Horringer School/Hospital/Cullum Rd Newmarket Rd Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 5.4 miles in 42.02 minutes

Week to date mileage 5.4 miles

Month to date mileage 129

Average weekly rate 30.4

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1314

Lifetime 9334

Took this run easy with the Scenic 7 being on Sunday

30 Oct 06 42.0
3 Oct 06 41.15
19 Sep 06 41.39
8 Sep 06 41.01
1 Aug 06 41.45
28 July 06 42.25
17 July 06 42.46
13 June 06 42.08
11 May 06 43.21
27 Mar 06 42.41
8 Mar 06 42.13
24 Feb 06 42.33
16 Feb 06 44.0
10 Feb 06 41.50
2 Feb 06 42.38
17 Jan 06 42.50
10 Jan 06 42.52
1 Jan 06 41.45
14 Dec 05 42.47

West Suffolk Athletics Track

6.30pm 7.8 miles in 1 hr 1 mins 56 secs

Week to date mileage 7.8

Month to date mileage 37

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1352

Lifetime 9372

I decided not to do all of the track session tonight as I am running the Stowmarket Scenic 7 on Sunday.

The session consisted of 3 sets of 4 x 3 minute intervals with a short recovery in between. Each set was followed by a 400 metre faster lap. I warmed up by running to the track and then doing 5 laps of the track.

I warmed down with a further 4 laps before running home.

Gt Barton Suffolk

8am 10 miles in 1 hr 23 mins 39 secs

Week to date mileage 36

Month to date mileage 30

Average weekly rate 30.5

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1344

Lifetime 9364

The weather is ideal at present for running, cool, bright,weak sunshine days. I decided to venture out towards Gt Barton.

I ran through the centre of Bury St Edmund's along Eastgate Street at the end of which lies the ruins of St Nicholas Hospital. The exact date of build is apparently unknown but seems to be around the 12th century. I must have run past this many a time but only noticed some graffiti in the walls today where someone has carved the date of 1715 in the wall. Whether there is any significance to this date I don't know. It was the year of the Riot Act being passed in England which forbid groups of more than 12 people to congregate on the streets. It was also the year of the Jacobite Rebellion and perhaps a wounded solider in this hospital has carved their name and initials in the wall.

I ran on until I was running alongside the busy A143 road to Gt Barton. Up by the Anglenook Cottages the sugar beet harvest has been piled high beside the road. It was here that I decided to take the Colton's Ride Track. This is a good alternative to running beside the A143 and takes you into Gt Barton arriving at the church of St Holy Innocents.

I carried on along Green Lane to some old cottages with unusual chimneys at Shinham Bridge before retracing my steps home.

Horringer Farm Suffolk

3.15pm 7 miles in 57 mins 23 secs

Week to date mileage 26

Month to date mileage 20

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1334

Lifetime 9354

I decided late in the day on a short run. I normally get out early mornings to run at week ends but as I was feeling tired I nearly didn't venture out. I decided on an off road run over Horringer Farm so I could make best use of my new Inov 8 roclite shoes.

I am not actually sure of the name of the fields I run over but I presume it is all part of Little Horringer Hall Farm. The fields are on a fair gradient and it is popular with the occasional dog walker.



Today the sun was setting and it was getting dark when I completed my run.

Bury St Edmunds Cullum Rd,Ramada Hotel and Newmarket Rd

5.30m 5.4 miles in 42 mins 37 secs

Week to date mileage 19

Month to date mileage 13

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1327

Lifetime 9347

A slow run on a regular route.

2006 24 Oct 41.10
2006 19 Oct 41.08
2006 6 Oct 41.06
29 Sep 42.10
29 - Aug 40.40
27 Jul 40. 47
13 Jul 41.11
6 Jun 41.33
18 May 41.18
7 Apr 40.30
7 Mar 41.31
3 Mar 41.34
21 Feb 41.35
27 Jan 41.56
13 Jan 41.30
2 Jan 42.42
2005 23 Dec 43.34
9 Dec 42.0
6 Dec 42.04
29 Nov 42.17

West Suffolk Athletic Track

6.15pm 7.8 miles in 1 hr 1 min 16 secs

Week to date mileage 13

Month to date mileage 8

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1322

Life time 9342

A tough session tonight at the track in cold weather requiring leggings to be worn throughout the session.

The session consisted of 3 sets of 6 x 2minute intervals with a short recovery in between. I warmed up by running to the track and then doing 5 laps of the track.

I felt fairly good and ran most of the intervals in a 7 minute mile pace. I was fairly steady throughout up until the last 2 intervals when I lost the rest of the group as my legs had turned to jelly.

I ran home fairly slowly.

Horringer School/Hospital/Cullum Rd/Newemarket Rd Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 5.4 miles in 42 minutes

Week to date mileage 5.4 miles

Month to date mileage 129

Average weekly rate 30.4

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1314

Lifetime 9334

An ok run.

