For Christmas 2016, Katie bought me a voucher for a day’s canoeing. It was just after Hearst had ‘ahem’ given me the opportunity to run Fetch independently. It’s been a frantic couple of years.
Today, we are taking our trip.
Today, we are taking our trip.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Fnar.
Anyway, if you want to do a poll in a forum post (or thread description), or in a blog post, or even in a comment (might get a bit squished - haven't tried that last one), you can now do so. You know how you embed images by using the little code in the square brackets, well you can embed a poll in the same way - just look for the code to cut and paste when viewing a poll. Here's one to illustrate how it works:
Anyway, if you want to do a poll in a forum post (or thread description), or in a blog post, or even in a comment (might get a bit squished - haven't tried that last one), you can now do so. You know how you embed images by using the little code in the square brackets, well you can embed a poll in the same way - just look for the code to cut and paste when viewing a poll. Here's one to illustrate how it works:
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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brilliant!Rosehip9:09pm, 30th Oct 2018
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I blame BrexitMcGoohan9:12pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Can I embed a poll in this comment sectionMcGoohan
9:13pm, 30th Oct 2018 -
Yes I canMcGoohan9:13pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Excellent! In some corner of the site, can you put an Idiot's guide of how to use this, and images, and the codes, and how to turn text into bold or italic or underlined?Sigh9:14pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Don’t get it sorry - 'just look for the code to cut and paste when viewing a poll' I am viewing you poll above and can see no code to cut and paste.chunkyblizzard9:48pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Go to forum > polls.fetcheveryone9:50pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Ok, I get it now, you have to create a poll in the poll section before embedding it. Your text should say 'just look for the code to cut and paste when viewing a poll in the poll section of the website' I think to make it more obvious.chunkyblizzard9:51pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Can we have a poll on what the text should say?Nightjar10:56pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Love it!LindsD11:23pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Dvorak11:42pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Loving thisDingDocMerrily7:38am, 31st Oct 2018
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All polls need to have the Prague and Pose options. Except mine, and younger members are also excused.ChrisHB8:13am, 31st Oct 2018
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Cool.Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) G8:24am, 31st Oct 2018
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ChrisHB makes a very good point. Nice to see something new for the deathmatch fans to play with tooBaronessBL8:30am, 31st Oct 2018
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It's only an embed of a *picture* of the poll, no? Can you make it a hyperlink to the pol itself? (or have you not done that specifically for a reason I haven't thought of yet).paul the builder
I think gallery pics in threads work as links, don't they?8:56am, 31st Oct 2018 -
PTB it's the poll itself. you can vote on the embedded version as well as the poll on the poll pagechunkyblizzard9:04am, 31st Oct 2018
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Aha! I must admit, I did not find that obvious. Looks obvious now thoughpaul the builder10:17am, 31st Oct 2018
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*looks for the meaning within*Serendippily12:25pm, 31st Oct 2018
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Very clever!.B.5:24pm, 31st Oct 2018
I've done some work to make it a wee bit easier to nominate someone. Rather than hunting down their profile, I've given you a box where you can start typing someone's nickname, and it'll offer suggestions for autocompletion. So you really have no excuse not to nominate someone this month:
fetcheveryone.com/member-of-the-month-nominate.php
And WHAT'S MORE, compression fans, we've now got an exclusive affiliate deal with RedVenom where not only can YOU get 20% off by using the code FETCH20, but Fetch also gets a little kickback from every purchase you make. So please do check out redvenom.co.uk and don't forget to use our special code when buying your stretchy goods Mmmm, reassuringly snug!
