The marathon week vLog is now live - it's 14 minutes long, so you might need a cup of tea and a biscuit:
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/vlog
Also, it'd be great to get your opinion on whether I should continue the vLog now that London is done. I've done a poll:
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/polls-view.php?id=4837
Thanks for watching
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/vlog
Also, it'd be great to get your opinion on whether I should continue the vLog now that London is done. I've done a poll:
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/polls-view.php?id=4837
Thanks for watching
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Before I forget, and so that I can spend the next half hour in bed, here's my marathon blog
We were up at 5am, to nervously make toast and porridge, to take on the bus with us. The time flew by as I dithered about, and soon Katie was standing over me, pointing out that we needed to leave in five minutes, and I still didn't have my socks on. I flapped about, and we stumbled out of the door, and walked over to the stadium to await the coach. Fortunately we were on time, and after a lecture from the driver about use of the toilet (number ones only) we were on our way.
The coach stopped at South Mimms for the traditional toilet stop (three other coaches full of runners were there at the same time), and it was very nice to make use of their facilities. For some bizarre reason, there was a sock stuck inside the toilet roll mechanism, bobbling about as I grabbed the paper. Back on the bus, and I ate my cold toast - still chewing fairly carefully to avoid my gammy wisdom tooth.
All too soon, we were making our way through the marshall blockades to get dropped off near the start. The three huge blimps looked really far away, but it was a short walk in reality. And even all too soonerer, it was time to hug Katie and say goodbye, which was very hard. We'd done all of our challenging long runs together, and it felt pretty strange not to be tackling this together
The green start was not at all like my memories of the blue start from 2008. It felt very sparse, as it only has about 5000 race numbers allocated to it, compared to more than double that for the other two. Within that, there was a fenced off celebrity area, and I was kicking myself that I hadn't paid much attention to the media emails I'd been receiving all week, reminding people to tick the relevant boxes to gain access to this area. I don't give any sort of a f*ck about the cast of Hollyboaks, or any other such flimsy shit, but it would have been awesome to meet Shane Williams. I bet they also had heated toilet seats and monkey butlers in there too, which might have been nice. Next time* maybe.
I bumped into becca7, who was looking cucumber-cool, and we chatted for a bit, before she went to get a drink, and I carried on wandering around the wet grass, not really knowing what to do with myself. I went to the quietest corner and phoned my boy, and kept him talking a bit, not really knowing what to say, but just wanting to be near somebody. A little bit of vLogging, then I phoned Katie to wish her another good luck. Then the next Fetchie, in the form of flanker, who was looking very trim and relaxed (I guess it helps a bit in marathons to have a fantastic ultra record under your belt).
I wandered into one of the changing tents, and found myself a little spot - there was really no room at all, so I stood around for a bit until someone else moved. Slowly and reluctantly (it was really cold outside) I got down to my racing kit, and tried to psych myself up a bit by listening to some choones. I was needing a wee, so I decided to get my bag done, and join a toilet queue. Next Fetchie met - DuncanG - very tall and smiley Outside the queues were massive (I can't help thinking the green start got a bit short changed overall), and I picked my way through them to dump my bag. I asked the baggage man if there were any urinals, and he said no, so I joined a loo queue, and stood in it for over half an hour as the time ticked away. I got talking to the man behind me and the lady in front, and with just about 15 people to go, I discovered that there were some urinals. Gah! But the queue for those had built up too, so I stuck where I was.
I felt a bit ballsy for the first time, as I wandered from the loos to the pens, with only a few minutes to go, and gave my Macmillan poncho to a shivering lady dressed as a dog. I met someone from Porthcawl (small world), and got my GPS fired up, and within a few minutes we were off - taking just two minutes to cross the start line thanks to the fancy-pants green start.
Shit! Here I am again, running the London Marathon. But with far less people, I had loads of room within about a hundred yards of crossing the start line - it was surreally low key. A man bouncing two basketballs was still finding his rhythm, and every few strides they'd go pinging across everyone's path, and he'd swear and chase after them. The whole first mile was pretty quiet, and I tried really hard to avoid running like a tool.
1) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m) 135/166bpm
The green start merges with blue after a mile, and the congestion was immediate - but it was also much harder to keep control of the pace. I saw a few Fetch shirts up ahead (inc. Clatters and another unknown Fetchie in an anniversary shirt). I let loads of people come past me, and tried to keep my concentration.
2) 1m - 9:38(9:38/m) 136/145bpm
3) 1m - 9:24(9:24/m) 132/139bpm
Things get even busier when the reds finally join up at three miles, and the traditional booing made me smile. There were quite a lot of runners weaving around, and I felt my feet get kicked from behind a few times, and lost count of the number of times that someone ran a diagonal right in front of me. When I run with Katie, she often tells me that my elbows swing out towards her face, and I might have kept them a bit tenser than normal during the race to help protect my path. For the last seven years I've remembered how much I loved the crowded atmosphere, but this time there were definitely times when I felt a little bit claustrophobic and hemmed in by the noise.
4) 1m - 9:36(9:36/m) 135/147bpm
5) 1m - 9:49(9:49/m) 139/146bpm
6) 1m - 9:56(9:56/m) 140/146bpm
By mile 5 I was starting to warm up quite a bit - it was weird, almost like overheating. I took my first gel - an iso one, so that I didn't have to try to make it to a water station. Normally I would do anything to avoid chucking my wrappers on the floor, but there were so many bottles and wrappers that I gave into it.
7) 1m - 9:54(9:54/m) 142/149bpm
8) 1m - 9:46(9:46/m) 145/156bpm
9) 1m - 9:41(9:41/m) 146/156bpm
In mile seven, one of the loveliest moments of the race happened. Out of nowhere, Mick and Phil appeared, Mick with a banner above his head, and Phil with his customary drinking straw. I gave Mick the biggest hug of the day thus far, and said hello to Phil and shook his hand. I was grinning like a loon for the next mile! The next thing I knew, Iron Mum came frolicking up beside me to say hello - she was running with the 4:15 pacer. They went off ahead for a bit, and I was a bit confused, as I thought I was nicely inside 4:15 at this point. But then your head starts thinking about starting pens, and guns and chips, and nothing makes sense.
10) 1m - 9:32(9:32/m) 146/150bpm
11) 1m - 9:33(9:33/m) 148/154bpm
I caught up with IM and the pacer again, and went past them, and thought I'd put some ground between me and the pacer with a couple of 9:30 miles, but then the next thing I knew, IM was tapping me on the shoulder again. I hope she wasn't too offended by my reaction of "oh shit", but it was solely to do with my perception of where I was, and nowt to do with seeing a friendly face. I took a second gel (another iso one, as the first one seemed to have given me a lift), and started thinking forward to Fetchpoint
12) 1m - 9:43(9:43/m) 150/155bpm
13) 1m - 9:49(9:49/m) 157/163bpm
Going over Tower Bridge was a real mixture of feelings. I was keen to see Fetchpoint, trying desperately to remember how far along I'd have to go. I thought about the advice my boy had given me (1 - Don't die, 2 - Don't fall off the bridge, 3 - Moon the queen). Quite unusually for me, my stomach also started playing up, and [TMI ALERT] my backside was making suggestions about evacuation. I started having some negative thoughts, imagining what would happen if I got diarrhoea, and imagined being told by marshalls that I wasn't safe to carry on. I also met another cheerful Fetchie at this point - I think her name was Vee or Fi, and I'm sure we've met before, maybe even a few times, but I was starting to struggle mentally, so please accept my apologies, and a huge thanks for your positivity, if you're reading this, Vee or Fi. I tugged my running shorts up a bit to give my tummy a bit more comfort, and to add extra defences to my worried bottom!
14) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m) 157/173bpm
Suddenly. Fetchpoint loomed, as Vee or Fi ran through ahead of me, and got loads of cheers. I think most heads were following her, but then a lady at the front of Fetchpoint saw my wide-eyed pleading urge to be noticed, and she pointed and yelled at me like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Suddenly, the whole damn lot of you were cheering and smiling, and the electricity was flying through me, like a crack-flavoured jelly baby! I got so excited I had to push my way past a man in a black t-shirt (very sorry, man), and I did what in my head was a lot of fist pumping and yelling and sprinting, but what in reality probably looked like a tired runner with bad posture wobbling about the place. You fixed me Fetchies! You're all officially fabulous!
15) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m) 153/164bpm
16) 1m - 10:07(10:07/m) 153/161bpm
I got my first report on Katie as I entered one of the big musical tunnels, as a very spritely Sarabop scooted past and put her hand on my back. Never trust a runner who claims to have a hangover The tunnel played hell with the GPS, but by this time, there was already a discrepancy of about 0.2 miles between the watch and the markers, which I knew was going to annoy the shit out of me by the end. I played a bit more toot toot with Vee or Fi, who was looking forward to seeing her husband somewhere around Mudchute, and my own demons started to raise their heads again, and I got 16 and 19 mixed up, which was a bit upsetting. There was one bit of the course that goes round a sharp bend, and ALL the supporters on both sides seemed to be ringing bells, and yet I could only see a few people with them. I swore a bit at this point, and tried to stay in the middle of the road and block it out.
17) 1m - 9:45(9:45/m) 158/164bpm
18) 1m - 9:51(9:51/m) 159/164bpm
19) 1m - 10:15(10:15/m) 159/168bpm
20) 1m - 10:06(10:06/m) 160/168bpm
Now it really became a case of torturing myself into continuing. The GPS/marker discrepancy was useful, because I could bargain with myself to get to the next beep on my watch, and then I could aim for the next gantry. It was massively unpretty by this point, but with the stomach issues resolved, I at least started to get an inkling that I would get to the end. I kept telling myself that I wanted my damn medal and t-shirt and goodies. I started taking on a few jelly babies and a chunk of banana from the supporters, and the solid food after all the watery gels felt really good.
21) 1m - 10:31(10:31/m) 160/170bpm
Mile 21 somehow feels like you're really close to Fetchpoint, as it leads you back down to the main highway, but it still feels like a shitload of a way to go. I managed to keep up my technique of bartering with myself, picking milestones ahead, and planning what I would do at each one. My dad had sent me a few text messages, so I would promise myself a look at my phone as one of my treats.
22) 1m - 10:31(10:31/m) 163/172bpm
And there you were again Fetchpoint, a friendly flag in a sea of strangers. And it's to you folks that I owe some hugs. I wasn't on for a best time, and goodness knows I could have done with stopping for a minute - but I just couldn't stop running at this point. I really wanted to look at each one of you, and to show my appreciation for all your efforts in being there, so full of life. But all I could do was try to high five, and a few basic animalistic grunts. From mile 13 onwards, you were my target, and a way to make this monolithic bastard of a marathon into something I could swallow. So I owe you *all* a hug. If you're ever near Bag End, tea is at four, there's plenty of it, and there's no need to knock.
23) 1m - 10:32(10:32/m) 166/173bpm
Leaving Fetchpoint, I had a little bit of a spring in my step, but clearly getting pretty knackered now. My heart rate had been climbing steadily, and had reached the normal sort of point it gets to when I'm doing tempo runs. I was worrying about this, and about what would happen if I let it continue unchecked, so I finally let myself have a two minute walk as I got to London Bridge. My legs just about coped with the change in movement type, and I realised how hard I'd been breathing too.
24) 1m - 10:55(10:55/m) 161/172bpm
25) 1m - 10:54(10:54/m) 158/163bpm
26) 1m - 11:16(11:16/m) 159/168bpm
These next few miles were nothing more than a stumble in comparison to what had gone on before. I took a further three walk breaks, and trundled along in between. There was a man holding a sign saying "Shut Up Legs", and I yelled at him, and he yelled at me, and kept me going. The supporters all along this section were really very good - lots of encouragement and cheers as walkers got running again. I accosted a bloke called Al, and told him that if he'd start running again, so would I, and we stumped along for a few more hundred yards together.
27) 0.56m - 5:56(10:33/m) 167/178bpm
Finally, just in sight of Big Ben, I broke into my final run, one which I was able to carry on to the finish. I even managed a smile as I ran past the palace, and have apologised to my son that I didn't complete the third task he set me. The 800,600,400,200 signs were as evil as always - I think they must ALL be in the wrong places, but somehow I beat them. There was one section of crowd in a little grandstand that were almost completely silent as I ran past, and so I raised my arms in the air and told them to cheer, which they did. That was nice A man in a silver morph suit raced the 'eyeball on a track' camera down the finishing straight, which was entertaining to watch, and I grabbed the hand of an extremely non-plussed guy in headphones and ran across the finish line with him, upon which he let go of my hand and didn't say a word.
The medal was very heavy, easily as big as a big Digestive biscuit, and the finish line marshalls were very kind and smiley. I wandered on a bit, then texted Katie, and did more wandering about. It's all a bit of a blur really. I saw Iron Mum on the side line, very pleased with her time, and gave her a quote for her vLog, 50% of which will have to be beeped out I tried sitting down on the kerb, because I was starting to feel like I was going to black out - but a far less friendly marshall told me that I wasn't allowed to. I saw Scooba Steve come over the finish line, and gave him a big hug, but I was really having difficulty staying standing, so I went back to the kerb. Same marshall told me off, but I told her that unless I sat down I was going to pass out right in front of her, so she relented reluctantly.
In the distance, I saw Max71 walking towards me. Max has done amazingly well, with PB's in her last three marathons, and she was beaming as she came over to see me. Sour marshall was hovering, clearly conflicted about me fouling up her bit of kerb, and Max was ace - reminding me very much of having a good friend look after you when you're really drunk - and doing so in such a way that the bouncers don't beat you up. Thank you Max! We stood around for a few seconds, and then in came Katie! We leapt into each other with a clang of medals, and it felt so awesome. I'm forever indebted to Crooked-smile (another PB) for capturing this moment for us:
I'm gutted we didn't make it to Chandos for a pint, but we were both a bit messed up. Katie's legs said "no", and so we sat on the fluffy gravel for a bit, slowly tugging on warm kit, and failing to eat sandwiches. The Harriers had a couple of hotel rooms and a damp sponge booked, so we hobbled up to Trafalgar Square, and sat for half an hour there, downing a quick pint perched on a stool in the hotel lobby, before heading to the Cenotaph, and on to the coach, which was leaving at 5. In my head there was just a bit more time. As I said, I owe some hugs.
*really? Have I forgotten already? Someone slap me.
We were up at 5am, to nervously make toast and porridge, to take on the bus with us. The time flew by as I dithered about, and soon Katie was standing over me, pointing out that we needed to leave in five minutes, and I still didn't have my socks on. I flapped about, and we stumbled out of the door, and walked over to the stadium to await the coach. Fortunately we were on time, and after a lecture from the driver about use of the toilet (number ones only) we were on our way.
The coach stopped at South Mimms for the traditional toilet stop (three other coaches full of runners were there at the same time), and it was very nice to make use of their facilities. For some bizarre reason, there was a sock stuck inside the toilet roll mechanism, bobbling about as I grabbed the paper. Back on the bus, and I ate my cold toast - still chewing fairly carefully to avoid my gammy wisdom tooth.
