West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 7.50 miles in 55 mins 8 seconds
Week to date mileage 15 miles
Month to date mileage 99
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1297
Lifetime 10890

Another track session with the Saint Edmund Pacers. I am continuing to try and run with my leg injury. The Garmin device indicates my average speed for this sesion matched Monday's session identically at being 7.21 seconds per mile.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 7.12 miles in 52 mins 36 seconds
Week to date mileage 7 miles
Month to date mileage 92
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1289
Lifetime 10882

A club run as I haven't been blogging on a regular basis since being injured I no longer recall the session . The Garmin device is proving useful capturing loads of information but most usefully distance covered. There is also data on calories used, average speed , maximum speed and a breakdown of time spent running at different speeds split into ten zones. The zones can be set to your own profile and I have zones from 1 walk through to 10 which is maximum speed. Zone 8 is for fast intervals which is where I spent most of my time during this run.

Newmarket Road Bury St Edmunds

8.15am 4 miles in 32 mins 45 seconds
Week to date mileage 13 miles
Month to date mileage 85
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1282
Lifetime 10875

A forgettable run as I thought more about my injury then anything else. However wore my new running shoes a pair of Asics Gel Cumulus from Do Running who provide excellent quick service and a free technical t shirt with orders.


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Now playing: The Vibrators - Whips and Furs
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Newmarket Road Bury St Edmunds

1.15pm 2.61 miles in 23 mins 3 seconds
Week to date mileage 9 miles
Month to date mileage 81
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1278
Lifetime 10871

A very cautious run to test my leg which I quickly gave up after a couple of miles with a nagging pain.

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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm 6.72 miles in 52 mins 43 seconds
Week to date mileage 6.72 miles
Month to date mileage 78
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1276
Lifetime 10869

Another track session however my leg feels worse still so I am going to have to rest a few days and see what difference this makes.

Frustration!

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Fornham Suffolk Circular Run

8.15pm 7.1 miles in 58 mins 15 seconds
Week to date mileage 27 miles
Month to date mileage 71
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1269
Lifetime 10862

I am persisting with the running despite the injury. I am keen to re measure all the course I usually run to see how accurate my guesses have been on the distance now I have my garmin Forerunner 205 device.

On this course I wasn't far out it being 7.1 miles according to the watch compared to 7.2 on Mapmyrun and my original guess of 7.5 miles.

1. 2007 4th Aug 59.20
   
2. 2007 17th June 57.48
   
3. 2007 2nd June 59.00
4. 2007 28th May 57.19
5. 2007 12th May 58.29
6. 2007 18th March 57.54
7. 2007 12th March 56.40
8. 2007 10th March 59.25
9. 2007 1st Jan 58.26
10. 2006 23rd Dec 57.59
11. 2006 16th Dec 58.48
12. 2006 16th Nov 59.56
13. 2006 26th Aug 58.01
14. 2006 6th Aug 57.20
    
15. 2006 26th July 57.29
16. 09.07.06 58.44
17. 24.06.06 57.24
18. 03.06.06 59.17
19. 13.05.06 58.20
20. 6.05.06 57.03
21. 25.04.06 57.02
22. 18.05.06 56.51
23. 11.02.06 59.25
24. 14.01.06 1.0.05
25. 17.12.05 59.29
26. 29.10.05 59.52
27. 03.10.05 1.0.19
28. 11.09.05 1.0.14
29. 28.08.05 57.42
30. 19.08.05 59.36
31. 22.07.05 58.24
32. 10.07.05 59.48
33. 01.07.05 59.42
34. 23.06.05 1.4.0
35. 18.06.05 1.2.18
36. 29.05.05 1.0.26
37. 23.05.05 59.38
38. 5.4.05 1.2.41
39. 1.4.05 1.0.26
40. 19.3.05 59.0
41. 12.3.05 1.0.43
42. 5.3.05 1.2.16
43. 26.2.05 1.2.16
44. 6.2.05 1.1.23
45. 28.1.05 1.1.2.
46. 16.1.05 1.1.14
47. 8.1.05 1.3.19
48. 29.12.04 1.0.11
49. 24.12.04 1.1.26
50. 20.12.04 1.1.31
51. 3.12.04 1.1.13
52. 30.11.04 1.1.18
53. 11.11.04 1.0.32
54. 2.10.04 1.0.40
55. 24.09.04 59.50
    
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Fairy Lake at Ickworth Park Suffolk

11.15pm 7.8 miles in 1 hr 14 mins 22 seconds
Week to date mileage 20 miles
Month to date mileage 64
Average weekly rate 30.4 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1262
Lifetime 10855

What should have been a long run on my birthday turned out to be a very slow frustrating run as I struggled with my new injury. It is hard to run when you can feel a dull ache in your leg and are not sure whether further runs are causing more damage.