fetcheveryone.com/member-of-the-month-nominate.php
And WHAT'S MORE, compression fans, we've now got an exclusive affiliate deal with RedVenom where not only can YOU get 20% off by using the code FETCH20, but Fetch also gets a little kickback from every purchase you make. So please do check out redvenom.co.uk and don't forget to use our special code when buying your stretchy goods
Mmmm, reassuringly snug! Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Any chance we can have the same auto-completion on fmail 'to' box?g1ngerrevolution2:08pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Yes, that's where I'm going nextfetcheveryone2:08pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Might as well put in auto-complete while tagging people in posts too while you are at itroberton2:39pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Dear Fetch, please could you put the list of previous winners (up to prev month!) on that page too, so that you know you're not nominating someone who has just one? Asking for a friend obv, cos I'm not a total muppetMerry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
G2:40pm, 30th Oct 2018 -
I've added the auto-complete to fmail now, and also the list of previous winners (which is not quite up-to-date, but I'll get on to that). For tagging in posts, that might take a wee bit more work.fetcheveryone2:48pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Following on from Happy Grrrrrrr, I think on this current set we have Linds as a nominee, but unless I dreamed it, she won last month...McGoohan3:01pm, 30th Oct 2018
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And I think runfree posted recently that she has persuade RedVenom to go plastic free (or at least reuse the plastic) in their postage so more reasons to support them too.BaronessBL3:26pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Can you still see who is already nominated? I'm the sort of unimaginative person who looks at the current list and thinks - oh yes they're a good 'un I'll nominate them as well - rather than actually do any real thinking myself!BaronessBL3:29pm, 30th Oct 2018
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@Baroness - I've added a link in the 'How It Works' part of the nomination page.fetcheveryone3:31pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Thank youBaronessBL3:33pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Thank you. I need the previous winners list, too. ILindsD
my Redvenom stuff, btw.5:06pm, 30th Oct 2018 -
I love my redvenom stuff too.DingDocMerrily
Great improvement Fetch. Thanks5:57pm, 30th Oct 2018 -
And not even fixitFridayGod Rest Ye Merry Pothunter6:42pm, 30th Oct 2018
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the site that just keeps on getting better..........Seratonin9:07pm, 30th Oct 2018
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Previous winners stops at July Dvorak. Remind us who won Aug and Sep pls?! I'm getting old - I probably read their interview, voted for them, might even have nominated them, but that doesn't mean I don't remember without a list! Fanks.Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) G8:39am, 31st Oct 2018
It's the weekly run-walk through all the bits and bobs I've updated or otherwise fiddled with on the website. If this is your first time reading my blog, click 'Add to favourites' up above to get a notification any time I post. Normally I blog about stuff that's happening on the site, or about my own running.
And... if you've got a suggestion for a change or improvement on the site, leave a comment, or if you're too shy to do that, click the Help link at the very top of the page and send me a message.
Here's this week's list:
1) Importing from a Fitbit. I've put together a basic importer that will help you quickly grab any runs, rides etc that you've done with a GPS-enabled Fitbit. You can try it out here: fetcheveryone.com/fitbit.php
2) Similarly, there's a small but (by the sounds of it) growing community of people logging their Concept2 rowing machine training. I have fond memories of these from the brief time when I used to go to the gym (before I discovered running). To import the basics of your Concept2 training, go here to try our beta: fetcheveryone.com/concept2.php
3) Conquercise Map - when you switch to 'Big Map', I've put a little earthy background behind the map, so it doesn't look so nasty when you pan/zoom the map. Thanks roberton for suggesting that. I've also moved the "Normal Map" button so it's not covering the zoom buttons, and added the "Go to..." box to that larger map view.
4) StuH noticed that his row on the Abingdon Marathon race listing didn't include the little icon that links through to the corresponding training entry. The code was getting confused because there was an "actual" and a "planned" session in his log.
5) jont (and others) asked for sortable column headings on the new "your best attempts at this route" page. You know, those little green buttons on your training log that let you see your previous attempts at a route. Sorted.
6) I've done a few micro-fiddles on forum pages:
a) I've made room for a little internal ad on the forum main page. It's currently a picture of me doing 'finger guns', and inviting users to review us on Facebook. Seriously, if you could do us a nice FB review, that'd be great.
b) There used to be a section on individual threads where you could add tags to that thread. It wasn't getting used, and was just taking up space. Fried now.
c) Moved the big 'Edit Description' button to a more subtle link just under 'About This Thread'.
7) "Rest" has been excluded from Thingy-Thon Rest is important, but it should convey no prize beyond the sheer enjoyment of doing nothing.
8) There's now an indication on your injury list of which ones are public and which are private. And when you view a specific injury, there's a link to click to toggle it between the two states. Hard to believe that *wasn't* there before, right?
9) I've started recording the volume of clicks on our race listings that go through to event organiser websites. I figured this might be handy to show how much traffic our race listings can generate for a given race. Yeah, that's because I have to raise advertising money to help cover our costs. It doesn't have to be this way. How about you consider making a voluntary monthly donation to support our site? Every donation means I can spend a bit less time trying to earn money, and a bit more time making improvements to the site. Here's the link if you're up for it: fetcheveryone.com/invite.php
10) Who Squares Wins. If you go to your training log, and view an individual entry, you can now click the little concentric squares icon on the left to see your WSW grid overlaid on the map.