All too soon, we were making our way through the marshall blockades to get dropped off near the start. The three huge blimps looked really far away, but it was a short walk in reality. And even all too soonerer, it was time to hug Katie and say goodbye, which was very hard. We'd done all of our challenging long runs together, and it felt pretty strange not to be tackling this together
The green start was not at all like my memories of the blue start from 2008. It felt very sparse, as it only has about 5000 race numbers allocated to it, compared to more than double that for the other two. Within that, there was a fenced off celebrity area, and I was kicking myself that I hadn't paid much attention to the media emails I'd been receiving all week, reminding people to tick the relevant boxes to gain access to this area. I don't give any sort of a f*ck about the cast of Hollyboaks, or any other such flimsy shit, but it would have been awesome to meet Shane Williams. I bet they also had heated toilet seats and monkey butlers in there too, which might have been nice. Next time* maybe.
I bumped into becca7, who was looking cucumber-cool, and we chatted for a bit, before she went to get a drink, and I carried on wandering around the wet grass, not really knowing what to do with myself. I went to the quietest corner and phoned my boy, and kept him talking a bit, not really knowing what to say, but just wanting to be near somebody. A little bit of vLogging, then I phoned Katie to wish her another good luck. Then the next Fetchie, in the form of flanker, who was looking very trim and relaxed (I guess it helps a bit in marathons to have a fantastic ultra record under your belt).
I wandered into one of the changing tents, and found myself a little spot - there was really no room at all, so I stood around for a bit until someone else moved. Slowly and reluctantly (it was really cold outside) I got down to my racing kit, and tried to psych myself up a bit by listening to some choones. I was needing a wee, so I decided to get my bag done, and join a toilet queue. Next Fetchie met - DuncanG - very tall and smiley
Outside the queues were massive (I can't help thinking the green start got a bit short changed overall), and I picked my way through them to dump my bag. I asked the baggage man if there were any urinals, and he said no, so I joined a loo queue, and stood in it for over half an hour as the time ticked away. I got talking to the man behind me and the lady in front, and with just about 15 people to go, I discovered that there were some urinals. Gah! But the queue for those had built up too, so I stuck where I was. I felt a bit ballsy for the first time, as I wandered from the loos to the pens, with only a few minutes to go, and gave my Macmillan poncho to a shivering lady dressed as a dog. I met someone from Porthcawl (small world), and got my GPS fired up, and within a few minutes we were off - taking just two minutes to cross the start line thanks to the fancy-pants green start.
Shit! Here I am again, running the London Marathon. But with far less people, I had loads of room within about a hundred yards of crossing the start line - it was surreally low key. A man bouncing two basketballs was still finding his rhythm, and every few strides they'd go pinging across everyone's path, and he'd swear and chase after them. The whole first mile was pretty quiet, and I tried really hard to avoid running like a tool.
1) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m) 135/166bpm
The green start merges with blue after a mile, and the congestion was immediate - but it was also much harder to keep control of the pace. I saw a few Fetch shirts up ahead (inc. Clatters and another unknown Fetchie in an anniversary shirt). I let loads of people come past me, and tried to keep my concentration.
2) 1m - 9:38(9:38/m) 136/145bpm
3) 1m - 9:24(9:24/m) 132/139bpm
Things get even busier when the reds finally join up at three miles, and the traditional booing made me smile. There were quite a lot of runners weaving around, and I felt my feet get kicked from behind a few times, and lost count of the number of times that someone ran a diagonal right in front of me. When I run with Katie, she often tells me that my elbows swing out towards her face, and I might have kept them a bit tenser than normal during the race to help protect my path. For the last seven years I've remembered how much I loved the crowded atmosphere, but this time there were definitely times when I felt a little bit claustrophobic and hemmed in by the noise.
4) 1m - 9:36(9:36/m) 135/147bpm
5) 1m - 9:49(9:49/m) 139/146bpm
6) 1m - 9:56(9:56/m) 140/146bpm
By mile 5 I was starting to warm up quite a bit - it was weird, almost like overheating. I took my first gel - an iso one, so that I didn't have to try to make it to a water station. Normally I would do anything to avoid chucking my wrappers on the floor, but there were so many bottles and wrappers that I gave into it.
7) 1m - 9:54(9:54/m) 142/149bpm
8) 1m - 9:46(9:46/m) 145/156bpm
9) 1m - 9:41(9:41/m) 146/156bpm
In mile seven, one of the loveliest moments of the race happened. Out of nowhere, Mick and Phil appeared, Mick with a banner above his head, and Phil with his customary drinking straw. I gave Mick the biggest hug of the day thus far, and said hello to Phil and shook his hand. I was grinning like a loon for the next mile! The next thing I knew, Iron Mum came frolicking up beside me to say hello - she was running with the 4:15 pacer. They went off ahead for a bit, and I was a bit confused, as I thought I was nicely inside 4:15 at this point. But then your head starts thinking about starting pens, and guns and chips, and nothing makes sense.
10) 1m - 9:32(9:32/m) 146/150bpm
11) 1m - 9:33(9:33/m) 148/154bpm
I caught up with IM and the pacer again, and went past them, and thought I'd put some ground between me and the pacer with a couple of 9:30 miles, but then the next thing I knew, IM was tapping me on the shoulder again. I hope she wasn't too offended by my reaction of "oh shit", but it was solely to do with my perception of where I was, and nowt to do with seeing a friendly face. I took a second gel (another iso one, as the first one seemed to have given me a lift), and started thinking forward to Fetchpoint
12) 1m - 9:43(9:43/m) 150/155bpm
13) 1m - 9:49(9:49/m) 157/163bpm
Going over Tower Bridge was a real mixture of feelings. I was keen to see Fetchpoint, trying desperately to remember how far along I'd have to go. I thought about the advice my boy had given me (1 - Don't die, 2 - Don't fall off the bridge, 3 - Moon the queen). Quite unusually for me, my stomach also started playing up, and [TMI ALERT] my backside was making suggestions about evacuation. I started having some negative thoughts, imagining what would happen if I got diarrhoea, and imagined being told by marshalls that I wasn't safe to carry on. I also met another cheerful Fetchie at this point - I think her name was Vee or Fi, and I'm sure we've met before, maybe even a few times, but I was starting to struggle mentally, so please accept my apologies, and a huge thanks for your positivity, if you're reading this, Vee or Fi. I tugged my running shorts up a bit to give my tummy a bit more comfort, and to add extra defences to my worried bottom!
14) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m) 157/173bpm
Suddenly. Fetchpoint loomed, as Vee or Fi ran through ahead of me, and got loads of cheers. I think most heads were following her, but then a lady at the front of Fetchpoint saw my wide-eyed pleading urge to be noticed, and she pointed and yelled at me like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Suddenly, the whole damn lot of you were cheering and smiling, and the electricity was flying through me, like a crack-flavoured jelly baby! I got so excited I had to push my way past a man in a black t-shirt (very sorry, man), and I did what in my head was a lot of fist pumping and yelling and sprinting, but what in reality probably looked like a tired runner with bad posture wobbling about the place. You fixed me Fetchies! You're all officially fabulous!
15) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m) 153/164bpm
16) 1m - 10:07(10:07/m) 153/161bpm
I got my first report on Katie as I entered one of the big musical tunnels, as a very spritely Sarabop scooted past and put her hand on my back. Never trust a runner who claims to have a hangover
The tunnel played hell with the GPS, but by this time, there was already a discrepancy of about 0.2 miles between the watch and the markers, which I knew was going to annoy the shit out of me by the end. I played a bit more toot toot with Vee or Fi, who was looking forward to seeing her husband somewhere around Mudchute, and my own demons started to raise their heads again, and I got 16 and 19 mixed up, which was a bit upsetting. There was one bit of the course that goes round a sharp bend, and ALL the supporters on both sides seemed to be ringing bells, and yet I could only see a few people with them. I swore a bit at this point, and tried to stay in the middle of the road and block it out. 17) 1m - 9:45(9:45/m) 158/164bpm
18) 1m - 9:51(9:51/m) 159/164bpm
19) 1m - 10:15(10:15/m) 159/168bpm
20) 1m - 10:06(10:06/m) 160/168bpm
Now it really became a case of torturing myself into continuing. The GPS/marker discrepancy was useful, because I could bargain with myself to get to the next beep on my watch, and then I could aim for the next gantry. It was massively unpretty by this point, but with the stomach issues resolved, I at least started to get an inkling that I would get to the end. I kept telling myself that I wanted my damn medal and t-shirt and goodies. I started taking on a few jelly babies and a chunk of banana from the supporters, and the solid food after all the watery gels felt really good.
21) 1m - 10:31(10:31/m) 160/170bpm
Mile 21 somehow feels like you're really close to Fetchpoint, as it leads you back down to the main highway, but it still feels like a shitload of a way to go. I managed to keep up my technique of bartering with myself, picking milestones ahead, and planning what I would do at each one. My dad had sent me a few text messages, so I would promise myself a look at my phone as one of my treats.
22) 1m - 10:31(10:31/m) 163/172bpm
And there you were again Fetchpoint, a friendly flag in a sea of strangers. And it's to you folks that I owe some hugs. I wasn't on for a best time, and goodness knows I could have done with stopping for a minute - but I just couldn't stop running at this point. I really wanted to look at each one of you, and to show my appreciation for all your efforts in being there, so full of life. But all I could do was try to high five, and a few basic animalistic grunts. From mile 13 onwards, you were my target, and a way to make this monolithic bastard of a marathon into something I could swallow. So I owe you *all* a hug. If you're ever near Bag End, tea is at four, there's plenty of it, and there's no need to knock.
23) 1m - 10:32(10:32/m) 166/173bpm
Leaving Fetchpoint, I had a little bit of a spring in my step, but clearly getting pretty knackered now. My heart rate had been climbing steadily, and had reached the normal sort of point it gets to when I'm doing tempo runs. I was worrying about this, and about what would happen if I let it continue unchecked, so I finally let myself have a two minute walk as I got to London Bridge. My legs just about coped with the change in movement type, and I realised how hard I'd been breathing too.
24) 1m - 10:55(10:55/m) 161/172bpm
25) 1m - 10:54(10:54/m) 158/163bpm
26) 1m - 11:16(11:16/m) 159/168bpm
These next few miles were nothing more than a stumble in comparison to what had gone on before. I took a further three walk breaks, and trundled along in between. There was a man holding a sign saying "Shut Up Legs", and I yelled at him, and he yelled at me, and kept me going. The supporters all along this section were really very good - lots of encouragement and cheers as walkers got running again. I accosted a bloke called Al, and told him that if he'd start running again, so would I, and we stumped along for a few more hundred yards together.
27) 0.56m - 5:56(10:33/m) 167/178bpm
Finally, just in sight of Big Ben, I broke into my final run, one which I was able to carry on to the finish. I even managed a smile as I ran past the palace, and have apologised to my son that I didn't complete the third task he set me. The 800,600,400,200 signs were as evil as always - I think they must ALL be in the wrong places, but somehow I beat them. There was one section of crowd in a little grandstand that were almost completely silent as I ran past, and so I raised my arms in the air and told them to cheer, which they did. That was nice
A man in a silver morph suit raced the 'eyeball on a track' camera down the finishing straight, which was entertaining to watch, and I grabbed the hand of an extremely non-plussed guy in headphones and ran across the finish line with him, upon which he let go of my hand and didn't say a word. The medal was very heavy, easily as big as a big Digestive biscuit, and the finish line marshalls were very kind and smiley. I wandered on a bit, then texted Katie, and did more wandering about. It's all a bit of a blur really. I saw Iron Mum on the side line, very pleased with her time, and gave her a quote for her vLog, 50% of which will have to be beeped out
I tried sitting down on the kerb, because I was starting to feel like I was going to black out - but a far less friendly marshall told me that I wasn't allowed to. I saw Scooba Steve come over the finish line, and gave him a big hug, but I was really having difficulty staying standing, so I went back to the kerb. Same marshall told me off, but I told her that unless I sat down I was going to pass out right in front of her, so she relented reluctantly. In the distance, I saw Max71 walking towards me. Max has done amazingly well, with PB's in her last three marathons, and she was beaming as she came over to see me. Sour marshall was hovering, clearly conflicted about me fouling up her bit of kerb, and Max was ace - reminding me very much of having a good friend look after you when you're really drunk - and doing so in such a way that the bouncers don't beat you up. Thank you Max! We stood around for a few seconds, and then in came Katie! We leapt into each other with a clang of medals, and it felt so awesome. I'm forever indebted to Crooked-smile (another PB) for capturing this moment for us:
I'm gutted we didn't make it to Chandos for a pint, but we were both a bit messed up. Katie's legs said "no", and so we sat on the fluffy gravel for a bit, slowly tugging on warm kit, and failing to eat sandwiches. The Harriers had a couple of hotel rooms and a damp sponge booked, so we hobbled up to Trafalgar Square, and sat for half an hour there, downing a quick pint perched on a stool in the hotel lobby, before heading to the Cenotaph, and on to the coach, which was leaving at 5. In my head there was just a bit more time. As I said, I owe some hugs.