Frustration really as this time of year along with Spring are the best time for running the weather being wonderful. Also conscious of the clock change and the dark evenings so running in the daylight is precious valuable time.

Still I persisted and ran out to Ickworth park and as far as the Fairy Lake. I passed on the lovely soft pathway two sheep which has broken out of their field in search of better grazing, I slowed to a walk to pass them without scaring them too much. From whence they had come I am not sure as I couldn't see the rest of their flock.


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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm 7.64 miles in 54 mins 52 seconds
Week to date mileage 12 miles
Month to date mileage 57
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1254
Lifetime 10847

Another visit to the west Suffolk Athletics track. Whilst my cold is much better tonight I felt a strain in my leg running from the lower stomach , groin and back/side of the leg. Basically it feels like I have been kicked in the balls and there is a slight pull when I run.

I ran the session hoping it might pass but it didn't and was in the mind as I ran.

I also finally got one of those Garmin Forerunner 205 devices but apart from wearing it haven't really been able to think much about it as my focus is on the possible injury. I bought it from a website called blokesstuff.com for £98 which is the cheapest I could find in the UK and they delivered next day free of charge.

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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm 4.6 miles in 34 mins 17 seconds
Week to date mileage 4.6 miles
Month to date mileage 49
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 12346
Lifetime 10839

My running has suffered as I Have succumbed to a heavy cold and a sore throat recently. Tonight still not fully recovered I ventured to th track hoping a run might just clear me out a bit (pleasant I now but a run does this for you some times it comes with having to breathe rather hard and having your mouth slightly open in a permanent grimace or smile as you swallow up any flies or gnats in the general vicinity _ perhaps I have got blue tongue!) but it didn't really and I admitted defeat half way through the session and returned home.

I did 2 90's , 2 75's , 2 60's 2 75's and 2 more 90's for 1 set.


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Box People of Bury St Edmunds

I fear the Box People are no more but here is one of their video escapades in the centre of Bury St Edmunds.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm miles in 1hr 23 mins 36 seconds
Week to date mileage 38 miles
Month to date mileage 38
Average weekly rate 30.9 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1235
Lifetime 10828

Lots of short fast stuff tonight at the track tonight

3 sets of 8, then 7 then 6 - 75 second efforts at 5k pace.

With a bit of a niggle in my knee I switched to grass for the final set which seemed to work for me.

Sicklesmere Suffolk

8.15am 10 miles in 1hr 23 mins 36 seconds
Week to date mileage 38 miles
Month to date mileage 38
Average weekly rate 30.9 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1235
Lifetime 10828

30.6.2007 1 hr 22.35
10.9.2005 1hr 22. 11
15.4.2005 1 hr 24.06
15.1.2005 1 hr 25.36
2.9.2004 1 hr 27.35

Course: From town centre through the water meadows and out onto the A134 road to Sudbury. There is a good pathway for about 3 miles although it is besides an A road so this does mean plenty of traffic. When the pathway finishes return by the same route. This is around the village sign to Lt Whelnetham.

Set off slowly today and ran outward leg in 42.30 but returned in a much better time of 41.06 . The outward leg includes two good downhill sections early in the run so on the return the finish of the run is up hill which makes my time for the 2nd leg even better.

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk Circular Run

8.15am 9 miles in 1hr 13 mins 44 seconds
Week to date mileage 28 miles
Month to date mileage 28
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1225
Lifetime 10818

Adkins Wood is a lake and woodland run around Ickworth Park. Deer culling is in progress but thankfully no sign of this today. East Anglia seems to have a high population of deer compared to the rest of the country if the no of road accidents is anything to go by or maybe the driving leaves a lot to be desired in these parts.

On a damp morning the Fairy Lake and the Canal Lake were shrouded in mist. The pontoon bridge between them has been pulled up and stacked in broken sections. I had noted that the boards had become unstable in previous runs to the point of being uncertain whether you were going to put your foot straight through. Instead the ground is a bit damp in this wet area of undergrowth and tree cover next to a stream between the two lakes.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Session Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 7 miles in 58 mins 36 seconds
Week to date mileage 12 miles
Month to date mileage 12
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1209
Lifetime 10802

My memory is a sieve and I can't remember what we did last week in the way of an interval session at the track , this comes of getting way behind on blogging and a lack of time generally. I think we did some 2.30 splits but then again........