Next week, I hope to be reporting that my knee is fixed
And... if you've got a suggestion for a change or improvement on the site, leave a comment, or if you're too shy to do that, click the Help link at the very top of the page and send me a message.
Here's this week's list:
1) Importing from a Fitbit. I've put together a basic importer that will help you quickly grab any runs, rides etc that you've done with a GPS-enabled Fitbit. You can try it out here: fetcheveryone.com/fitbit.php
2) Similarly, there's a small but (by the sounds of it) growing community of people logging their Concept2 rowing machine training. I have fond memories of these from the brief time when I used to go to the gym (before I discovered running). To import the basics of your Concept2 training, go here to try our beta: fetcheveryone.com/concept2.php
3) Conquercise Map - when you switch to 'Big Map', I've put a little earthy background behind the map, so it doesn't look so nasty when you pan/zoom the map. Thanks roberton for suggesting that. I've also moved the "Normal Map" button so it's not covering the zoom buttons, and added the "Go to..." box to that larger map view.
4) StuH noticed that his row on the Abingdon Marathon race listing didn't include the little icon that links through to the corresponding training entry. The code was getting confused because there was an "actual" and a "planned" session in his log.
5) jont (and others) asked for sortable column headings on the new "your best attempts at this route" page. You know, those little green buttons on your training log that let you see your previous attempts at a route. Sorted.
6) I've done a few micro-fiddles on forum pages:
a) I've made room for a little internal ad on the forum main page. It's currently a picture of me doing 'finger guns', and inviting users to review us on Facebook. Seriously, if you could do us a nice FB review, that'd be great.
b) There used to be a section on individual threads where you could add tags to that thread. It wasn't getting used, and was just taking up space. Fried now.
c) Moved the big 'Edit Description' button to a more subtle link just under 'About This Thread'.
7) "Rest" has been excluded from Thingy-Thon
Rest is important, but it should convey no prize beyond the sheer enjoyment of doing nothing. 8) There's now an indication on your injury list of which ones are public and which are private. And when you view a specific injury, there's a link to click to toggle it between the two states. Hard to believe that *wasn't* there before, right?
9) I've started recording the volume of clicks on our race listings that go through to event organiser websites. I figured this might be handy to show how much traffic our race listings can generate for a given race. Yeah, that's because I have to raise advertising money to help cover our costs. It doesn't have to be this way. How about you consider making a voluntary monthly donation to support our site? Every donation means I can spend a bit less time trying to earn money, and a bit more time making improvements to the site. Here's the link if you're up for it: fetcheveryone.com/invite.php
10) Who Squares Wins. If you go to your training log, and view an individual entry, you can now click the little concentric squares icon on the left to see your WSW grid overlaid on the map.
Next week, I hope to be reporting that my knee is fixed
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Loving the WSW overlap!JCB3:44pm, 26th Oct 2018
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overlay, not overlap. Whoops!JCB3:44pm, 26th Oct 2018
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I hope so too. Thank you as ever.LindsD3:45pm, 26th Oct 2018
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Could you also add an optimise button so that it shows how the same squares could have been run though without racking up unnecessary miles 🤔Nightjar4:03pm, 26th Oct 2018
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sinj9994:05pm, 26th Oct 2018
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Thank you for your continued improvements. One small thing I have noticed - the smilies (rather than the icons) now don't work with a full stop behind them (and my phone keeps putting in full stops) - they used to :-).Dvorak
Look after that knee
How is the route matching up going? I noticed that my local parkrun has recorded as at least four variants, three run multiple times (and by many others) and one a single time. The gps trace can drift with tree cover, but the singleton does not appear to be further out than some others which have grouped. (This might be the kind of thing you need examples for?)4:27pm, 26th Oct 2018 -
AllMerry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) but esp 8.