3 Oct 06 41.15
19 Sep 06 41.39
8 Sep 06 41.01
1 Aug 06 41.45
28 July 06 42.25
17 July 06 42.46
13 June 06 42.08
11 May 06 43.21
27 Mar 06 42.41
8 Mar 06 42.13
24 Feb 06 42.33
16 Feb 06 44.0
10 Feb 06 41.50
2 Feb 06 42.38
17 Jan 06 42.50
10 Jan 06 42.52
1 Jan 06 41.45
14 Dec 05 42.47

Ickworth Park Bury St Edmunds

8am 9 miles in 1 hr 15.2

Week to date mileage 25

Month to date mileage 115

Average weekly rate 30.4

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1309

Lifetime 9329

A cold and misty morning. The weather has finally turned a lot colder requiring me to dig out my leggings for the first time for many months.

I decided to get off road as soon as possible and I headed through Horringer Farm and along Westley Lane till I reached the gatehouse entrance to Ickworth Park. Inside the park I turned right along a well marked path. I ran as far as I could and then as I expected the path was suddenly blocked by a wire fence to keep sheep penned in so I retraced my steps back to Adkins Wood.

I had a run around Adkins Wood before returning home.

Bury St Edmunds Town Centre Circular Rin

5.30pm 4.4. miles in 35.46

Week to date mileage 16

Month to date mileage 115

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1300

Lifetime 9320

In this short run I head out along Westley Rd and on to Newmarket Rd. I turn right to head along Beeton's Way,past the Sports Centre and the Upper Schools. Down Tollgate Lane and turn right along Fornham Rd , Out Northgate Street and then Northgate St.

At the bottom of Mustow Street I head on to the Angel Hill, up Abbeygate St through the Cornhill and on to Brentgovel St. I then keep straight along Risbygate Street, Out Risbygate Street before heading up Westley Rd and home.

Excepting the potential number of possible stops for traffic as you cross the road a fair number of times this is a short good route.

River Linnett Bury St Edmunds

5.30m 6 miles in 49 mins 40 secs

Week to date mileage 11

Month to date mileage 110

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1295

Lifetime 9315

Tonight I ran in my new Inov 8 Roclite shoes from Joe Jogger.
The shoes are a bit more rugged and designed for off road running. I have found that as I run a lot off roads that ordinary shoes only last me sometimes 300-400 miles. So I am giving these a try. Once again service from Joe Jogger was excellent.

Tonight in the dark gloom I ran around Horringer Field and then up and down by the River Linnett. It was a case of dodging in between the many dogs out for a an evening walk their owners not always to be seen or at some distance behind.

The shoes coped very well and certainly give good grip and kept my feet dry despite running in ankle wet grass. Hopefully these should be good for the forthcoming cross country season

Bury St Edmunds, Cullum Rd, Ramada Hotel and Newmarket Rd

5.30m 5.4 miles in 41 mins 10 secs

Week to date mileage 5

Month to date mileage 104

Average weekly rate 30.4

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1289

Lifetime 9309

A steady run on a regular route.

2006 19 Oct 41.08
2006 6 Oct 41.06
29 Sep 42.10
29 - Aug 40.40
27 Jul 40. 47
13 Jul 41.11
6 Jun 41.33
18 May 41.18
7 Apr 40.30
7 Mar 41.31
3 Mar 41.34
21 Feb 41.35
27 Jan 41.56
13 Jan 41.30
2 Jan 42.42
2005 23 Dec 43.34
9 Dec 42.0
6 Dec 42.04
29 Nov 42.17

Nowton Park Bury St Edmunds

8am 10.2 miles in 1 hour 26mins 23 secs

Week to date mileage 35

Month to date mileage 99

Average weekly rate 30.5

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1284

Lifetime 9304

My route this morning was to head through the town centre along Cullum Rd and on to Nowton Park. I decided I ws going to run a couple of laps of the park but changed my mind half way round. Instead I picked up a path at Nowton Lodge Farm at Low Green and headed up towards Sicklesmere.

This pathway is mainly farmland with a few horses. I will return another time as I see you can run all the way out to Sicklesmere this way which is a nice alternative to runing along the A134.

I returned into Nowton Park and completed a lap before venturing into the town centre and returning home.

The weather continues to be mild, damp and misty and all the talk is of green taxes to cope with global warming. We are nearing November and the grass is still growing and the temperatures continue to hover around 18c.

Fornham All Saints Suffolk

8am 8 miles in 1 hour 6 mins 12 seconds

Week to date mileage 24

Month to date mileage 89

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1274

Life time 9294

I set of along the Newmarket Road and headed past the crematorium towards Hyde Wood. Along Hyde Wood there were a good number of trees with a plentiful supply of very small crab apples which had begun to fall and cover the road. I returned through Fornham All Saints into Bury and back past the Upper Schools St Benedicts and County Upper up Beetons Way and home.