Bury St Edmunds Town Centre

5.30pm 5 miles in 42 mins 18 seconds
Week to date mileage 5 miles
Month to date mileage 5
Average weekly rate 30.6 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1202
Lifetime 10795

After Sunday's Felixstowe Half marathon I gave the Monday track session a miss in preference to an easy run tonight.

Felixstowe Half Marathon 30th September 2007

11am 13.1 miles in 1 hr 44 mins 46 seconds
Week to date mileage 30 miles
Month to date mileage 160
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1197
Lifetime 10790

I rate the Felixstowe Half Marathon as the best road race on the Suffolk calender. It has everything great marshaling , crowd support and an easy to find headquarters for the start of the race. Add to this a seaside promenade with plenty of entertainment for any family and friends who might accompany you to a race. Then offer a course that offers a mix of rural countryside, town centre and 1-2 hills then you have the ingredients for a great race which this event has and no wonder there was no opportunity for late race entries - you need to book in advance!

The weather was a repeat of the previous year with good sunshine but with an autumn feel.

Last year I managed a time of 1.46 .19 so this was my target to try and beat this . I decided to start at a much more gentle pace at the beginning and it took some time to reach the start line hence a difference in my official finishing time of 1.45 and my watch time of 1.44.46.

My mile times that I remembered to record went like this :

Mile 1 7.50
Mile 2 7.38
Mile 3 7.50
Mile 4 7.54
Mile 7 8.24
Mile 9 7.58
Mile 11 8.32
Mile 12 8.06
Mile 13 8.58

Clearly I slowed on the 2nd lap but unlike last year my legs didn't stiffen up to the point of feeling that I was just putting one foot in front of the other.

Once again Felixstowe TV were present and you can watch a video of the event which is fairly unique among events in Suffolk as far as I am aware. Well done Felixstowe Road Runners!

I will load many others photos of this event on my flickr site when time permits.

Newmarket Road Bury St Edmund Suffolk

5.30pm 4.1 miles in 34 mins 57 seconds
Week to date mileage 17 miles
Month to date mileage 147
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1184
Lifetime 10777

Another slow tapering run prior to Sundays race at Felixstowe. I did a couple of laps along Newmarket Road doing a circuit up by the Cost cutter garage and along Westley Road before passing Westley School.

Bury St Edmunds Town Centre

5.30pm 6 miles in 50 mins 25 seconds
Week to date mileage 13 miles
Month to date mileage 142
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1180
Lifetime 10773

On a very wet Wednesday evening rather than attend the track I decided on an easy run. With the Felixstowe Half Marathon I would have probably have still chosen to give the track a miss tonight. A track session this close to a race is not advisable though at my level and standard of running it is arguable if it makes any difference.

I ran past Horringer School and the Glad Abbot pub and then headed up past the west Suffolk hospital and up to Moreton Hall. I turned for home here and ran back along Eastgate Street and back into town.

West Suffolk Athletic Track Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 6.5 miles in 53 mins 45 seconds
Week to date mileage 6.5 miles
Month to date mileage 136
Average weekly rate 30.8 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1174
Lifetime 10767

Dave Reed took tonights track session which consisted of 5 x 1.45 seconds with a 1.30 recovery in between at 5k pace and a 400 metres lap at the end of each set - with 3 sets in all.

I was able to comfortably run just over 400 metres for each 1.45 run and found that I improved my time for the 400 metres lap coming down to about 1.32 for the final lap.

Adkins Wood Ickworth Park Suffolk

9.15am 7 miles in 59 mins 17 seconds
Week to date mileage 40 miles
Month to date mileage 130
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1168
Lifetime 10761

A really good week for me in terms of putting in the running mileage and I am getting closer to my original annual target of running 31 miles a week. Today I headed out to Ickworth park via Horringer Hall farm.

The farm looks trim and tidy with the oilseed rape long since harvested and the ground now ploughed and rolled.

In Ickworth park I headed right at the entrance following a well trodden pathway but found the way blocked off and fenced.

I had forgotten that the sheep have been moved from their summer pasture to this part of the park for the winter. After returning back to the entrance gates I climbed the stile into Adkins Wood and did a short lap of the woods before returning home.