thanks. You've achieved a lot more this week than me! Well done again at Abi Dhabi. Fully recovered? G4:31pm, 26th Oct 2018 -
Point 10 please me a lot! :D Would like to see the main home page of WSW be my match up? Personally find leader boards and other people's matches secondary info I don't look at often. Where as the main thing I want to see takes another click to get to?mattglen_5:04pm, 26th Oct 2018
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Nice! The 'Concentric Squares' icon is showing as a blank white square in Chrome (still works though). Thanks a million for the vests!!Sigh5:05pm, 26th Oct 2018
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Kudos for #10! Methinks that pressing the WSW button and the FetchPoint button at the same time is going to result in longer training runs. Yikes!♪♫ Synge ♪♫5:23pm, 26th Oct 2018
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Good work as ever Fetchstuart little
No idea how hard it'd be to implement, but any chance that the activity type could be made editable directly from the training log page? I was thinking of a little edit button at the top that means that a click on the coloured training category box would bring up a drop down list to change it.5:38pm, 26th Oct 2018 -
Nice work.chunkyblizzard5:44pm, 26th Oct 2018
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All good thanks ...um
Aligned to #3 & Conquersize Big Map. Any chance of being able to return to the big map from a specific zone to the place where you left it (as opposed to back to normal map or back to big map at your home location) ?6:06pm, 26th Oct 2018 -
A good idea the WSW overlay, could we have the same on the plot a route map so that we can plot through the squares?Chrisity8:34pm, 26th Oct 2018
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I love the Fitbit upload. Can you put a link on the training pages?Elsie Too10:07am, 27th Oct 2018
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6c - while it worked for me as a 'link', I don't get the 'rollover' hand effect that you normally get with a hyperlink.paul the builder12:32pm, 29th Oct 2018
Thanks for all the lovely comments on my race blog. I got cold/allergy symptoms yesterday evening, and got under a blanket on the sofa at about 8pm. In total I slept for nearly 12 hours, and feeling a good deal better today. Left knee is improving, and I'm well past the 'never again' stage, and into the 'well, maybe...' stage
I'm just back from taking the final pre-ordered Fetch shirts/vests to the post office, and so I can now release the spare stock for anyone that wants some. All prices include UK postage. Here's what I've got (updated to include all the requests in the comments):
Male Vests - £26
3 medium red
1 large red
6 large black
Male Shirts - £26
2 large red
1 large black
Female Shirts - £26
1 size 12 red
2 size 14 red
1 size 14 black
Fetch Buffs - £10 (normally £15)
About 10 in stock
Swimming Caps - £8.50
About 20 in stock
If you want something, leave a comment saying exactly what you want, and I'll fmail you with payment instructions.
I'm just back from taking the final pre-ordered Fetch shirts/vests to the post office, and so I can now release the spare stock for anyone that wants some. All prices include UK postage. Here's what I've got (updated to include all the requests in the comments):
Male Vests - £26
3 medium red
1 large red
6 large black
Male Shirts - £26
2 large red
1 large black
Female Shirts - £26
1 size 12 red
2 size 14 red
1 size 14 black
Fetch Buffs - £10 (normally £15)
About 10 in stock
Swimming Caps - £8.50
About 20 in stock
If you want something, leave a comment saying exactly what you want, and I'll fmail you with payment instructions.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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I'll take a large black shirt. thanks iainiaincr12:32pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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I’ll have a swimming cap, please.Angus Clydesdale12:40pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Swimming cap and buff please.poppyH1:11pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Any news on the possibly returned larger vest?Sigh1:11pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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(in black)Sigh1:12pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Male shirt medium black pleaseNDWDave1:15pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Sigh - I'll drop you an fmail.fetcheveryone1:16pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Ooh I quite fancy a buff pleaseYumee1:16pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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okSigh1:18pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Red medium tee please Ian oh AND a buff pleasesmoke free2:07pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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What does the Fetch buff look like?SPR3:45pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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fetcheveryone3:56pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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can I get a buff pleaseJenni-far-far4:16pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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I'll have a buff please. Thanks.SPR4:24pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Buff please Fetchrunnerbean4:33pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Do you have either the red or black ladies 12 shirts left? Thanks.Meeps4:45pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Red medium shirt please.Stevewjj4:45pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Yes Meepers, I have one of each at present. I will send you an fmail.fetcheveryone4:46pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Black medium man’s T shirt please.Eynsham the Red Knows Rain Dear7:15pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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I'd like a buff please Fetch.roberton8:52pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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I'll take a buff please FetchSheepGoToHeaven11:05am, 25th Oct 2018
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Can I have the small vest please?Rrunner
I already have a Buff4:36pm, 25th Oct 2018 -
Can I have a swimming cap please?GimmeMincepies4:24pm, 26th Oct 2018
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A black medium vest please?Mr Hiles6:15pm, 26th Oct 2018
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Any buffs left? If so, 2 pleaseum3:56pm, 29th Oct 2018
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Yes - I'll fmail you, um.fetcheveryone3:57pm, 29th Oct 2018
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Can I have a buff please if there is one left? ThanksF4rley10:12pm, 29th Oct 2018
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dayforcehcm
12:43pm, 30th Oct 2018
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dayforcedayforcehcm12:43pm, 30th Oct 2018
Right then
Katie and I travelled down to Abingdon on Saturday afternoon, expecting to arrive at the Premier Inn, and then find a supermarket to buy some fruit. But my mam and dad were waiting in the car park, with a boot full of the finest fruit that Blackwood Market has to offer!