*really? Have I forgotten already? Someone slap me.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Fantastic, love that photoDiogenes11:27am, 27th Apr 2015
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Just brilliant. I've enjoyed your training vlogs and loved reading this blog. Thanks for taking me along with you xxAlice the Camel11:38am, 27th Apr 2015
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well done!D211:38am, 27th Apr 2015
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Excellent running and a fab photo at the end!Lemon1011:50am, 27th Apr 2015
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Lovely pic and great blog. The Hi 5 at mile 22 was aceBattlecat11:52am, 27th Apr 2015
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Tears in my eyes - well done!3M11:55am, 27th Apr 2015
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this blog has made me smile - well runminardi
11:58am, 27th Apr 2015 -
Fantastic blog, well done fetch!GeologyRocks12:00pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Fetchpoint reaches the parts that other gatherings of nutters don't.swittle12:00pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Brilliant - as always - blog. Hope you're enjoying a well earned rest today...Yazoo12:02pm, 27th Apr 2015
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I am still smarting from that exchange: 'Fetch! Yay!' 'Iron Mum? Oh shit.'Iron_Mum Epic blog, well run, now off to edit the vlog and clean it up for a family audience....12:05pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Great blog and well done!! Loved the vlogs, great to see you ran a strong race too.idlewild12:05pm, 27th Apr 2015
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A great account of your dayMrs Jigs (Luverlylegs) I had to pause and remove the suncream from my eyes at the first Fetchpoint encounter! Lovely photo of you and Katie, nothing quite like a post marathon hug Glad your bottom didn't let you down and I am sure the Queen is grateful that you didn't expose it Will Al ever be the same??? 12:08pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Well done Sir! Made me quite emotional reading this *sniff*Jigs12:09pm, 27th Apr 2015
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FabulousAdorescience12:13pm, 27th Apr 2015
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I've only just started reading, BUT if you NEED to do a #2, what are you meant to do? Sometimes there's no stopping them...Wine Legs12:29pm, 27th Apr 2015
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It was brilliant to cheer you on at the 800m to go point. My daughter asked "who was that, he gave us a massive smile". I hope I didn't confuse you when I asked about Katie. I had (wrongly) thought you were running together. Congratulations to you both on great races 😃👟🏃🍸Old Man12:32pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Fab run, very well done. So pleased that you got the maximum benefit from the awesomeness on the course that is Fetch and Fetchpoint, as it's all down to you. Xxxclare197612:36pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Ps I saw you from a distance at the green start when I was in the loo queues, you were near the baggage bus and I spotted your fetch vest. But couldn't come and say hi as didn't want to lose my place in the huuuuuge queue!! Xclare197612:38pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Elsie Too12:38pm, 27th Apr 2015
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I am "Vee or Fi", well actually I am B, but it was noisy out there..B. It was lovely to meet you. That picture made my eyes fill up, aww!12:39pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Just fab !! at lest its now my lunch break so I can shed a little tear when nobody else is aroundGromit12:46pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Wow really well done! Sounds tough and emotional.even weller done for finishing. Best hug picture ever 😃😃jude12:53pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Excellent run and lovely blog.Canute12:54pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Great running and lol at the dribbling basketballer...!Garfield12:57pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Know that feeling of doing all your training with your better half and then going it alone, it is indeed a strange one. But you both did amazing, well done!neems x1:01pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Great blog as usual!! Glad that Fetchpoint gave you such a liftkwala1:01pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Great to meet you, Lord Fetch. The toilets were definitely interesting later on - hope you didn't look behind the portaloos!DuncanG1:01pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Well done, great blog, and well done all the rest of the fetchies too.pedroscalls1:29pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Fantastic blog, well runnedNight-owl1:47pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Top blog (would expect nothing less!) - great run too and lovely photoAutumnleaves1:50pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Brilliant blog, very well done to you and Katie and didn't that man realise just *who* he was crossing the line with #handinhandBaronessBL (I hope he hadn't taken any sweets from Fetchpoint earlier) 1:52pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Excellent training, excellent racing and excellent blogging. Love that photofleecy2:19pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Very well done! I was at about 14.75 miles standing on a tight corner at Westferry. I shouted 'FETCH' like a looney at you and you looked shocked but did give me a nice smileJinksy2:25pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Marvellous blog. Well done Fetch xxjennywren2:29pm, 27th Apr 2015
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sorry we didn't manage the "interpretive dance" or whatever it was you requested of Fetchpoint. But I have no voice today, so glad the shouting made you happyRosehip2:48pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Great blog - glad that Fetchpoint could be of service. Is it true that Paula Radcliffe asked for your autograph?Schnecke2:54pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Well doneLisrun And a great blog 3:03pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Nice blogJono.3:37pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Nice blogJono.3:37pm, 27th Apr 2015
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brilliantkatypie3:55pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Fabulous.SherryB5:03pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Brilliant blog that made me cry a little bit! Well done.Calamity5:05pm, 27th Apr 2015
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LazyDaisy
Fab blog, and a really gritty performance 5:31pm, 27th Apr 2015 -
Yup, that brought a tear to my eye too. Well done to both you and KatieCorrah Ballot for next year opens in a week 5:53pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Well doneMinnie Mad6:00pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Great effort, great blog. What a Journey! Superb that you should get to experience the Fetch massive from the receiving end. We all loves you, so we do!Angus Clydesdale6:34pm, 27th Apr 2015
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well done Fetch! always forget how much I enjoy the VLM blogs and how many memories it brings backLaura27 xxx8:11pm, 27th Apr 2015
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…apologies for all the kisses….seems to be out of habit! lolLaura278:13pm, 27th Apr 2015
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sorry to have missed you at the finish, the reason people were being moved was due to the actions of a small minority who think that they can cheat the system by hiding their medals, and then trying to gain a second one to sell on Ebay. The scams tha people try and pull are a bit of an eye openerphotoset9:39pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Same again next year then?McGoohan9:50pm, 27th Apr 2015
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I've enjoyed following your journey to and round London. Well doneGimmeMedals9:53pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Fantastic blog and utterly wonderful photoBintmcskint
We did get a little over-excited at Fetchpoint when you went past at halfway (man in black t-shirt must've thought you were royalty - and he wasn't far wrong) and then we spent an age trying to work out when we would see you again and taking a time check so we could tell Katie how you were and how you were doing.
Top running, by the way9:57pm, 27th Apr 2015 -
You are THE MAN! Fetchpoint is cool but it's a reflection of this whole site which is a reflection of you, sir. You ran really well, you were magic and I'm glad Fetchpoint helped. I'm still a bit awestruck that I got a High 5 from The Fetcheveryone! So cool!Nellers11:09pm, 27th Apr 2015
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Grand job, well doneGrid8:55am, 28th Apr 2015
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Great blog, thanksTeeBee9:34am, 28th Apr 2015
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excellent blog, i got goosebumps as you described fetchpoint. well donesantababy love that pic!xx10:24am, 28th Apr 2015
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great blog, and a fantastic performance. I also felt the green start was soulless and definitely without its fair share of loos, although it was easier to actually run from. I think you mistook frozen for trim and a massive attack of CBA for relaxed (did i say I didn't enjoy Green?) but still nice of you to say so. Mr Shut Up Legs rescued my run too.flanker2:44pm, 28th Apr 2015
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fetcheveryone2:49pm, 28th Apr 2015
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Great blog and great running, well done that man!alpenrose
Oh, and you can keep the vlogs coming too.8:43pm, 28th Apr 2015 -
Just caught up - brilliant brilliant brilliant. Have really enjoyed the blogs and vlogsJustCommando!1:09pm, 6th May 2015
That's it. No more running between now and that there marafun
This morning I did 6k with my beginners* group, and then carefully padded home.
In general, I don't think things could have gone much better. Touch wood, I didn't miss *ANY* training, since things got serious at the start of the year. No colds, no injuries (just a few niggles), hard to believe really.
So it's a wonderful irony that, just 48 hours before the race, it feels like someone is intermittently driving a six inch nail through my wisdom tooth into my jaw I've never had any teeth out, and only one filling I think - and as it turns out, I've never had toothache before, in nearly 40 years of trying. It's quite good fun, in a Completely Not Fun sort of way
I have a dentist appointment for next week, so I'm praying to Yoda that the level of discomfort stays at a manageable level at least until Sunday afternoon.
I am excited about tomorrow. We start off with coffee and cake at Fancy, then we have three DVD's to watch, and several hours of various telly programmes to catch up on. I am currently Googling to see if I can find a home help service that will come in every few hours to turn us to prevent bedsores.
*I can't call them that any more. They're planning races now, and spending small fortunes on kit! So it begins!
This morning I did 6k with my beginners* group, and then carefully padded home.
In general, I don't think things could have gone much better. Touch wood, I didn't miss *ANY* training, since things got serious at the start of the year. No colds, no injuries (just a few niggles), hard to believe really.
So it's a wonderful irony that, just 48 hours before the race, it feels like someone is intermittently driving a six inch nail through my wisdom tooth into my jaw
I've never had any teeth out, and only one filling I think - and as it turns out, I've never had toothache before, in nearly 40 years of trying. It's quite good fun, in a Completely Not Fun sort of way I have a dentist appointment for next week, so I'm praying to Yoda that the level of discomfort stays at a manageable level at least until Sunday afternoon.
I am excited about tomorrow. We start off with coffee and cake at Fancy, then we have three DVD's to watch, and several hours of various telly programmes to catch up on. I am currently Googling to see if I can find a home help service that will come in every few hours to turn us to prevent bedsores.
*I can't call them that any more. They're planning races now, and spending small fortunes on kit! So it begins!
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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See you at fetchpoint - good luckminardi8:42pm, 24th Apr 2015
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Don't forget to bring Stephen to his holiday home in amongst all that relaxing. An ex carer I know recommends sitting on sheepskin to prevent the bedsores if you can't find that home help.Elsie Too9:01pm, 24th Apr 2015
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No toothache ever? Wow. A mild tooth discomfort may be just the thing to take your mind off other potential sources on SundayDvorak9:14pm, 24th Apr 2015
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Hope the toothache disappears as soon as it arrivedDiogenes9:32pm, 24th Apr 2015
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I'll pray to the Dark Side for you too if you like.leaguefreak
Bit of toothache might be a welcome distraction, you never know.9:46pm, 24th Apr 2015 -
Try painkillers, sod the clove oil! You've trained brilliantly and been lucky on the lurgy front, you'll be great! Good luck with the bedsores.fleecy11:07pm, 24th Apr 2015
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The sheep are in the barn. Or something like that. You've nailed the preparation, now go nail the race.flanker12:13am, 25th Apr 2015
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Loads of luck for Sunday. Keeping fingers crossed that the toothache bogs off.Corrah4:28am, 25th Apr 2015
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Good luck for Sunday, you've done brilliantly!alpenrose8:36am, 25th Apr 2015
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Me and Eb will be cheering you on, she will take all the credit when you do well because of the extra bit of hill training she helped with.D210:17am, 25th Apr 2015
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Looking forward to seeing you at FetchpointSchnecke11:02am, 25th Apr 2015
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No, don't use clove oil. Painkillers. If the gum over the tooth is swollen try hot salt water mouthwashes, hold over the area and do it regularly. Brush it gently if you can. Maybe an antibacterial mouthwash (chlorhexidine or peroxide). Hope it holds out until you see the dentist.Meglet12:05pm, 25th Apr 2015
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Listen to Meglet - She is dentist, she knowsCStar Very good luck for tomorrow.1:57pm, 25th Apr 2015
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Good luck, get the painkillers down you, and see you at Green Start tomorrow!!!Iron_Mum2:27pm, 25th Apr 2015
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Hope you have a good run. I'll be cheering from Big Ben!westmoors2:42pm, 25th Apr 2015
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Good luck, see you at Fetchpoint!Rach452 (brandstifterin)3:30pm, 25th Apr 2015
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Have a great run tomorrow...I second clove oil for the tooth. It acts as a natural anaesthetic.Garfield4:52pm, 25th Apr 2015
We had a nice time geocaching yesterday - it was a bit cold, and the boy was nearly frozen to his bike by the end of our trip, but it was still pretty good fun. I've got the geocaching app (£8 from the App Store), and it gives you a little map of all the nearby caches, and has descriptions and hints for each one. They vary in difficulty, but so far we've managed to find six out of the nine that we hunted for. There's something very fun about finding a little box, with a magnet on it, stuck to the back of a metal fence in the middle of nowhere
Mostly they just have a bit of paper in them that you can sign, but they occasionally have some extra goodies in them - just stupid stuff like keyrings, pebbles, hairbands, 10p's. The idea with these is that you can take something out, so long as you put something difference back in.
The best part was the fact that the boy and I were united in a quest, and I got him out into the fresh air for a couple of hours, and we cycled about 4 miles without noticing
I've put some footage from our adventure in this week's vLog: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/vlog
Meanwhile the taper continues, we're both eating non-stop, and there's only two more runs to go before VMLMLMLM 3-4 miles tomorrow, then a 5k (with 60s efforts) with the beginners on Friday. Eeeep!
Mostly they just have a bit of paper in them that you can sign, but they occasionally have some extra goodies in them - just stupid stuff like keyrings, pebbles, hairbands, 10p's. The idea with these is that you can take something out, so long as you put something difference back in.
The best part was the fact that the boy and I were united in a quest, and I got him out into the fresh air for a couple of hours, and we cycled about 4 miles without noticing
I've put some footage from our adventure in this week's vLog: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/vlog
Meanwhile the taper continues, we're both eating non-stop, and there's only two more runs to go before VMLMLMLM
3-4 miles tomorrow, then a 5k (with 60s efforts) with the beginners on Friday. Eeeep!
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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We tried and failed at Geocaching when all the ones we attempted had much too arcane clues to find them - you needed Alan Turing and a couple of Enigma machines.McGoohan4:47pm, 20th Apr 2015
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I've always wanted to do that but thought you needed a special device, if it's just an app I'll try to persuade the familyfleecy Eeeeeek indeed!5:01pm, 20th Apr 2015
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Geocaching sounds like good fun.B. eeeep to London here too!!5:08pm, 20th Apr 2015
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Start at: geocaching.comfetcheveryone6:00pm, 20th Apr 2015
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I like the sound of geocachingBaronessBL6:46pm, 20th Apr 2015
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Geocaching is great! You can even do it if you have a fairly bog standard garmin...I used to use my 305 (the red one). Have used the car sat nav before too. So much fun, & great for kids!Wine Legs8:21pm, 20th Apr 2015
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I recently started geocaching - treasure hunting is a great way to get children outsideGimmeMedals8:55pm, 20th Apr 2015
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We spend many a sunny day (and a few soggy ones) hunting for things hidden in old boxes! Found some kids stash of dirty mags once!flanker11:48pm, 20th Apr 2015
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My teens complain about going for a walk, but if it's a geocaching walk that's much more acceptable!Meglet6:36am, 21st Apr 2015
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Excellent! I managed to find one cache...but I'm usually too busy going somewhere to find more! Unfortunately I'm always in a rush.Garfield8:59am, 21st Apr 2015
My wife had a fantastic idea whilst we were out for our run.
By now, you're probably all a bit sick of seeing the two of us in the vLog (http://www.fetcheveryone.com/vlog in case you're not), so the idea was that you could all send me a TEN SECOND clip of video, and I'd stitch them together into a bit of a montage.
It doesn't have to be about anything in particular - just so long as it's vaguely connected with your running, and suitable for a family audience, albeit a fairly robust one The ten second limit means that we won't get swamped in megabytes, and it'll keep things moving on nicely
Up for it?
By now, you're probably all a bit sick of seeing the two of us in the vLog (http://www.fetcheveryone.com/vlog in case you're not), so the idea was that you could all send me a TEN SECOND clip of video, and I'd stitch them together into a bit of a montage.
It doesn't have to be about anything in particular - just so long as it's vaguely connected with your running, and suitable for a family audience, albeit a fairly robust one
The ten second limit means that we won't get swamped in megabytes, and it'll keep things moving on nicely Up for it?
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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bit of a noob question, but if I film on my phone, how do I get the video to you? can we upload to the gallery like a photo?RuthB210:34am, 15th Apr 2015
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No, but if you plug your phone into your computer, it'll show up as a file, and you can email it. That's the main reason for sticking to 10s, otherwise the file starts to get BIG.fetcheveryone10:37am, 15th Apr 2015
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ok, thanks! I like this idea. Someone should make them all into something like that film about the UK in a day... you know the one... a runners version of that.RuthB210:40am, 15th Apr 2015
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Any particular resolution?Dvorak10:40am, 15th Apr 2015
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RB2 - I guess I'm aiming for something like that.fetcheveryone
Dvorak - nah - so long as it's just about viewable10:46am, 15th Apr 2015 -
What about using something like Vine?emdee11:01am, 15th Apr 2015
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Yeah, that'd work too I guess. Or you could YouTube it.fetcheveryone11:04am, 15th Apr 2015
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I'll give it a go.Watford Wobble12:01pm, 15th Apr 2015
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So - a 10 second clip of Pumpkinwatch and Tomato Corner is no good thenbigleggy12:46pm, 15th Apr 2015
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We would love to see Pumpkinwatch!fleecy3:06pm, 15th Apr 2015
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Hmm, tried a couple on tonight's run, but they just look like the Blair Witch Project...RuthB210:21pm, 15th Apr 2015
Before I forget, I should write a blog about the Sandy 10, in the hope that it'll help me learn some lessons for the future. I doubt it
I spent quite a bit of time in the build-up to this race wondering whether to go for a fast time, or to just trot round and treat it as part of our taper. The conventional wisdom is to think about what's most important to you, and base your decisions on that. When I say "most important", I mean in running terms of course In theory then, I should have trodden carefully here, in order to preserve myself for London - as that's been the goal race for quite some time.