Bury St Edmunds, Cullum Rd, Ramada Hotel, Newmarket Rd

5.30pm 11 miles in 41 mins 8 seconds

Week to date mileage 16

Month to date mileage 81

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1266

Life time 9286

A steady run on a regular route. By the end of the run I was running in near darkness a sign of the long winter ahead.


2006 6 Oct 41.06
29 Sep 42.10
29 - Aug 40.40
27 Jul 40. 47
13 Jul 41.11
6 Jun 41.33
18 May 41.18
7 Apr 40.30
7 Mar 41.31
3 Mar 41.34
21 Feb 41.35
27 Jan 41.56
13 Jan 41.30
2 Jan 42.42
2005 23 Dec 43.34
9 Dec 42.0
6 Dec 42.04
29 Nov 42.17

Norton, Hunston, Stowlangtoft Suffolk

9am 11 miles in 1 hour 32 mins 6 seconds

Week to date mileage 11

Month to date mileage 75

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1260

Life time 9280

For todays run I parked the car at the Dog at Norton. Norton is a village about 6 miles to the East of Bury St Edmunds close to the train line and the A14 about 2 miles from Thurston. The weather was misty with a drizzle and was not the greatest day for a long run.

I set of towards Rookery Farm before taking the pathway along Church Lane. Arriving at St Andrews Church my original plan had been to take a farm track past the Old Rectory across farm land direct to Stowlangtoft. However I soon went wrong and it is only after wards that I realise where I actually ran.

I ran to the right of St Andrews Church and so quickly emerged on the Ashfield Road. Here I turned left and quickly arrived at the small hamlet of Norton Little Green. Here there are 2-3 farms and many horses.

I soon picked up a left turn along a minor road which took me through the hamlet of Hunston Green. Keeping fairly straight along this road I arrived at a beatiful village called Hunston. From here I had a difficult choice either to carry on to Badwell Ash, visit Langham or keep along the main road to Stowlangtoft. I chose the latter as the weather wasn't great.

On reaching Stowlangtoft after 45 minutes of running I decided the church of St George would be the end of my venture and my returning point. It was a pitty the weather wasn't great as it prevented me seeing the surroundings to their best effect but there is no doubt this is a beautiful area.

I returned by the same route arriving back a little quicker and having time to venture a little through Norton on the Ickworth Road.

Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

8am 7.5 miles in 1 hour 4 mins 40 seconds

Week to date mileage 31

Month to date mileage 64

Average weekly rate 30.2

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1249

Life time 9269

An easy run around the town centre following no particular course. I ran over the old cattle market as this is set to change beyond recognition over the next year as the new shopping development is built. On the whole I welcome it but still will miss seeing livestock animals in what was the heart of the working part of this town.

For ever more gone will be the days when you could see pigs, cows and sheep being brought to market to be sold and we will only be able to read about it in books such as those by Adrian Bell. I believe it might have been his book called Corduroy which desribes his experience as an apprentice farmer bringing cows to market at Bury and drinking at the Rising Sun. In this book (if I have got the right one) he describes how a bull gets loose and runs amok in Risbygate Street. Incidentially Adrian Bell is the father of war correspondent and mp Martin Bell. Adrian Bell was also founder of the Times crossword.

Ickworth Park Adkins Wood Suffolk

8am 10.2 miles in 1 hour 24 minutes 30 seconds

Week to date mileage 24

Month to date mileage 57

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average monthly rate 132

Year to date 1242

Lifetime 9262

A very misty morning so I was in 2 minds whether to bring a camera or not as I really couldn't see much apart from a few feet in front of me. I brought it anyway hoping it might clear a little.

I ran through Horringer farm into Ickworth Park. Imeadiately turning right and into Adkins Wood which was very muddy and it was a case of jumping the puddles in places. Disturbed a large number of deer running through the woods in Lady Katherines Wood I ran as far as Ivy Cottage before returning back to the lake at Lady Herveys Wood.

I went over the pontoon bridge to the Summer House at the Canal Lake and then tppk the pathway through the centre of Ickworth Park. It was busier than normal as the park was holding an annual wood sale. Vans and trailers were descending on the park to stack up with winter supplies.

The mist never did clear and I returned home.

Horsecroft Nowton and Bury St Edmunds Circular Run

8am 7.5 miles in 1 hour 2 mins 25 seconds

Week to date mileage 14

Month to date mileage 47

Average weekly rate 30.1

Average Monthly rate 131

Year to Date 1232

Life time 9252

I set of for my run up Hospital Road past the statue of Ouida. This statue has seen better days and could do with a clean anyone listening?? Its design is to provide a drinking trough for dogs and horses. Her real name was Louise Rame and she was born in Bury St Edmunds in 1839 died 1908.

