My mile time splits were 6.28, 7.24,7.42,7.37 and 7.51 a right mixed bag of times !

Well done Stowmarket Striders great event!

Stowmarket Scenic Seven

11.02am 7 miles in52 minutes 37 seconds.

Year to date mileage 1141

Month to date 51 miles

Average miles per month 109

Average weekly rate 25.2

Weather: Sunny, mild and bright no wind.

Course: Start is from the Stowmarket Leisure Centre. This is a circular run which takes you through the villages of Onehouse, Harleston and Shelland. The course is as described and there is some beautiful scenery and some wonderful Suffolk pink farmhouses to admire.

There are two fair sized hills that you encounter. The first is just after the 4 mile sign and the hill is a fairly long drag of somewhere between a half mile and three quarters of a mile I would estimate. The second hill is somewhat shorter at around 6 miles. There are also some good down hill sections as well though.

Stowmarket is mid way between Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich and the Leisure Centre is easy to find. I believe there was a race entry of well over 300 which I can see from the Stowmarket Striders web site that this would mean there was a significant increase in entries compared to last year.

I arrived early least I thought I had at 10am but by then the car park was virtually full and I only just managed to find a space.

This was only my second race of the year and my first wearing the St Edmund Pacers Club Vest. As this was remembrance Sunday before the start we had a 2 minute silence for all those who have died in wars. This was well observed and I must have totally switched off as I didn't realise the race had started as I didn't hear any starting signal.

I set of well and was surprised by my first mile time of 7.07 which was too quick and not sustainable. At 2 miles my time was a more reasonable 14.28. At this point I think I had settled into the pace of the race which was run in bright sunshine and those who had decided to race in running gloves and bottoms must have regretted it.

I settled in behind a couple of Brandon Hern Hoppers who sheltered me from any wind and pulled me along. At 4 miles my time was 29.29 so I was still on a 7.22 pace. The hill at 4 miles is a long drag but consciously at this point you are over half way and thinking get up the hill and the worst is over. At 6 miles my time was dead on 45 minutes which is 7 .30 pace so I must have ran 8 minute miles between the 4 and 6 mile point. My final mile was run in 7.37.

So my splits were approx

Mile 1- 7.07 Mile 2- 7.21 Mile 3- 7.21 Mile 4- 7.09 Mile 5- 8.10 Mile 6- 7.52 and Mile 7- 7.37

Finish time 52.37 which overall is 7.31 pace.

There were 2 drinks stations on this course, not many spectators and a few cars as the course is open to traffic. I would highly recommend this course to anyone who fancies a well organised event in the heart of Suffolk.

As to the distance being 7 miles not sure why apart from obvious that it enables you to finish at the Sports Centre. I guess there can't be many races at this distance? I would prefer it to be a 10k f there was some way of shaving of the 0.8 of a mile then you have an even better race but I guess you would lose the uniqueness of the event.

More photos of the race are on my Flickr site.

Beetons Way/Town Centre Circular Run Bury St Edmunds

Beetons Way/Town Centre Circular Run

5.45pm 5.2 miles in 42 minutes 5 seconds

Year to date mileage 1106

Month to date 16 miles

Average miles per month 109

Average weekly rate 25.1

Weather: Dry
This route runs along Risbygate Street and along Beetons Way. I am old enough to remember a lot of this land being part of the Suffolk Regiment Army Barracks. I seem to remember where the current West Suffolk Athletics track is now is where there used to be fields and allotments.

Now there is quite a busy road which runs out to Tollgate past the Upper Schools. From here I run into the Town Centre past the Railway Station and along Northgate Street. Eventually you pass the Town Hall (see photo) and continue on through Town Centre and back along Risbygate Street .

I received my number today for the Scenic Seven at Stowmarket on the 13th of November. As their web site says it is probably the best seven mile race in Suffolk! This will be my second race of the year and the first since I have joined St Edmunds Pacers. Stowmarket Striders have an excellent website and is well worth a visit.