But.
I've never really had a time goal for London. Not really. For me, marathons are a fairly freakish occurrence, this being only my third, and my first for seven years. I want to finish it, and I'd like to be happy at the end. Anything more than that is a bonus. I knew then, that if I went fast at Sandy, it might mean my recovery would take a bit longer, but I came to the conclusion that I'd still have sufficient rest to achieve my London ambitions.
The good news is that I'm out the other side, and I've got no major leg trauma to report - in fact, I'm coming along pretty well. The bad news (and it's only slightly bad) is that my Sandy pacing was pretty bliddy awful, and so I ended up being a couple of minutes outside my PB.
To put it bluntly, I went off too fast This is a feature of a lot of my recent races, and correspondingly, recent failures to pick up PBs. I start off running at faster than PB pace, and fade away. It's deliberate - or at least, the first bit is. My lovely wife suggested that it's a symptom of my optimism - but in fact, I think it's also quite a big chunk of pessimism on my part. I've 'faded away' enough times that perhaps I now lack the confidence to start off more conservatively. There's plenty of evidence that I do get quicker, if I don't run the first few miles like a tool. I've had plenty of long runs where I've stepped up the pace in the second half, and plenty of shorter runs where I've moved up through the gears. Hell, we even ran a slight negative split at Oakley, thanks to the calming influence of the aforementioned lovely wife.
1) 1m - 7:28(7:28/m) 163/173bpm
2) 1m - 8:13(8:13/m) 173/180bpm
This was where most of the damage was done. My PB calls for 7:54 pace, and I'd even said beforehand that I'd run 8:00 and 8:30 for these two, the second mile containing a fairly unpleasant hill. But no. I thrash it like a middle-aged motoring presenter, corduroy elbow patches, whiff of despair, the lot. 45 seconds up on my plan, but with a stitch under my ribs.
3) 1m - 7:48(7:48/m) 170/173bpm
4) 1m - 7:45(7:45/m) 171/173bpm
5) 1m - 7:57(7:57/m) 170/175bpm
Actually, I'm not doing too badly for most of this. But I don't feel remotely comfortable. I did six miles at 7:50 pace a few weeks ago, so this should all be feeling just about do-able - but it's starting to hurt. Nowhere specific. Just all over. I know my legs should be a bit tired, what with the marathon training, but it's still a bit disappointing. I lost it in the first couple of miles though.
6) 1m - 8:04(8:04/m) 171/175bpm
Katie comes to see me on her bike. It's lovely, but I can't say much, because I'm a bit f**ked by this point.
7) 1m - 8:27(8:27/m) 172/176bpm
8) 1m - 8:41(8:41/m) 170/176bpm
9) 1m - 8:38(8:38/m) 169/176bpm
And now it becomes a real struggle, with a bit of a headwind, and a slow but steady trickle of runners pushing on past me. Each time one comes past, I just try to hang on to their tail for a few hundred yards - just something to concentrate on, rather than the smell of burning.
10) 1m - 8:04(8:04/m) 171/179bpm
With thanks to the hill, and a bit of digging deep, I manage to get a respectable split for the final mile. In the finishing funnel, I hear shouts from the onlookers to folks running behind me, and it spurs me on to a spitty, gurny finish, which feels like lightning, but in retrospect, was about 8mins/mile
There was a good spread at the finish, just like last year. Squash, bananas, jelly (with no spoons, lol), race t-shirt, and near-instantaneous results; and lots of familiar faces from local clubs, and from Fetch. I had some lovely shouts on the course, from EdJ, and from Lums - neither of which I recognised at first attempt, but both of which I am grateful to EDIT: and the very cheerful Rosehip
I wandered back down the course, and sat on a kerb, eating my jelly with the lid of my water bottle, and waited for Katie and her ladies (who did fabulously, finishing their first ever 10 miler). It was nice to shout some encouragement at everyone who passed, but even nicer to be sitting down
I finished with 1:21:22, which is 2:20 outside my best time, although I'm tempted to blame the wind for at least a *bit* of that. But next time I race for a PB, I will try to remember to not just have a better pacing strategy, but to actually follow it.
I spent quite a bit of time in the build-up to this race wondering whether to go for a fast time, or to just trot round and treat it as part of our taper. The conventional wisdom is to think about what's most important to you, and base your decisions on that. When I say "most important", I mean in running terms of course
In theory then, I should have trodden carefully here, in order to preserve myself for London - as that's been the goal race for quite some time. But.
I've never really had a time goal for London. Not really. For me, marathons are a fairly freakish occurrence, this being only my third, and my first for seven years. I want to finish it, and I'd like to be happy at the end. Anything more than that is a bonus. I knew then, that if I went fast at Sandy, it might mean my recovery would take a bit longer, but I came to the conclusion that I'd still have sufficient rest to achieve my London ambitions.
The good news is that I'm out the other side, and I've got no major leg trauma to report - in fact, I'm coming along pretty well. The bad news (and it's only slightly bad) is that my Sandy pacing was pretty bliddy awful, and so I ended up being a couple of minutes outside my PB.
To put it bluntly, I went off too fast
This is a feature of a lot of my recent races, and correspondingly, recent failures to pick up PBs. I start off running at faster than PB pace, and fade away. It's deliberate - or at least, the first bit is. My lovely wife suggested that it's a symptom of my optimism - but in fact, I think it's also quite a big chunk of pessimism on my part. I've 'faded away' enough times that perhaps I now lack the confidence to start off more conservatively. There's plenty of evidence that I do get quicker, if I don't run the first few miles like a tool. I've had plenty of long runs where I've stepped up the pace in the second half, and plenty of shorter runs where I've moved up through the gears. Hell, we even ran a slight negative split at Oakley, thanks to the calming influence of the aforementioned lovely wife. 1) 1m - 7:28(7:28/m) 163/173bpm
2) 1m - 8:13(8:13/m) 173/180bpm
This was where most of the damage was done. My PB calls for 7:54 pace, and I'd even said beforehand that I'd run 8:00 and 8:30 for these two, the second mile containing a fairly unpleasant hill. But no. I thrash it like a middle-aged motoring presenter, corduroy elbow patches, whiff of despair, the lot. 45 seconds up on my plan, but with a stitch under my ribs.
3) 1m - 7:48(7:48/m) 170/173bpm
4) 1m - 7:45(7:45/m) 171/173bpm
5) 1m - 7:57(7:57/m) 170/175bpm
Actually, I'm not doing too badly for most of this. But I don't feel remotely comfortable. I did six miles at 7:50 pace a few weeks ago, so this should all be feeling just about do-able - but it's starting to hurt. Nowhere specific. Just all over. I know my legs should be a bit tired, what with the marathon training, but it's still a bit disappointing. I lost it in the first couple of miles though.
6) 1m - 8:04(8:04/m) 171/175bpm
Katie comes to see me on her bike. It's lovely, but I can't say much, because I'm a bit f**ked by this point.
7) 1m - 8:27(8:27/m) 172/176bpm
8) 1m - 8:41(8:41/m) 170/176bpm
9) 1m - 8:38(8:38/m) 169/176bpm
And now it becomes a real struggle, with a bit of a headwind, and a slow but steady trickle of runners pushing on past me. Each time one comes past, I just try to hang on to their tail for a few hundred yards - just something to concentrate on, rather than the smell of burning.
10) 1m - 8:04(8:04/m) 171/179bpm
With thanks to the hill, and a bit of digging deep, I manage to get a respectable split for the final mile. In the finishing funnel, I hear shouts from the onlookers to folks running behind me, and it spurs me on to a spitty, gurny finish, which feels like lightning, but in retrospect, was about 8mins/mile
There was a good spread at the finish, just like last year. Squash, bananas, jelly (with no spoons, lol), race t-shirt, and near-instantaneous results; and lots of familiar faces from local clubs, and from Fetch. I had some lovely shouts on the course, from EdJ, and from Lums - neither of which I recognised at first attempt, but both of which I am grateful to
EDIT: and the very cheerful Rosehip I wandered back down the course, and sat on a kerb, eating my jelly with the lid of my water bottle, and waited for Katie and her ladies (who did fabulously, finishing their first ever 10 miler). It was nice to shout some encouragement at everyone who passed, but even nicer to be sitting down
I finished with 1:21:22, which is 2:20 outside my best time, although I'm tempted to blame the wind for at least a *bit* of that. But next time I race for a PB, I will try to remember to not just have a better pacing strategy, but to actually follow it.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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jelly is unusual post-race food! Tut, that is a BEGINNER'S error, and you are a stat-head and run a running website so you ought to know betterfleecy Your final mile is pretty respectable though, you must have had something left in the tank. It is very difficult to rein it in for the first few miles, when people are swarming past you and the adrenaline levels are high, it's just you always always pay the price for it later!3:14pm, 14th Apr 2015
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Great write up, im going to check my splits too. I think the wind slowed us considerably. My jelly eating method was a little more brutal than yours.... Good to see you!sarabop3:17pm, 14th Apr 2015
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You were so fast down the finishing straight I only managed to take a picture of your back.Silvershadow4:13pm, 14th Apr 2015
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Could you write "Don't start off like a tool" on your arm for London?Dvorak4:39pm, 14th Apr 2015
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Dude, everyone does it. But in your case, the only tool you should be calling on here is the one to use to analyse the wealth of stats which *prove* that even paced racing gets the fastest results. Even pace of course means *very relaxed feeling start*. Unfortunately, adrenaline drives us to the opposite of relaxation. So this is where a bit of control is required. A very slight positive split is OK though. Well done on a gutsy 10 miler anyway, and best of luck at The Marathon.HappyG(rrr) G4:54pm, 14th Apr 2015
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I love this blog and recognise a lot of myself in it.Bintmcskint
I'm adopting, "Don't run the first few miles like a tool" as my new motto8:43pm, 14th Apr 2015 -
'Don't be a tool' is the new 'Easy Easy Easy'flanker11:51pm, 14th Apr 2015
Here's a thing.
After reading Binks' book, I am taken with the idea of going for a run one day, and seeing how far I go.
Not for a while, obviously. I've got one of the longest marathons in the world to do in just 19 days.
But when I'm better, I might just fancy this. Perhaps.
My idea is to draw a big circle, around my house, with a 26.2 mile radius. On a map. I'm not a total fruitcake yet.
Then I get a bunch of you to shout out numbers between 0 and 360, and I'll take the average of those, round it to the nearest degree - and draw a line from my house, along that bearing, to where it hits the big circle. That'll be my destination. And, because it's highly unlikely that there'll be a straight road all the way there, then I'm bound to run an ultra, or an "unoptimised marathon" if you will.
Let's have a rehearsal. Shout out a number between 0 and 360. Then type it into the comments box, because I can't (yet) hear what you're up to.
At the very least, it'll keep me entertained this afternoon
After reading Binks' book, I am taken with the idea of going for a run one day, and seeing how far I go.
Not for a while, obviously. I've got one of the longest marathons in the world to do in just 19 days.
But when I'm better, I might just fancy this. Perhaps.
My idea is to draw a big circle, around my house, with a 26.2 mile radius. On a map. I'm not a total fruitcake yet.
Then I get a bunch of you to shout out numbers between 0 and 360, and I'll take the average of those, round it to the nearest degree - and draw a line from my house, along that bearing, to where it hits the big circle. That'll be my destination. And, because it's highly unlikely that there'll be a straight road all the way there, then I'm bound to run an ultra, or an "unoptimised marathon" if you will.
Let's have a rehearsal. Shout out a number between 0 and 360. Then type it into the comments box, because I can't (yet) hear what you're up to.