This memorial stone was placed in 1908 from funds raised by national newspapers . Apparently several thousand people came from all over the country came to pay tribute to this author who was one of the most popular novelists of her age.

Has anyone ever read one of her stories? They appear to be romantic tales perhaps a bit Catherine Cookson and include

Under Two Flags (1867), Moths (1880), and In Maremma (1882). Her stories for children include Two Little Wooden Shoes (1874), Bimbi (1882), andthe Dog of Flanders (1872).

One of her quotations was "A cruel story runs on wheels, and every hand oils the wheels as they run."

She made a lot of money from her books but apparently squandered it in London at Langhams where she held large parties. Apparently she wrote a number of her books at Langhams surrounded by candles writing with a quill on purple paper. She died in near poverty in Italy.

Her statue is largely forgotten these days.

I continued my run through Hardwick Heath which has some wonderful trees including large Cedar of Lebanon trees and was once the home of Italian prisioners of war.


I soon picked up the Hencote Lane path which takes you across the centre of farms which I presume belong to the Horsecroft farm. In the middle of the field there is a fourway crossing point where the Bury to Clare footpath meets the Hencote Lane path and I took the former back to Nowton. The pathways were particulalrly wet and my feet were soaked.

Back past Breckley Ley House and along by Nowton Park into Bury through the graveyard and the town centre and

home.

Westley Rd and Newmarket Rd Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

5.30pm 6 miles in 48mins 37 seconds

Week to date mileage 6

Month to date mileage 39

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1224

Life time 9244

I ran two laps of a circular route along Westley Rd through Westley Estate past the school and along Newmarket Rd to the Costcutter garage and back around Westley Rd. I reckon this is roughly a 2 mile circuit. I am trying to run these fairly hard but not at race pace.

I did the same run on the 14th of September but this time slightly improved my times. My previous times are in brackets, first lap was run in 16.13 (16.38) and the 2nd in 16.22 (16.35). I did a warm up and a couple of miles warm down. Fairly pleased with this run.

Felixstowe Half Marathon

11am 13.1 miles in 1 hour 46mins 16 seconds

Week to date mileage 24

Month to date mileage 33

Average weekly rate 30.3

Average Monthly rate 132

Year to Date 1218

Life time 9238

Today I travelled down to the Suffolk coast to take part in the Felixstowe Half Marathon. I was feeling far from confident based on recent training but thought I would give this race a try having never run here before.

There was plenty of parking at the seafront carparks and having arrived early there was time to venture along the beach before the race. The headquarters for the race was the sports centre and brisk business was being done on the late race entries, the weather being so good sunny warm and dry.

This course is 2 laps with plenty of contrast starting along the coast and promenade before venturing up hill in to more rural countryside before returning into town and downhill back to the seafront. Talking to runners I had been warned about a sharp hill which obviously being a 2 lap course you need to run up twice. However whilst there is a hill it really isn't that steep and on the first lap I was still waiting for the steep hill when we reached the end of the first lap.

Along the promenade you have the advantage of a very well supported crowd of spectators lining the walls on both sides shouting encouragement. The race also boasts 2 comperes who entertained the crowd with their unique sense of humour. Dressed as hooray henries or spivs they kept a conversation going with the crowd at the start.

The good weather encouraged a record entry for this race of 456 and in good warm sunshine the race set of at 11am. I felt good for the first few miles of this race. My aim being to beat my time I ran at the Norwich Half Marathon in June of 1.49.03. My plan was to make sure every mile I ran was under 8 minutes and then to see how I felt later in the race as to whether I could push on.

My splits for the race were as follows

Mile 1 7.23
Mile 2 7.32
Mile 3 7.50
Mile 4 8.00
Mile 5 7.57
Mile 6 7.42
Mile 7 7.38
Mile 8 8.25
Mile 9 8.13
Mile 10 8.19
Mile 11 9.15
Mile 12 8.38
Mile 13 8.17
Mile .1 1.00
Total 1 .46.16

As can be seen my plan worked up to 8 miles when my times started to slip badly and I began to be passed by a good number of runners. My legs felt like lead and I had a real lack of energy, my feet were burning (must look at getting some better socks) and my concentration went and rather than concentrate on the runner in front I was thinking of the finish. I supose mile 8 is rougthly where you encounter the hill on the 2nd lap. However there are plenty of downhills after this but I just didn't have the energy to pick up the pace.

My finishing time was better than Norwich by nearly 3 minutes but considering the heat I think my time at the Norfolk race was a bigger achievement.

This was a well organised race and a credit to Felixstowe Road Runners. I will certainly return again to have another bash at this course. It makes a good day out especially when you are as lucky as we were with the weather.

I finised 161st out of the 402 finishers,the winner running 1.12.57. There is a video of the race which you can watch at Felixstowe TV.