We got our bags into the rooms, and drove off to find Fetchpoint aka 'Fruit Corner'. It's in the middle of a largely deserted business/industrial park, so it was clear there was gonna be lots of room for our wonderful gang of Fetchies to do what they do best
Back to the hotel for a very short power nap, then down to the bar area to meet up with DocMoye and Flatlander for a bit of grub. A word here about Doc here. My parents and Katie were there because they always support me, and Flatlander was there to race - but DocMoye chose to give up her weekend to drive all that way, stay in a hotel, and give 100% throughout to the Fetch cause. She won MOTM a few months back, but it's one of those situations where you want to vote for someone again. So thanks Doc
Food was reasonable (a Harvester), but my main goal was not to upset my stomach (which can decide to turn off any time if I don't get the food/water balance right). I sunk three pints of OJ & lemonade, which definitely helped
Back to the hotel for a bit of R&R - my only excursion being a trip down to the bar at about 9pm with my dad for a pint of San Miguel to settle the nerves. I'm glad I did that
I slept pretty well I think, and got up at 6.30 to get some breakfast in ASAP - two bits of toast with marmite and some fruit juice. Quite a few other runners milling round the hotel at that point - all with that careful 'last meal' mentality.
A bit more faffing, and into the car at 7.45 to make the trip to the start. A wee, and we met our first new Fetchie - Oranj, who is as grinny in real life as he is in all his race pics. Out on the track, we bimbled around a bit; met Running Beer who gave Katie his drinks bottle to take to Fetchpoint; spotted Mick and Phil warming up their wheels and jogged over for a hug and high fives; then helenfc in a shiny space blanket; and co-erced new Fetchie Bren (wearing StuH's hoodie).
Another trip for a wee, and then we gathered on the infield. I said hello to Mrs The Great Dollop, taking race photos, and then a handshake with StuH, and a big hug with Katie, before I merged into the crowd of wintergreen.
A klaxon (I think), and then after a minute of shuffling, we were off! I was running my fourth marathon!
1) 1m - 9:45(9:46/m)
There was lots of jolly banter as we went round the athletics track, which threw me a bit, as I'm really not used to running in big groups - I really wanted to just focus on not going off too fast. Someone asks me if Fetcheveryone is still a thing, and I don't really want to be having a conversation. I mention how difficult it is competing against the S word. I may have also used the C word.
2) 1m - 9:27(9:27/m)
Still trying to judge the pace, and still cringing a bit at myself. We're also gradually going downhill just a little bit, past two large pens of geese and turkeys, all chattering loudly at us. There's also a perfectly nice but very loud runner with a speaking radius of about 20 people, and I'm quite pleased to gently ease ahead.
3) 1m - 9:40(9:42/m)
A little walk at the first water station (which points at this split being a bit too fast overall), and then at the end of this mile we go onto a pretty tree-covered path, which I certainly don't remember from 12 years ago. On the right, a lake appears out of the mist - I have no recollection of any of this from previously. I say hello to two runners who say they are looking forward to Fruit Corner
4) 1m - 9:32(9:30/m)
Continuing along the path, I spot MnP up ahead, slowed to a walk because of the uneven path. I yell "EASY" (of course), and have a quick little high five with the lads. If you don't know the story of Mick and Phil, please go read up on it here: micknphil-marathonlads.com - Mick is such a trooper, and it always warms my heart to see him.
5) 1m - 9:27(9:27/m)
I'm still going a bit faster than planned, but I'm also actually enjoying myself. One thing that sticks out about this race is the sheer volume of marshals out on the course. Thanking every single one is a feat in itself, and the vast majority are all very engaged, and encouraging. It's one of those things that you just don't see at big/corporate events. Here there was absolutely no feeling that they have been press-ganged into service. The race is organised by several different Oxford clubs, and it's my guess that the majority of volunteers are club runners, so the empathy level is at a maximum.