At the very least, it'll keep me entertained this afternoon
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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333McGoohan2:10pm, 7th Apr 2015
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270Garfield2:11pm, 7th Apr 2015
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Ooh, Graham Gooch's highest test score.fetcheveryone2:11pm, 7th Apr 2015
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(I was thinking something like this the other day - find a Roman Road and run along that. Then I remembered that most of them have now been turned into A1, A46 etc!)McGoohan2:11pm, 7th Apr 2015
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42 the number for life, the universe and everything.Ness2:13pm, 7th Apr 2015
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111Nelly2:13pm, 7th Apr 2015
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So far, it's approximately Rothwell. Is that like the UK version of Roswell? Is this fate?fetcheveryone2:14pm, 7th Apr 2015
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118 well that's what gets shouted out at runnersNight-owl2:15pm, 7th Apr 2015
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That's swung it right round - destination Berkhamsted.fetcheveryone2:15pm, 7th Apr 2015
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165Rosehip2:15pm, 7th Apr 2015
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Now it's more like St Albans.fetcheveryone2:17pm, 7th Apr 2015
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I have thought something like this looking at the fetchpoint map going to t'other end of my county for instanceNight-owl2:18pm, 7th Apr 2015
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8 (see how kind I am)Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)2:19pm, 7th Apr 2015
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1EdJ2:19pm, 7th Apr 2015
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Rothwell. Is that in Nottingham? I think I've been through there but I can't remember if it was horrid or nice which probably means it was middling.McGoohan2:22pm, 7th Apr 2015
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There is a Rothwell near me in Corby. If you make it that far I will meet you with a drink and cake of your choiceSeratonin2:27pm, 7th Apr 2015
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damn some body said 1, so 360, of course, where does 360 point, due North? hmm.Ocelot Spleens2:28pm, 7th Apr 2015
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I have NEVER thought of doing this because I like a cup of tea in my house when I finishOcelot Spleens2:29pm, 7th Apr 2015
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222.B.2:35pm, 7th Apr 2015
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Ok, I reckon that's enough to practice withfetcheveryone The non-crow-flies routes seem to be coming out at around 29-32 miles.2:36pm, 7th Apr 2015
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249santababy2:46pm, 7th Apr 2015
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180Wine Legs3:02pm, 7th Apr 2015
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But how will you get back?LindsD3:10pm, 7th Apr 2015
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74.Dvorak
I've had similar running thoughts, but with less randomness and more proximity to escape hatches built in.3:22pm, 7th Apr 2015 -
Damn Ness took my 42 .... err 27EvilPixie3:22pm, 7th Apr 2015
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007Zeb3:25pm, 7th Apr 2015
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321westmoors3:31pm, 7th Apr 2015
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265.25Black Cat3:53pm, 7th Apr 2015
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Has to be 42bigleggy3:54pm, 7th Apr 2015
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58alpenrose4:17pm, 7th Apr 2015
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64jennywren4:21pm, 7th Apr 2015
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37 - my age... or it has been my age since I was 37.D24:26pm, 7th Apr 2015
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Are you developing voice activated Fetcheveryone.com? I do shout at the site periodically. And snort. If that helps?HappyG(rrr)
18 - G4:57pm, 7th Apr 2015 -
99K5 Gus5:17pm, 7th Apr 2015
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102stickland5:34pm, 7th Apr 2015
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39Elsie Too5:53pm, 7th Apr 2015
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180fraggle6:03pm, 7th Apr 2015
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361madmoosey6:34pm, 7th Apr 2015
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How about 0 to run out to the circle, run around the circumference of the circle, and back home along 360 :-)? That'll be just over 26.2 miles :-p! We might be kind and let you do a McGoohan or ChrisHB and spread it over several days ;-).Flatlander6:39pm, 7th Apr 2015
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15Weean6:50pm, 7th Apr 2015
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235Iron_Mum Fruitcake.6:59pm, 7th Apr 2015
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270 - takes you towards Milton KeynesBinks7:32pm, 7th Apr 2015
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26.2 springs to mind.Nelski7:53pm, 7th Apr 2015
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46 - I ran to Rothwell the other week. It's no biggieJigs9:59pm, 7th Apr 2015
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I love this idea. Although living less than 26.2 miles from the coast could cause problems if the bearing was too southerly! 🚣🚣Murphey10:11pm, 7th Apr 2015
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195 - are you lost yet?Autumnleaves10:25pm, 7th Apr 2015
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That's Numberwang! (I can't believe that no-one (especially McGoohan ;-)) hasn't said that yet.)Dvorak12:54am, 8th Apr 2015
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Damn!McGoohan7:20am, 8th Apr 2015
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Though I am getting excited by Rothwell now. The Rothwell 10K was the first 10K I ever did and where I met my first Fetchie (360 - appropriately enough for this blog/thread/whatever) but it was probably a different Rothwell.McGoohan7:21am, 8th Apr 2015
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come back Fetch, come back!mulbs9:00am, 8th Apr 2015
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232katypie9:24am, 8th Apr 2015
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Another idea: get driven to the point on the circle and run back. That way there's more incentive to keep going! Not sure about a number, but how about using the bearing to Prague?flanker9:40am, 8th Apr 2015
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6Limpet10:41am, 8th Apr 2015
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23Oranj11:32am, 8th Apr 2015
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101 - lucky numberDowse12:11pm, 8th Apr 2015
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69Hills of Death (HOD)12:15pm, 8th Apr 2015
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Can you not predict the average of a set of random numbers between 1 and 360? Credit due to silvershadow for the observation that you may well end up running South.Nightjar1:03pm, 8th Apr 2015
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90Nightjar1:04pm, 8th Apr 2015
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Or you could find a 50K race and take your first step into the world beyond 26.2. It's bigger and better. More cakeHappyG(rrr)
, less clock 
G1:10pm, 8th Apr 2015 -
1Watford Wobble2:06pm, 13th Apr 2015
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this idea makes McG's and Binks' exploits look positively normalfleecy3:16pm, 14th Apr 2015
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Aren't theyNight-owl3:38pm, 14th Apr 2015
I was between books a few days ago, so I picked up James Adams' (aka Binks) book - Running and Stuff - that Katie had read the previous week, having had it signed by the man himself. I'm a fiction reader in the main, and I've never really gotten very far with running books.
I first met real-life James in a field near our house last summer. He was strolling along with a map in his hand, and explained that (as him and Wine Legs had moved in locally) that he was checking out the local area. We pointed out that the river path just beyond the treeline was very nice to run on. He explained that he'd just popped over to St Neots, meaning he must have covered at least 25 miles by the time we bumped into him, which put our suggestion into some perspective. However, it doesn't really put James into perspective, as by his standards, this would have been not much more than a bit of a wander.
James is an ultra-runner, but goes to great lengths to insist that he is just an ordinary bloke. And in lots of ways he really is - and a nice one at that. But I have to refute his claim of ordinariness, and suggest that no amount of superlatives, expletives or laxatives would be sufficient to recreate his experiences in print. He's done a pretty good job though. The book describes his initial disillusionment with running to beat personal bests, and how he takes on increasingly extreme challenges, culminating with his 70 day run from Los Angeles to New York.
As I've said, I struggle with running books, so I was a bit unsure about how I'd get on - but I really enjoyed it. All too often, writing about running is a little bit too dry for my taste. When pared down to basic facts, accounts of running can sometimes feel quite linear, like reading the minutes of the parish meeting where nothing controversial happened. But James does not suffer with this problem. He copes with the linear monotony of endless miles by occupying his mind with the most non-linear thoughts - and in writing his account, he rightly gives these thoughts as much weight, if not more, than the factual information.
As a member of the 'Fetch Book Group', I know that readers often bear down on grammatical / semantic / timeline errors - and if that's your bag, I think you'd have a field day with your green pen whilst reading the book. But to mark it down for that would be to miss the point, in the same way that focusing on the brush strokes can obscure your view of a lovely painting. It's an insight into the mind of a fascinating man; a mind that very clearly isn't willing to play by the rules. It's made me wonder how far I could go if, one day I set out to run in a particular direction; and where it would take me. It's a reminder, if ever I need one, that no matter how far you run, home is always the best place to be. And the story of Bando, James' battered and bruised fellow runner, singing 'With A Little Help From My Friends' to James in the middle of the desert, is as uplifting a moment as you will ever find. Thank you James. May you continue to enjoy and share your stories with us all.
Here's the book:
amazon.co.uk
I first met real-life James in a field near our house last summer. He was strolling along with a map in his hand, and explained that (as him and Wine Legs had moved in locally) that he was checking out the local area. We pointed out that the river path just beyond the treeline was very nice to run on. He explained that he'd just popped over to St Neots, meaning he must have covered at least 25 miles by the time we bumped into him, which put our suggestion into some perspective. However, it doesn't really put James into perspective, as by his standards, this would have been not much more than a bit of a wander.
James is an ultra-runner, but goes to great lengths to insist that he is just an ordinary bloke. And in lots of ways he really is - and a nice one at that. But I have to refute his claim of ordinariness, and suggest that no amount of superlatives, expletives or laxatives would be sufficient to recreate his experiences in print. He's done a pretty good job though. The book describes his initial disillusionment with running to beat personal bests, and how he takes on increasingly extreme challenges, culminating with his 70 day run from Los Angeles to New York.
As I've said, I struggle with running books, so I was a bit unsure about how I'd get on - but I really enjoyed it. All too often, writing about running is a little bit too dry for my taste. When pared down to basic facts, accounts of running can sometimes feel quite linear, like reading the minutes of the parish meeting where nothing controversial happened. But James does not suffer with this problem. He copes with the linear monotony of endless miles by occupying his mind with the most non-linear thoughts - and in writing his account, he rightly gives these thoughts as much weight, if not more, than the factual information.
As a member of the 'Fetch Book Group', I know that readers often bear down on grammatical / semantic / timeline errors - and if that's your bag, I think you'd have a field day with your green pen whilst reading the book. But to mark it down for that would be to miss the point, in the same way that focusing on the brush strokes can obscure your view of a lovely painting. It's an insight into the mind of a fascinating man; a mind that very clearly isn't willing to play by the rules. It's made me wonder how far I could go if, one day I set out to run in a particular direction; and where it would take me. It's a reminder, if ever I need one, that no matter how far you run, home is always the best place to be. And the story of Bando, James' battered and bruised fellow runner, singing 'With A Little Help From My Friends' to James in the middle of the desert, is as uplifting a moment as you will ever find. Thank you James. May you continue to enjoy and share your stories with us all.
Here's the book:
amazon.co.uk
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Last year I was Pinteresting the covers of the books I was reading - but I seem to have forgotten to do that this year. So I've just come back from a run with Katie and Stephen (calf improving), and have supped my tea and made a list of everything I can remember. And to make things slightly more interesting, I've rated them out of 10. Now that they've mostly had the opportunity to fade into memory, I think I've given them slightly different ratings compared to what I might have given them at the time.
The Old Curiosity Shop [4]
The Amateurs [8]
Jonathan Livingston Seagull [ZERO]
Casino Royale [5]
The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman [7]
Heart of Darkness [6]
Flowers for Algernon [8]
The Mystic Masseur [4]
Dear Lupin: Letters to a Wayward Son [5]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay [8]
Complicity [Not finished yet, but currently an 8]
I'm off for a shower now, where I will no doubt remember one that I've forgotten.
The Old Curiosity Shop [4]
The Amateurs [8]
Jonathan Livingston Seagull [ZERO]
Casino Royale [5]
The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman [7]
Heart of Darkness [6]
Flowers for Algernon [8]
The Mystic Masseur [4]
Dear Lupin: Letters to a Wayward Son [5]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay [8]
Complicity [Not finished yet, but currently an 8]
I'm off for a shower now, where I will no doubt remember one that I've forgotten.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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It's hard to get above an 8 with you isn't it? (Are you reading Hunger Games out of sequence?)McGoohan10:32am, 2nd Apr 2015
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I don't think I'd rate any book I've read so far this year less than a 5, even if I did rate these things. Don Quixote was pretty middle-of-the-road though; nice prose but way too self-indulgent for its own good. Clearly I've not read such a wide range of genres as you so that might explain my lack of disappointment.Valyrian Plastic10:40am, 2nd Apr 2015
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I'm always on the lookout for good books to read, I may well investigate some of your 8sHippity10:52am, 2nd Apr 2015
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I'm tempted by the Seagull one just to see how bad it is.McGoohan10:53am, 2nd Apr 2015
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McG - I can send you my copy.fetcheveryone11:04am, 2nd Apr 2015
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McG save your time so fetch can save the postage, it's a zeroMummysaurus11:24am, 2nd Apr 2015
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I loved JLS when I was a shtoodunt, but that was a long time ago. I also loved Illusions, which is *much* more of the same. Almost as short, but very, very new age.GregP11:40am, 2nd Apr 2015
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You have to read JLS with your soul Fetch, with your soul!mulbs11:52am, 2nd Apr 2015
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How can you rate JLS zero?! Each to their own! Is Complicity the Iain M Banks? If so, love 'em. Phew, we are sympatico again.HappyG(rrr) G11:54am, 2nd Apr 2015
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It's without the 'M' - so no spaceships.GregP11:56am, 2nd Apr 2015
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I imagined some spaceships in there anywayMcGoohan12:01pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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hmmm, very good, I may make a list too, difficult to remeber if you dont make a note much less fiction for meOcelot Spleens12:52pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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Are you missing Humans?flanker
I'd rate several 8 or above this year. None of them have been part of the book club though, and strangely all have been fantasy: Brandon Sanderson's Hero of Ages trilogy, James Islington's Licanius trilogy, Paul Hoffman's Left Hand of God, Peter V Brett's Demon Cycle series and Anthony Ryan's Raven's Shadow series.4:43pm, 2nd Apr 2015 -
I have LHOG on my 'to read' pile beside the bed.GregP4:54pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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My list is so small I am way behindNight-owl6:05pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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I'm listening to the unabridged Mockingjay audio book on long runs - brilliant. Apart from the irritating US accent. Does this count as reading? I think this counts as reading.Iron_Mum6:41pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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I have an Audible account. I think it counts as reading.GregP7:01pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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I loved JLS and Illusions but they're not like normal fiction, I like mulbs' comment.B.7:25pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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I audiobooks are definitely 'reading'. Means I can 'read' while doing the housework. When I'm commuting I prefer proper reading.flanker7:27pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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Complicity is at least an 11.RichHL11:01pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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Bleak House? I thought you read Bleak House...?DazTheSlug11:29pm, 2nd Apr 2015
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Yes I am back running, yeepy yeepy happy happy I ammr guinness7:31pm, 6th Apr 2015
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Just finished Flowers for Algernon. Not at all what I expected based on the title. I'd agree with the '8' and maybe add 'and a half'.Hippity10:33pm, 6th Apr 2015
*parp*
No, not that kind.
Have you ever done a really windy run, and wondered just how much of a factor it was in slowing you down, or speeding you up? If so, you might like the new feature in the training log.
If you use a GPS to log your run, Fetch can now carve your run up into eight different compass points, and calculate your speed in each segment. Here's my run at the Fenland 10 last year - it's a very flat course, which is mostly great, but it means you're at the mercy of the wind, which was blowing a hoolie from the south west.
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-log-view.php?id=10576873
Scroll down 'til you see this little chart.
It shows you how my pace varied depending on the direction I ran in. I hope you find it useful.
Here's another run that illustrates it quite well:
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-log-view.php?id=11095143
I was attempting to run just under 8mins/mile, doing loops of the park. The flat shape of the loop meant that I spent most of my time going either directly east, or directly west. The wind was blowing from the west, and you can see that my pace going west was 6s/mile slower than when I was running with the wind.
Fun eh?
No, not that kind.
Have you ever done a really windy run, and wondered just how much of a factor it was in slowing you down, or speeding you up? If so, you might like the new feature in the training log.
If you use a GPS to log your run, Fetch can now carve your run up into eight different compass points, and calculate your speed in each segment. Here's my run at the Fenland 10 last year - it's a very flat course, which is mostly great, but it means you're at the mercy of the wind, which was blowing a hoolie from the south west.
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-log-view.php?id=10576873
Scroll down 'til you see this little chart.
It shows you how my pace varied depending on the direction I ran in. I hope you find it useful.
Here's another run that illustrates it quite well:
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-log-view.php?id=11095143
I was attempting to run just under 8mins/mile, doing loops of the park. The flat shape of the loop meant that I spent most of my time going either directly east, or directly west. The wind was blowing from the west, and you can see that my pace going west was 6s/mile slower than when I was running with the wind.
Fun eh?
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Just looked back at last year's Liverpool Half - which makes a nice example! Like itAutumnleaves (the feature, not running against the wind, obvs!)3:38pm, 1st Apr 2015
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Interesting data, but unless it is corrected for elevation changes, etc, then I'm not sure it'll be overly useful it many situations.Nelly
And, unless I'm misunderstanding, shouldn't the sum of the eight different compass points percentages total 100%?4:00pm, 1st Apr 2015 -
something odd is going on on most of mine. Running in the direction of Nan goes all wonky :JustCommando!
NAN%
NAN:-21474836484:07pm, 1st Apr 2015 -
Will this work for cycling as well?McGoohan4:10pm, 1st Apr 2015
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Leave your Nan alone JD, she's having a nap.McGoohan4:10pm, 1st Apr 2015
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Mine says NAN% as well :snogard
NAN:-2147483648
Help?4:18pm, 1st Apr 2015 -
Just had a look at last Sunday's Colchester Half, which was pretty windy - nearly 1m/mile difference between East and West ?!! And I thought I had a particularly streamlined shape, as well.....Bru-Bru4:23pm, 1st Apr 2015
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My N and S NANs are odd, N 0.0, South as above. I was track running, so I guess there is a bit of bias/interpolation going on. Quite a Westerly last night, 30 secs difference in paces from E-W.Ocelot Spleens4:53pm, 1st Apr 2015
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The NaN (Not a Number) figures should be much improved now. Not sure yet why the percentages aren't adding up yet. When there's a large difference, it's worth considering whether there's a sufficient percentage of your run in both directions. And as Nelly points out, there are other factors - but it's still interesting.fetcheveryone5:25pm, 1st Apr 2015
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Also sorted. Coding error.fetcheveryone5:28pm, 1st Apr 2015
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love this feature, thank youMetro_Nome6:00pm, 1st Apr 2015
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Look at this one, running west was up a steep hill into a gale http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-log-view.php?id=11135219Diogenes10:03pm, 1st Apr 2015
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Its fab. Is there no end to your talentsNight-owl11:17pm, 1st Apr 2015
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This is why I love FE - the kind of data that you won't find anywhere else. I'm a geek and I'm proud!SFL8:25am, 2nd Apr 2015
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NAN is sortedJustCommando! Interesting. Other factors include a vaguely circular long race when I am running slower at the end than at the beginning... Wind less of a factor than KNACKERED!10:32am, 2nd Apr 2015
That's what I'm working on today, inspired by my last few runs, which have been very windy indeed.
With a GPS trace, a run can be broken down into segments based on direction. I'm breaking them into 8 segments - N, E, S,W, and then NE, SE, SW, and NW - and can work out the percentage of time/distance in each segment, and therefore your average speed in each.
I've no idea whether there'll be any noticeable effect - but it's fun finding out More news soon.
With a GPS trace, a run can be broken down into segments based on direction. I'm breaking them into 8 segments - N, E, S,W, and then NE, SE, SW, and NW - and can work out the percentage of time/distance in each segment, and therefore your average speed in each.
I've no idea whether there'll be any noticeable effect - but it's fun finding out
More news soon.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
-
I've got a sundial you can borrow if that would help?D212:16pm, 1st Apr 2015
-
Wild Roses?McGoohan
Not relevant but... when I was in Holland at the weekend, there were road signs that said 'Wild Rooster' which mean, apparently, 'road narrows'.12:39pm, 1st Apr 2015 -
No hang on... it means 'cattle grid' according to GoogleMcGoohan12:40pm, 1st Apr 2015
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October (16)
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Today’s Task
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May (7)
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April (13)
In case you haven't cancelled it yet...
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I can eat fifty eggs
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February (8)
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January (11)
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December (6)
Nearly forgot...
Jam today
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Chewie, we're home!
Two tips for today's advent challenge
November (13)
Spammy McSpamface
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I didn't know I owned a nutcracker
Design our anniversary shirts/vests!
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Swimming in a metaphor
Hello
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October (11)
Fl'update
To think I tried to mop it up!
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Long Run
So it still needs a name...
Front Garden Ultra?
The Boy is a man!
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September (7)
Training Edit Screen - time to ditch it...
Stock check
The Doctor K Cup - October 7th!!!!
Removing the training edit screen
A Happy Applecart
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Forgotten pictures
August (14)
Just in case
Weekly Total Hours
Dim Brys Dim Chwys
All hail our robot overlords!
Your local parkrun
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A survey?
Did you know?
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Be careful what's in your paste buffer (and July training update)
July (13)
Delight
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Ocean Colour Scheme
18 years, 10 months, 13 days and counting...
Ooof #fail
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A whispered, half-remembered dream
Try the Heatmap!!!
Teaser
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July Virtual Mile
June (8)
Last Big Swim
I can't be the only one...
Which is the real me?
#EveryoneDay
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WSW Main Page Layout Changes
May Summary (contains swimming!)
Hoodies pre-order closes at 10am
May (17)
A new WSW challenge
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Hoooooooooooooodies!!!!!!!!!!!
Another Sweatshop Competition
Did you get an email?
Fifty Years Ago - Part VIII
Fifty Years Ago - Part VII
Fifty Years Ago - Part VI
Help on a slippery slope
Fifty Years Ago - Part V
Fifty Years Ago - Part IV
Fifty Years Ago - Part III
Chuck-off: Round 2
Not my king?
Fifty Years Ago - Part II
Fifty Years Ago
And that was April
April (10)
Centurion Safari!
Sheep treats (and a routes feature)
And I’ll sail her up the west coast, through villages and towns.
15,746 places to 💩
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Rusty Metal and a Cycling Grudge Match
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March (10)
And that was March
Try the new fmail system
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Some Sweatshop Competitions
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February (13)
And that was February
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What does Points make?
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January (14)
Monthly Infographic Bug Fixes
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Have a play with the monthly infographic
It's not ready yet, but...
Introducing Fetch Premium
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Still following?
Fettle
Definitely Not Betting
Do you follow? (plus burp chat)
Advance warning for stalkers!
I'm back (and the Fetch LS, SS and NS shirts preorder is open)
Attention Fitbit Users
Review 50 albums in 2023 (badge!)
2022 (144)
December (8)
Treasure Hunt Day 1 - the best gift
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Who Am I? (Solved, thanks) And How Am I?
Confessions :-)
12 Days of Christmas Treasure Hunt
Chewie, we’re home!
A few pics from the Foffice :-)
November (24)
Yesvember - Day #30 (and Festive Fetch Calendar Eve!)
The Fetch Festive 160.934 :-) [Yesvember #Day 29]
You'd better watch out... (plus Yesvember Day #28)
Brace Yourself (and there's one spare bobble hat!) and Yesvember - Day #26
Hats in the post! Plus Yesvember Day #25
Look what arrived!
Yesvember - Day #24
Training Graph Manager - usability update (Yesvember Day #23)
Yesvember - Day #22 - Cheating?
Last chance to enter the Advance Performance comp
Yesvember - Days #11 thru #14 (plus Jumpy Boy)
Weather on the training home page watch. Have you got weather on the training home page? (Yesvember - Day #10)
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Another bit of the internet fenced off
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The Les Mis effect
Yesvember - Day #3
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October (15)
October gives way to Yesvember!
Anyone fancy a threeway?
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Racing, post-pandemic
Contracts exchanged!
Competition Time!
Last call for Flobble Hats
A record year for swimming?
Woburn Lido
Order your Bobble Hat! If you like.
I appear to have entered a race! (plus new Garmin import queueing system)
Eric the Eel
Get your hobbit on
The Doctor K Cup: Saturday 8th October!
I felt the touch of the kings and the breath of the wind
September (16)
Take This Bus To Cuba
Fetch Bobble Hats
Trumpeting
Training View tweaks (switch maps, game overlays, mile markers)
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A long ride and a cold swim.
Play Button
UTMOST Wava & Bike Division Rebuilds
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A keeper, from my feedback inbox...
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Try the new Training Groups pages
August (11)
Training Groups Update - Coming Soon
Garmin Queue Issues
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New Elbow Laws
No longer the 3398th fastest Fetchie over 10k!
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July (6)
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June (10)
Imagine you could search all the public blogs...
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Shepperton Weight Gain Programme
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May (16)
Four hours left :-)
Division 10: No hope of escape?
Book giveaway :-)
Division 11: No place left to hide
New HR Analysis
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Division 12: Two hours of pushing broom
Dark Mode: Beta
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Division 12: Running Out Of Road?
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Making UTMOST moves :-)
Do you want a Fetch shirt?
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April (7)
Today's plan
NEW UTMOST BADGES!!!!!
A plug for some races
Raspberry Pavlov
Win a book :-)
United Colours of Cross Training
A little Streetview adventure
March (11)
The lockers are a pound.
Advice for Gym Noobs!
Feedback made easier
#EveryoneDay June 26th 2022
Fetch Virtual Challenge 2022 🎈
Thanks Chunky: parkrun routes!
Sniffer Dogs
Yikes!
Fetch Cycling Jerseys - Update
Route Plotting tweak
The Crow: A Pipedream!
February (7)
Fetch Kit Spares
Updated Race Listing Pages
Introducing Rundle!
I appear to be training for an OWS event!
Fetch Cycling Jerseys!!!
Does you wantz free shoez?
Post Office tomorrow - kit spares
January (13)
Updated Flanci Design (now with more Fetchness)
Badge Collection Graphic!
Updated elevation trace
Book Lists :-)
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Flanci / Fetch Leggings
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Join me on my fitness journey!
Are you the farmer?
Blog every day challenge - finishers
2021 (187)
December (14)
Book List
Ten years ago today...
A big slobbery elephant snog.
If you don't like hills, this must be getting tiring :-)
When does a hill end?
Hill finder - prototype v2
Hill Finder - prototype
2022 Targets
Chewie, We’re Home! Happy Fetch Independence Day!
Embed badges, plus a new badge :-)
Updated people page
Seeking map
Streak Watch
The new Fetch buffs are here…
November (23)
Almost there...
The Fetch Library
Update your thread titles
Ascent dissent
Mute a thread
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I fell off (but not really!)
Croeso i Fetcheveryone. Ydych chi'n siarad Almaeneg, Swedish neu Eidaleg?
New mobile nav
Last call for shirts
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Just a trim please
Brought to you by wind power
300 miles later
Golden Ticket Shocker!
Banjobax (aka KOG)
Home and Away kit preorder - with long sleeve option
A little competition - win a copy of Daniels' Running Formula
Garmin testers - thanks
Add your grub stops!
Points Of Interest: Grub Stops
Garmin-owning testers wanted
October (19)
New home and away shirts and vests
Benchmark league - a few more updates
Benchmark league table
Hill areas
Preorder is now open!
'b'uffs then
Necktube design #1 & #2
Buffs (well, neck tubes)
Report dodgy GPS stuff
An apology for people who follow my training
New cycling and swimming badges
New Conquercise Feature: Grids
Sprouting a tiny biking antler :-)
Have a try of the cycling gradient analysis
Struggling with my big ring
Cycling: gradient vs pace
A question for cyclists
For Doctor K
Shan't.
September (14)
New comments (FID 1212)
Forum post previews
Garmin imports with a snippet more info
Gallery upload options
Golden Tickets
"No need to panic donate", says Williams
Forum Quotes
Spoiler Alert!
20th of March and all that.
Have you signed up yet?
This bit of crappy Upminister nearly cost me my f***ing life.
A guide with no pages
To steal a catchphrase from a wise lady...
Multiple choice polls
August (11)
Pre-Race Training - Updated
A connection!
New Member of the Month sponsor
Best Weeks - bug fixes
Your Best Week Ever
Rainbow Kit - preorder is open
Age Bests - filtering out the mistakes :-)
Sign up, sign up, for the Doctor K cup
A message from my lovely wife ❤️
Another batch of rainbow kit?
Spares: Event Clips, Swim Hats and a few rainbow tops
July (10)
A bunch of site goodies :-)
Hello kitty
Holy Simmering Mercury Batman!
Settings
A heart rate question
Sleepy Shuffle?
365 graph
Slipping on ma noob shoes
Meatronomes
World's Sexiest Bridges
June (11)
Benchmarks - a *tiny* little improvement
Race Leaderboards - some small improvements
Race Finder - Update
Up there ^
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Last call for FE Event Clips
Server update
Minor code problem
Some little updates to your route list
Feature requests - two years on!
More than just a rainbow
May (8)
Rainbow Kit - update on delivery time...
Fetch Ron Hill Cycling Jerseys
Pre-order your rainbow kit now :-)
Jimi Hendrix vs Run DMC
The return of parkrun - a poll
Something in the woodshed...
Default to walk
A tour of the Fetch Office
April (11)
Instabanned :-)
I has Instagram
Fetch Event Clips
FERC
Castle Challenge Coaster!
My chess rating
Jab - symptom watch
This just in...
REVIEW: XMiles selection box
Let FE pay for your coaching qualifications :-)
Castle Challenge - A Quick Blog
March (18)
The Fetcheveryone Castle Challenge
Running vs Cycling Cadence
Fetch vests and shirts (and swim caps)
Elevation vs Follow Roads
£500 of England Athletics courses up for grabs!
TomTom users
Music by year: 1993
10k Analysis: Part 7 - Length of Training Runs
Music by year: 1992 (plus some 1991 additions)
Bot sniffing win :-) plus daily blogger count!
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10k Analysis: Part 6 - Training Pace Again
Time to update your injuries :-)
User profile - sticker button.. EDIT and race standard
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User Profile tweaking
Cute story of the week*
10k Analysis: Part 5 - Training Pace
February (17)
Year on Year mileage comparison
Elevation graphs
It's all kicking off in chess club!
Music By year: 1991
10k Analysis: Part 4 - Weekly Training Habits
Tagging virtual races
Chasing rainbows
Rainbow Shirts
Lance!
Blog writing improvements
10k Analysis: Part 3 - Accuracy of human predictions
Music by year: 1990
Smacking bots
29 slices - my seven days of dinner
10k Analysis: Part 2 - Age and Performance
Pass it on
10k Analysis: Part 1 - Distribution of best 10k times
January (31)
January
Mobile Usability Team Helping All Fetchies...
Salmon Ramen Recipe :-)
Salmon Ramen (for TBR)
Backup dog
The best GPS watches in the world... volume 1
Pick it...
People who liked...
Obscure bugs
Zen & The Art of Heart Rate Training
FIT file import - temporary issue
Keep the change, ya filthy animal
The honeymoon is over
Dirty data
Mobile Usability
Oops
Readership!
Stay sticky
It's Hip To Buy Squares
Related Threads - Exposé :-)
The Batshit Association
Jobs
Tag Team
Feed the monster!
An ad for Fetch Chess Club :-)
Estimating VO2Max
Three little birds
A not uncommon swelling
Church Mouse January
Honey, where's my super suit?
Not here.
2020 (128)
December (6)
Blog A Day 2021?
9 years ago today
Chewie, We're Home! Happy Fetch Independence Day :-)
Be Prepared
Becoming an effluencer
A few Fetch Mugs left
November (10)
The Festive Fetch Calendar is back!
FIT file import
Mugs!
Thank you, mysterious Fetchie!
Chess
UTMOST in the age of COVID-19
This'll cheer you up for sure...
Lost in translation?
Annual Infographic... updating now.
In theory...
October (11)
Training Plan Analysis
Mini plans with the training plan
5k with The Boy :-)
Welcome to tomorrow
Thank you
Become tradeable!
Pre-Race Training Volume
Doctor K Cup Week
Last orders
Advice for a friend
Trader Makeover
September (6)
The shop is open!
Hoodie Colour!
New Fetch Hoodies
A big up/holler!
VO2max
A benchmark derailed by GPS data *nerd*
August (8)
10k analysis
Officially a Sheepy Shuffler!
Pi Watering
Pre-order Avoid Everyone Face Masks
I got sent these...
Other sites? :-O
Benchmarks - an infinitely configurable set of ladders.
Try the monthly infographic :-)
July (10)
Update on Monthly Training Infographic
New Infographic
Monthly Summary (with a little tweak)
A quick Garmin update
Open Water / Wild Swimming Database
Avoid Everyone - spares
OWS Locations
Thread-level search
New Sharing Graphic & New Pastures
My first lamp post
June (16)
Replacing the Who's Training page
Combining some pages
In pursuit of the Gridmaster Ultra
15th Anniversary Kit - Spares
Shoelaces
A new How To video
Training Plan Updated
Black Lives Matter
Avoid Everyone Spares + Second Batch
Wikipedia page
Another YouTube video for sharesies :-)
Getting data to Fetch from **other places**
Feature Voting - some further updates
Feature Voting - speeded up
Another How To video - this time, Conquercise
Fantastisches Tweeten
May (13)
A video for sharing
Bees!