This mile also goes through a town square, where a diagonal path has been roped off like a red carpet. It was lined with pedestrians, and I absolutely bounced along there, enjoying feeling like royalty. Once again, this is something that comes with smaller more personalised events. They are part of the community calendar, and there's a feeling that most people are enjoying the spectacle (although, like Flatlander, I also saw one person driving like a tool). Took a gel at the end of mile five.
6) 1m - 9:36(9:36/m)
7) 1m - 9:36(9:36/m)
Mile six tracks along the river for a bit, then passes the point at which the first of two laps begin. Mile seven delivers what is probably the only gentle upward drag of the course, but it's not too bad, just a little bit of wind to contend with.
8) 1m - 9:28(9:28/m)
9) 1m - 9:38(9:38/m)
For the next couple of miles, I'm mainly just thinking ahead to seeing everyone at Fetchpoint. The hamstring makes a few minor noises, but nothing major, and I'm very pleased that my IT band hasn't caused any fuss. Katie told me after the race that she had some concerns that it might result in a DNF - she's been treating it over the last week, and it did seem very tight.
10) 1m - 9:42(9:43/m)
I'm pretty excited in mile ten, knowing that Fetchpoint was up ahead. I spot some landmarks we'd driven past the previous day, and then round the penultimate corner, where Katie was waiting to give me a cheer and my next two gels. It's so lovely to see her, and I can also hear the din of Doc Moye's bugle from round the next corner, and we trot round it together, and it's all a blur - a veritable runners banquet of platters being offered to me, and the smiling faces of some truly wonderful Fetchies. None of them *had* to do this - but their collected altruism and willingness to come together to celebrate running, and to support the site is something I can never be grateful enough for. Thank you everybody!
I get a real boost from seeing them, and follow their advice to keep going
11) 1m - 9:27(9:26/m)
12) 1m - 9:24(9:24/m)
13) 1m - 9:29(9:30/m)
On some nice flat tarmac, and my pace has increased a bit - maybe a little bit too much. I shake hands with Rob Runner who is and he wishes me well. The runners have really spread out by this point - the nearest runners are at least a hundred yards ahead, and the same behind. I was prepared for this though. I found it really tough to run in such isolation back in 2006, and it's stuck with me so long, I was determined to be strong enough to keep going with only my own company. Because of some roadworks, the path gets really narrow, and the only other people I see for a while are two lead bikes, followed by two very speedy leading men.
14) 1m - 9:37(9:37/m)
Just after the halfway point, the route turns back onto the uneven wooded path, and I guess round about now my thoughts are starting to turn to what lies ahead, whilst trying vigorously to compartmentalise the race. I'm still going though.
15) 1m - 9:42(9:42/m)
We reach the point where lap 1 becomes lap 2, and begin the slow upward drag to Drayton. It's harder work this time, and the sun has come out, much stronger than I ever imagined it would. I draw level with an Asian lady who tells me that she's planning to run Hawaii marathon. It's nice having these little snippets of interaction with the other runners, and I wish her well, pulling slowly ahead.
16) 1m - 9:42(9:42/m)
17) 1m - 9:40(9:40/m)
18) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m)
19) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m)
Ok, so I'm starting to feel less and less like I'm trying to keep a lid on my pace, and more that this really is the quickest I can go. By the end of 18 miles, I'm focusing really hard on the fact that I'll see some friendly faces at about 19.2 miles - and it starts to feel like a bit of eternity - which is not the greatest news considering that when I leave them, there's another 7 miles ahead. But don't think about that Ian. Don't!
20) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m)
The Fetchpoint Mile is back! Katie is on the same corner, and she asks me how I am. "A bit f**ked", I say. She has more gels for me, and I deposit my wrappers with her. I tell her I'm gonna hug my mam, and how I know it'll make her cry, but how I'm gonna do it anyway. I do, and it does; and I hug my dad too. Katie runs along with me for another fifty metres, reassuring me that I can do this. It's feeling like a mountain though. I do some very sluggish sums, and realise that if I can manage 10 min miling from here, I can get that PB. But throughout the race, my Suunto has been beeping ahead of the mile markers, so that's against me; and I think I admit right here that I'm not going to hold on to that. But I know I have a marathon to finish, and that I can do this.