Fetch Introductory Zoom Presentations
A promise to all Fetchies
Fetch Virtual Weekend: Replacement Bus Service
How has Fetch use changed?
Fetch Weekly Virtual Races
Zoom Meeting - Thursday 9 til 10am
WAVA Standards Update
WAVA Standards + Poll
Fun with Age Grading :-)
New Badges Day
The test shirt fabric has arrived :-)
April (14)
Zoom Podcast - watch the video
What is WBC?
If you did the free Amazon trial...
Some small amends (and shirt version)
Pre-orders open
I was only joking, but...
If Fetcheveryone did lockdown merch
Site outage - Thursday 16th April 11pm
On exercising responsibly
My Sports Quiz - how would you have scored?
Your creative thinking required
WBC My Favourite Teacher (a bit later than the deadline)
Updated Training League
Server Downtime, Thursday 9th 00:01BST to 04:00BST (and thank you!)
March (13)
New Fetch Game: Hide and Seek
Free trial of Audible
Do you have a good memory?
New Opt-In for Fetch Miles
New Badges for Fetch Miles
The Fetch Five: Don't Let CV19 Win!
Amending event dates and notifying of cancellations
A green light comes on over your head, and you can get on with life
Most Popular Shoe Brands 2019
A review
Android: Session I
Compare Your Training
Book Now to avoid disappointment :-)
February (10)
Imports from Suunto, Fitbit, Polar and TomTom.
Plot A Route - mobile improvements
Happy tugging!
Something to play with
Adding A New Feature
February Treasure Hunt
Server Downtime
Miles = Smiles
Build Your Mile
Pop Will Eat Himself: Update
January (11)
Clarence the Cadence Kitten
Trim your trails :-)
Seven Day Leaderboard
Let's try that again
Some minor blog amendments
Try the new Forum Search Prototype
Pop Will Eat Himself
A card from HowFar?
Thank you HowFar? (Statement, not a question)
Take the red pill
Climb every mountain
2019 (134)
December (7)
The Christmas Poem
Where your treasure is...
Listen to the dog breathe
Chewie, We're Home
Thursday's Challenge
Which GPS?
Fetch Shop (of sorts)
November (12)
The zeroth challenge
Polar users - auto import
Calling all Polar users
Mobile Optimisation
Calling all Android users
Did your ads disappear?
Pin that sucker down :-)
Easier tagging
Category now editable from VIEW
Kit now editable from VIEW
Working towards tagging
Manual Add Training bug
October (16)
Boring Cricket Blog
Books Part 2
Books :-)
42
Training tags Part 2
Training tags
Let's Jazzercise
My precious
Cricket Week 4: Footage :-)
Forum Training Threads
Benny Neutrino Returns
Cricket Week 3: Wingardium Leviosa!
Benny Neutrino's Filter Tips
Cricket Week 2
Continuing Amazon Affiliate Saga
In case you haven't seen...
September (11)
Updated: Spare Anniversary Kit
Affiliate links
I did a cricket!
Fetch365 - enjoy responsibly
Filth
My dear old things
Buddies vs Follow
Server Invoice Day
Our new MOTM sponsor
Fetch Power!
Race Listings: Please Read
August (5)
Everyone *rainbow*
Almost there...
Quick blog
Country Badges
A new set of badges
July (6)
Pre-orders open
Anniversary Shirts v2
Fetch 15th Anniversary Shirts
Fetch Fest 2020
Shout Outs
Missing imports from Garmin yesterday
June (13)
Who Squares Wins: 64 screenshot
Who Squares Wins: 64 Player Edition
Training summary - older pages
Training sub-menu rejig
Try the infographic
Steady Edina
Annual Summary Infographic
The height of daft things
The training summary - the morning session
The training summary - a wordier blog
Try the annual summary thing
How to listen to the Fetch Podcast
12 month summary mega-graph!
May (15)
£79.99 off the bottom line
Competition
parkrun reviews - now with routes
Fix It Friday; Project Joker Week 2; and some shout outs.
Fetch Kit Cupboard Sale
The bonus ball
Project Joker - Week 1
Fix It Friday
A quick update on the server
Fetch 15th Anniversary Kit
There is a good service operating
Oof.
In case you're wondering...
Trouble auto importing from Garmin?
Fix It Friday: Stuff that came to me in dreams
April (12)
Feature Voting - now with virtual badges :-)
The moment of triumph!
New Feature Voting
Fix It Friday: What would your horse be called?
Marathon Pacing: tyre-kickers required
Fix It Friday: Back to Basics
Podcast Poll
Fix It Friday: The League Of Everyone
Dom, dom, dom, I've got DOMS, I've got DOMS!
Crouch, Touch, Pause.... longer pause... what am I doing again?
Training Log - Update
Site Update: New Font
March (15)
Fix It Friday: An Endless Mission
Naming and faming :-)
2nd in my age category!
Fix It Friday: Brought to you by Surprise Inset Day
New training log
Route Matching - Ready :-)
Fix It Friday
What's your unit of measurement?
Ciderthon competition
Fix It Friday: Stroopwafels of Doom!
Route Matching - Update
This week's cool list
Me in the river
Big Fetch Miles 2019
Fix It Friday: Fingerprints!
February (13)
A Maths Challenge
Fetch Legends: Activate!
Whose coat is this jacket?
Fix It Friday: The Fix Awakens
Joining the awesome list...
Fix It Friday
Naming and faming :-)
Fix It Friday - Monthly Summary
Training Month Summary
Podcast Q&A
If you can't read this, don't panic.
*redsaber* The force is strong with these Fetchies!
Fix It Friday *bluesaber*
January (9)
Some shout outs :-)
Fix It Friday!
Podcast Ep 3, plus some naming and faming :-)
Fix It Friday
Fetch Chaos
Oooh! Second chance Berlin trip! And new subbers, podcast episode, and Trader.
My week of running
Naming and faming - this week :-)
Naming and faming :-)
2018 (138)
December (8)
A Christmas Message (in podcast form)
Rungeon :-)
Hey, Everyone!
France Trip Vote
Happy Fetch Independence Day
Actual free trip to France (incl. flights)
Litter
Sombrero's Lovely Cards
November (14)
Hoodies + other spares
Spare Fetch Kit
Festive Fetch Calendar 2018
Avatars
Book Giveaway - Can We Run With You, Grandfather?
Fix It Friday
Bedford Harriers Half - place offered
Updated Kit Bag
Family Fortunes :-)
Any adidas experts out there?
No Fixes Today - just two challenges
Big Fetch Mile Cardiff
Fix It Friday
Festive Fetch Calendar 2018
October (14)
Hello landlubbers
Embedded polls
Member of the Month
Fix It Friday
Spare Fetch shirts and vests
Abingdon
Fix It Friday
My Fetch Mile
One thing's for sure, we're all gonna be a lot thinner.
Fix It Friday - 'Ave It!
Automatic route matching
Automatic route matching
One last reminder for those cycling jerseys
Fix It Friday - Forensics and User Experience
September (14)
Fix It Friday
Server Downtime 2.30pm 26th September
Never Again
Fix It Friday!
Handling your weirdness
Cards ordered :-)
Just wondering...
Fix It Friday :-)
Try the Fetcheveryone Tutorial
40 days and 40 nights
Fix It Friday
ARION insoles - review part 1
Fetch Shirt - Black Ones, and sizing
Shirts and Vests Pre-Order
August (14)
Fix It Friday
Blog Height squished
Site Outage Last Night
New Mobile Nav
Fix It Friday
New feature - how you doin'? :-)
Sunflower spread
Fix It Friday
A new pre-race mileage graph
Fetch Social: Draycote Water September
Fix It Friday: The Supermarket Analogy
A run with _andy :-)
Suunto 9 Review
Fix it Friday
July (5)
Fix It Friday!
Five Get Wet In Devon
Big Glasgow Weekend - Part 1: Gies A Cwtch
Tom Williams Interview - Final Part
Glasgow Big Fetch Mile Results and Pics
June (17)
Abingdon Week 17 - P&D Booster rockets
Interviewing Tom Williams: Part III
Walking League (and one just for Nellers)
Follow Roads - continued
Week 18 in the bag
Tackling turds
Abingdon Marathon Training: Week 18
Interview with Tom Williams - Part 2
Server
Five Questions (ready for serious answers)
Kick some tyres for me
Interview with Tom Williams - Part 1
Five Questions
Follow Roads saga
Google maps progress, plus Abingdon plans
Training Summary - Infographics
Who Squares Wins - ranking update
May (10)
Training log maps converted
More mapping updates
Who Squares Wins - The Wizard's Hat
De doo doo doo... another one bites the dust...
Invisible changes
Silverstone 10k
Three year throwback
Why your support makes the difference
Some high mileage Fetchies
dryrobe winner
April (14)
Interviewing Tom Williams
Swimming Caps!
#finishformatt
New batch of shirts and vests
You make big mistake my friend
Fetchpoint
Glasgow Big Fetch Mile announced
Two tickets to the Running Awards
Pics from Dudley Big Fetch Mile
Notes for London Marathon Fetchpointers
Results from today's Big Fetch Mile
Who Squares Wins - prototype board
Attention London Marathoners!
New game - coming soon
March (9)
Intervals, Solidarity, Swimming and Fmail
Ready to give the new fmail a try?
More on fmail
New fmail system
Win a dryrobe :-)
For jabberknit...
Updating the Training Home page
Pics from Bedford Big Fetch Mile
Sledgends :-)
February (13)
Buffs On Sale
Big Fetch Mile Bedford
Vlog :-)
Marathon Talk
Important GDPR stuff - PLEASE read
A page of historical importance
Vlog :-)
Road Rash, Marathon Prediction and T-Shirts
This :-)
Capturing the dog
It's BACK!
Enter Wilmslow Half Marathon
An advertisement
January (6)
Local Fetchies - Opt In
Revealed: World's Best Shoes
How I chose the Big Fetch Mile venues
Big Fetch Mile 2018 - Venues & Provisional Dates
Try adding an image to your training entry
Mileage Targets 2018 - Update
2017 (147)
December (12)
Mileage Targets 2018
Thank you
Brownie Recipe :-)
Phew
Fetch Hoodies + Buffs SALE Update
Chewie, We're Home
Fetch Hoodies SALE - what's left
Fetch Hoodies! SALE!!! (and Buffs available too)
Chewie, We're Home
Sharing pics
Fetch Jingle Mile Cambridge photos
Glorious Failure: Bedford Harriers Half Marathon
November (20)
Serpents, hamstrings and inversions
A special anniversary approaches...
Hamstring and prototype updates
Training Log Prototype - Today's Improvements
Red Venom sale
For what it's worth...
Training Log Prototype - Update #2
Training Log Prototype - Update
Big Fetch Mile - venue hunt
RT for a Garmin
Training Log Prototype - To Be Fixed
fetcheveryone.com/amazon
The Weekly vLog (by me)
Thanks :-)
New Training Log Prototype - Available Now
Thanks for following
VLog - footage from the Cardiff Big Fetch Mile
Big Fetch Mile[s] 2018
Win a place in the Surrey Half
I vont to scan your barcode.
October (12)
Big Fetch Weekend :-)
Fetch Mile Results
Festive Fetch Calendar :-O
Calling Parkers everywhere!
In which I decorate a cake.
Regent's Park Fetchie Discount
Elevation in colour
"I didn't come here to walk to Sparta!"
New elevation info
Chicken Ballot-ine, with a side order of beef
New training log headers
Ballot day tomorrow - help needed
September (19)
Weekly vLog - COCONUTS!!!
River Thames Half Marathon
The lollipop update
On failing gracefully
Doctor K Day
Fetch Kit Sale - Updates
Weekly vLog
Fetch Kit Sale
Training Log View Update
Fetcheveryone Weekly? Vlog?
Fetchie Race Discount - Regent's Park 10k
Training Log Tags - Live
Training Log Tags
Weekly vLog - Derby Mile, and a pause to salute the legendary Doctor K
24 hours later
Doctor K donation page
Doctor K
Fetch Weekly vLog
Derby Mile - tomorrow!
August (8)
Race Prices; and an alien earworm
Straight outta Cromford - the Fetch Weekly vLog!
A Fetch vLog! With prizes!
Quick search location for sharing
New WAVA graph
Weird FIT file thing
Back from me 'olidays :-)
Linking race results to training log entries
July (12)
Race Pricing - crowdsourcing
Appdate for Android and iPhone
Inhalers
Fetch Mile - Cardiff?
Bookends
Race listing omelette
Coding and town planning
Please review your races
A2B winners
Motivational Sounds - the final 10
Two more Big Fetch Miles? :-)
Bedford Fetch Mile Results
June (19)
Big Fetch Mile
Motivational Sounds
Fetch fug - updated design
Fetch fug (available at the Fetch mile)
I've done the naughtiest thing ever.
Donating Blood - my Vlog
Fapp In the App Store :-)
Can I kick it?
A***biscuits
This just in...
For Bean
Your app status is Waiting For Review
A2B
Fetch Caps
Garmin Communicator Plugin
Fetch App - strong and stable testing
HTTPS is here
Fetch App progress
https access to the site
May (14)
Fetch App
Apostrophes
[Untitled]
[Untitled]
Site down at 11pm
Round and round the garden
Try the new home page layout
Server down tonight @ 11pm
Browser testers wanted
The Big Fetch Mile!!!
Site *NOT* down tonight. [cough]
Bluffer's Competition - Winner
Bedford parkrun timelapse
Return of the cap
April (8)
Fetchpoint (London and Milton Keynes!)
Base camp, VMLM
Bronze!
Just for D2
Off to the awards
Bloodvlog
Hoodies - it's on!
Updated Training Home Page
March (6)
'Train' page
Project Joker
Hoodies and Londons
Hands up, hands UP! Draycote Water 10
Bluffer's Competition
Project Joker
February (12)
Draggable?
Running Awards shortlisted
Route Plotter now with OpenStreetMap
Plan for Bluffer's comp
Update to Route Plotter
First update to the route mapper
For Angus
Virtuous Circles
Competition coming soon
Race Guide Ads
Club La Santa vLog
Fetch Fixtures
January (5)
Word Clouds
Buckets Ready
New Home Page
Do me a favour...
Limited Companies, filing accounts, that sort of thing
2016 (128)
December (11)
Festive Fetch Calendar - Winners
Festive Fetch Calendar - Winners
Five Years Ago Today
Pantsfest! May the stains be ever in your favour!
#FEXIT
Photoshop SOS
Attention: Fitbit users
Bedford Half 2016
Luton Fetchmob: Breaking Point
Vote Fetch!
Breaking news: Paris Marathon
November (21)
How to end a LiveChat.
Define wrong
TomTom Runner 3 Review - Any Questions?
Deliveryman
Movember: Project Beard: Day 24: Beardraggled
Festive Fetch Calendar 2016
We're gonna be in the Hudson
Hey Chiefy
I've written summat
Going Postal
A special mention
Training Log Beta
Spare Hoodies
Updates to Training Beta
Movember: Project Beard - Day 8 (The Seven Day Itch)
Vote for Fetch
Training Log Detail View - Some Changes
Aberdeen University Study
Consultation V2
[Untitled]
Fetchpoint - October Winners and November Prizes
October (16)
Alien nuggets!
Keeping a tight lid on the biscuit tin
Training Log Beta
100 Running Words
Pssst....
Fetchmob, December 3rd
Where to mob?
Little things
That All-Time Mileage League
The sudoku that keeps on giving.
Sub-25 for 1km :-)
Fetchmob - December 3rd
New Training Log Preview
Fixed the overlap...
Why the new training log isn't ready yet...
vLog
September (12)
Doughnut or Donate
Training Log - Sneak Peek
Fetch Shop Sale! Old stuff clearout!
vLog!!!
The consultation system...
Garmin support for timezone info
The GMT/BST/Timezone problem
Training Log Consultation...
Training Log - Consultation
Fetch Social Runs
Subscriber shirts, vests and hoodies, and determination.
Fetch Voluntary Subscriptions
August (3)
Ze Gryndylows! My first #OWS :-)
Testing Fetchpoint exclusion zones
Fetchpoint scoring system
July (7)
Conquercise Prize Draw?
Fetch Games: Checkpoints (and what's wrong with them)
More owls...
Your Favourite Fetch Game?
Even More Utmost Than Before...
Chiswick!
15 days later...
June (10)
Five days on...
[Untitled]
A quick thank you...
What do you think?
If you'd be so kind...
Poised
Which watch?
Run Bedford 10k
Import from a TomTom
Attention TomTom users
May (10)
Race Distance poll
An ungainly fish
A five year plan
What Club La Santa can learn from parkrun
Cream Me Up, Scotty
Greetings from Club La Santa
And a quick poll...
Club Charter
A poll about intervals
More owls!
April (11)
Robin Hood and his Merry Dad :-)
Warning: Dull - some screen res stats
Responsive Design Update
For all you marathoners
A Poll
Fetchpoint
Ditching the forum categories?
Moving to Responsive Design
Sandy 10: Be Kind To Horses
Owls!
For Adam and Jamie
March (11)
Bacon Smoke!
Benchmarks Update
Bath - Race Report
PB!!!!!!!
An annoying eight-year-old.
Let's Cook and Cut and Paste :-)
Let's Cook :-)
RIP Gramma
Book Winners
Dog farming
Site header update
February (5)
Book Giveaway
Pi Club
Pi Project Update
Because I'd like to check the blogging badges are working...
Crapruary
January (11)
Snooker Freak
Badges - Another Update
Unlockable Badges - Update
Unlockable Badges
TomTom Runner 2 Review
Gallery updates
Snowball coding and Fetch Unlockables!
Achievement Medals - what do you reckon?
Run The Sum
2015 Book List (and a bit of a review / plan)
Festive Fetch Calendar - Winners
2015 (175)
December (7)
Red Red Wine
A Poll
Gis a job!
Bedford Half
REMEMBER!!!
Vote for Fetch
Now you've hopefully got the idea...
November (13)
The Festive Fetch Calendar
Don't get excited or anything...
Slightly Dismal Friday
Pre-order your Fetch Buff now :-)
A message from our sponsor
Dr Fetch will see you now
Only the grumbliest, achiest chocolate... :-)
The Stanford Experiment
Buff Design
Snugs - Review
Love, Commitment, Support
The pre-wedding blog!
Good morning Fetchers, good morning Everyone
October (9)
Monthly Totals
Did you write a blog yesterday?
The First Rule of Web Server Maintenance
The gain line
Fectch
The zipper challenge!
Sugar daddy
Now in colour!
Competition Time!!!
September (14)
Teach your kids (or yourself) to code
Sticky Training Choices
Goodies: GetMore water and the Alcatel OneTouch Watch
Shirt size guidelines
This nearly made it...
Subscriber Shirt Design
I've got wood!
Humbled
New Beginnings
Some more questions answered
Swimming
Some responses to your comments
Standing on the shoulders of Fetchies
Funtleks
August (8)
24 hours in the south
24 hours in the north
Fetchies Assemble!
Thank you
Better knowledge than riches
Fitbit Urge
The villainous Mr Fetch!
Uncomfortable rear
July (8)
Why don't you play Conquercise?
Another week of strange training
Book Giveaway - Winners
GPS Reviews
Criteria for reviewing a GPS
Auto-bike-detector :-)
Win some bookses :-)
Half Way!
June (13)
Time Lapse Clouds
TomTom Bandit - very QUICK first impressions
My wings are like a shield of steel!
Running plus Cycling update
Embarrassingly...
Stalkers Paradise!
Recommend me a bike :-)
Holy Steamrollers Batman!
Rest day (no such thing)
Sqveeeeze!
We will now imitate the flight of a goose :-)
You made me ink! Snorkel safari :-)
Good morning from CLS :-)
May (10)
Club La Santa :-)
The AWESOME Power of Fetchies!
Home Insurance Shaftage :-/
Editing Forum Posts
The Future!
Some London Marathon stats
Walking On The Moon
Hardest parkrun?
New found wisdom
Week 1
April (11)
Marathon vLog
I owe some hugs!
And that concludes the voting from the Danish judges
Adventures in geocaching
Your video clips wanted!
Jelly with no spoons
Random Ultra
Suncream in my eyes - a review of 'Running and Stuff'
Books what I've read this year
Measuring the effect of wind
Wind Roses
March (18)
Watching the tide roll away
A great week of running!
Happy Jigs Wisdom!
Mobile Fetch
I don't do this very often...
Breathless Optimism
20 miles yesterday
This Week's vLog
Decision Trees and the sub-4!
Democracy Street
Mayan Maths
Bath Half (at last)
Still a chicken
Costume Drama in Bath
TomTom importing
Updated 'Train' page
Zonked
Nearly
February (29)
Pheasant
An Unexpected Journey
Wind picking up...
An unplanned kit alarm
Race Pace Test
2nd place
Week ends
Bounceback
Barking carrots
Bedroom pizza
Top of the mountain
Blogs get the mobile treatment
Supersonic Katie, and a marathon pace question
Back home
Racing parkrun ;-)
Unblocking the sink
Start in Darkness
Some times I'd like
Mobile Site - Forum Section
All-Time Leaderboards
Batteries
Sword fighting
PB Attempts
Duct tape and WD40
Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants
Lessons
Shoe horning
Training vLog Week 13
Big February Project
January (35)
Cake, invalidated
Small sips
LiRF, award shortlist, beginners, books, boy.
Dog Available :-)
Cutback
New Recipe Section
Lazy
Another threshold run
New Beginnings
Blah
But far more importantly...
Fetch Beginners Programme
Give it a go :-)
Training vLog - Week 11
Threshold Run (a running blog)
Long day, short blog
(Lack of) Pump Action
A thread to follow
This Boy Can
Local Leaderboards for Checkpoints
Choking.
February 18th
Godzilla!
The Travelling Checkpoint Salesman
Acorn Antiques
Bearing Up
Deleted Bridges and Dodgy Lasers
I'm Batman!
Healthy and Appy
Punch O'Clock!
The plan, then.
Ten mile toes
On Parliament
[Untitled]
Bold Claims, and a Challenge for 2015
2014 (262)
December (9)
A trip to Wales (vLog)
Christmas Messages from Fetchies
Various
FERC London Marathon Places - Draw
It's gone in my sock...
Festive Fetch Five
This Week's Training
To the Post Office!
Training vLog - Week 4
November (12)
I Am Groot!
Slightly Dismal Friday
Week 3 - in which I nearly drown my wife!
I said yes :-)
Free Daps! aka Test GORE-TEX® footwear this winter!
Training vLog - Week 2
More chances for VMLM entries
Marathon Talk
My first training vLog :-)
Second place?
In :-)
Questionnaire about personality traits amongst runners
October (16)
Adidas API
Horseplay minimiser
Running with the big dog
Flat and Windy
Who'd like to test the Garmin API then?
Advantage Borg
Deal?
Jumble
Milk Tray Reps in the Rain
Geneva
Quote
Hatfield 5k, and some other running thoughts
Site layout changes
Vote for Training Plans
Maths help
3-2-1
September (8)
A quick device poll
Garmin Connect API
Cake at the lake :-)
Empowering Women
This Week's Training
Tick :-)
Article help
First outing with the Harriets
August (7)
Book club and Harriers
A treasure trove for bookish types
What I did on my Summer Holidays
Local decoration
The Fisher King
Mojitos and no mosquitos!
Cake-athlon
July (26)
James Mason
Missing Week
Camping View
Wild Camping
Quick
Transalpine Race
In brief
Urgent! Pair of runners wanted!
Fetch Kit Available to Pre-order :-)
Fetch Anniversary Kit - Preview
API and FAK!
That dog has a puffy tail
More books
Reverse Moses
Zombies vs Plants
Shovel required
Nightfever
Dayfever
Catcher in the Rye
My sister the psychologist
Drink your strong limey drink
Keep me in the loop
Bread knives, hedgehogs and the dog in the night time
Whoops
Pinteresting
Q&A?
June (34)
Checkpoints video
Walden
Happy boys and giggly imps
Spring loaded
Elbow grease
Fetch 10th Anniversary Kit
Fetch YouTube Tutorial - Race Guide
Finding the Library folder on a Mac
Stoat!
Sonic screwdriver
Live wires
Wiring help needed
Garmin Express Experiment
Scalded sloth
Garminge
Potching
New Forum Layout
Further updates to the blog layout
New blog layout
First woodpecker
Beastin' parkrun
Pantoball
All was well
USA! USA! USA!
Marking Territory
The People's Poet Is Dead :-(
Holy Water
Throwing shapes
Life moves pretty fast
Recursion is beautiful
Win an OS Explorer / Landranger map of your choice
Intervals with a Suunto Ambit 2S
Tick
Economy done two ways
May (31)
[Untitled]
Vorsprung Durch Lego Technic
How do I liberate my boy from his XBox?
Questions?
Life in the Woods
Lazy
MovesMissed
Intervals with a TomTom
Electioneering
[Untitled]
Tree fluff
More camping
Zen and Camping
Not eaten by bears
Bear food
Camping List
Camping Venn Diagrams
Floppy dog
Routes but not Rathbone
Illustrator wanted
Masking
Highlights
The Cosmic Ballet Goes On
Silverstone 10k :-)
Quick one
[Untitled]
Superhuman snooker
Dogturdflagman
Numbers!
Whittlin'
Chapter 1
April (29)
King Bin
Quiet day on Feedback Mountain
Listing
42
Go directly to parkrun. Do not pass Godzuki.
A day in Wales
[Untitled]
Spanner
The Lost Diadem of Fetchbook
Falling asleep in my dinner
Egg
Sofathon
God gave rock and roll to you.
Sugar Mule
Not bad, consid'rin.
Tinkering
Can U Dig It?
A weekend in Wales
Looking forward to Oliver!
Thank you, and more App talk
RIP Nan
Blah
Appy
Pyjamas at both ends.
Thump. Saturday has started.
Sore tum :-/
Zombies aside... first impressions of the new TomTom
TomTom Runner Cardio Press Event
Am I pregnant?
March (31)
Cornflakes Cornflakes Cornflakes Cornflakes Cornflakes Cornflakes Cornflakes
Sandy 10
#bedfordhappy
Me on YouTube
New graphs live
Follow the dot
Only the best for the Captain's table
Mrs Diahann Wagner is GOING HORNY
Sport Relief Win
Hot dogs, quick blogs
Toton Sidings
A sign!
Owen Farrell visualisation technique
Kebabs!
Booster fails to ignite
Myton Rugby Run (5 Miler)
Rugby before rugby
Sweetcorn antidote
Custard factory
Pooped
I did some intervals :-)
Speed work?
Many things
A bit cabbagey here.
Angry Wasp
Minty
Rainbow's End
Core Dump
Bath Half (in detail)
A quick overview
Down to business in Bath
February (28)
Made it to Bath
Unexpected hugs
Slider
I like to go a-wandering
Spring cleaning
Tongue-lolling
Because We're Worth It
I don't know what!
Thanks Jim
Enough now
Clearing the pipes
Crouch, Touch, Pause...
Medication, that's what you need.
Symptom Tour
Hello FBI
Dazed day
Why I'm an optimist
Mobius birds
Snotty knuckles
In this house...
Retch Everyone
Carrots
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also
Ultrahalfmarathoner
Angry Birds
Belching
Clarkson averse
Good day :-)
January (31)
*bunting* *cake*
Bigger Boys
Zombies!
Pretending to be Saga Norén
Waiting for the AA
Ship shape
Readthrough
Technology takes you further
Love Garden
Cushions
High Heel Striker
Bit of a rubbish one
Ta
Hot Re-fills
Coding Grinch
An august prediction
Some Running Goals for Q1
Wipe-clean dog
Breaking it down
Snakes and Ladders
Bigger Ponds
Drink Your Weak Lemon Drink
All in All
Panning the pancake
Does JK Rowling own a dog?
Back to the kitchen table
Steve Davis shoes
Pigs on a water slide
Sloshing
Protocol
19 books :-)
2013 (29)
December (3)
Oh...
Engine Management Light
Hannibal Vector
November (3)
Speed skating
Stew-pendous
Cool Hand Grandpa
October (3)
Bookish
Minecraft Cake
Random dump
September (2)
Blog by Email!
Catchup blah
August (3)
Big Green Caterpillar
Questions answered - final CLS blog
Last Days at Club La Santa
July (10)
A nice morning of swimming and tennis
Please Read: Questions for a sports coach
Snorkeltastic
Hitting the straps
First Impressions at Club La Santa
Mile High Blog
Clocking off
For the second week running...
Another Club La Santa catchup
The Floor In The Plan
June (3)
Club La Santa
Bulk Uploading, and win a book
FERC Charities 2011-2012
March (1)
Bath Weekend
January (1)
Meet Steve
2012 (39)
December (2)
Tired Now Boss
Bath - Week 14 + Foodbank
November (3)
White Level Reading
Bath - Week 15
Bath - Week 16
October (2)
Onwards!
C'mon Dave
July (1)
RIP Arnie
June (2)
Rub some bacon on it
18 weeks
May (9)
Techy not tetchy
Time for a techy blog
Time to walk the dog
Stevington 12k
Properly coldy
Still a bit coldy
New blog design live
A bit coldy
Blogs Redesign
April (2)
Easter
SERIOUSLY LORD FETCH, SORT IT OUT
March (8)
A long run up
Running Tick
Weekend
Sport Relief Mile
Back once again
Swimming sweetcorn and other vegetables
Joy Rides, Sticks and Medals
Training Tip
February (9)
And...
Katie, ICT, and some more MySQL
May The Ground Force Be With You
Functions
Well done Batman.
Optimisation Crossword
Snow Days
Gallery, and parkrun
Pleased
January (1)
There Are Some Really Sexy Girls On Fetch
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