21) 1m - 10:27(10:27/m)
In mile 21 I take my first absolutely necessary walk. My breathing has gotten really shallow. I have an inhaler with me, but it doesn't feel like it's come about because of asthma symptoms, moreso just a feeling of panic about what lies ahead. I've got myself into A Bit Of A State. I take some of my inhaler, and try to relax a bit. Getting going again is a bit sore in my left knee, which is the troublesome IT band one.
22) 1m - 11:08(11:09/m)
I make it through the next water station, and take another little walking break. Back onto the narrow path alongside the roadworks, and I'm chugging along, a bit like the Tin Man without the oil. There must be some walk breaks in here, and every time I go from walk to run, the pain in my left knee is enough to make me wince. I am channeling runnerbean at this point, and getting all Qui-Gon with all those Darth Mauls that are pacing around my head.
23) 1m - 12:49(12:49/m)
Through Sutton Courtenay, and back onto the long wooded path. I am meeting lots of runners who are struggling now - and the camaraderie is good - encouraging each other to push on, and sharing tales of our pain.
24) 1m - 11:04(11:04/m)
Back onto the tarmac at this point, past a lady with a big red fish hat. She and her friends have a sound system, and they give me a bit of a boost and a smile. I am feeling incredibly grateful for all the support now, even if it doesn't look like it. I trade run-walks with another runner (who turns out to be called Jesus. Thanks Jesus!), and keep grinding towards the finish.
25) 1m - 12:57(12:57/m)
Back through the towny bits now, quite a few twists and turns. It's at this point that I am reminded of a recurring dream I've had for many years now. I guess it's a familiar one to a lot of you - you're running a race (or trying to get to a race), and either get lost, or something happens to slow you down. I realise that all of my dreams of this nature are set in Abingdon town centre. I go through the Underpass of Doom, which is most unwelcome. On a corner, a marshall tells me that there's half a parkrun to go. I tell her to sod off, but I hope I conveyed that I meant it playfully. If you are reading this, lovely marshals, please know that you were ALL wonderful.
26) 1m - 12:19(12:19/m)
Last mile now, and I really want to get it done, so I resolve to try to run it. But almost instantaneously, I get a popping cramp in both calves, so I have to stop and give it a little bit of a poke. I try to run through it, and eventually get on top of it. I talk to myself, out loud. There's just one more stop to get rid of a huge stone, but I think I managed to run quite a lot of this, despite the relatively slow overall pace. The final turn onto Dunmore Road is welcome for two reasons. Firstly, we walked up here to the stadium, so I know where we are. Runners walking away from the stadium are cheering me on, and I can smell the hot dogs. And secondly, Katie is waiting on the pavement, and she jogs alongside me for several hundred yards until the turn into the leisure centre grounds. It's just a little jaunt round the car park, then half a lap of the track, she tells me.
27) 0.38m - 3:52(10:15/m)
And there it is. A little incline up to the track (where I remember cramping up last time), but I manage it, and get onto the track. I might be able to catch Jesus. I'm looking to my right, and see mam, dad and Katie yelling at me. Nothing's stopping me now. One last grimace at the photographer, and I give it whatever beans I have left. The Fetch chanting is getting loud, and there's a row of high fives to be had. I'm smiling now, because I'm going to finish this thing. Last bit of power, and I might have even managed twenty yards of sub-8, but I bet it looked a right mess.
Done
The journey back to the car was mercifully short, and the adrenaline got me home and through a shower, before a nice meal with the Katie, Mam & Dad, the Jigs'es, the H's and DocMoye. Our wonderful Fetchpointers had packed everything up, and got everything sorted, which was a huge bonus.
I don't think I drank enough liquid after the race, because overnight the aches and pains in my legs were joined by an angry stomach - so much so that I didn't eat breakfast this morning. But Katie drove us home, and I've since had some porridge and a bacon sarnie. There's a bit of swelling on my left knee where my IT band has rubbed and inflamed, and I'm still wincing a bit every time I get up - but aside from that, plus a bit of general stiffness, things are about as good as I could have hoped.
Once again, thank you to everyone who supported me on this journey - whether online, or in the flesh at Fetchpoint. I remain astounded that this happens, and I'm definitely not worthy. And a special thanks to my Mam and Dad, who wouldn't take any money for the fruit, and who paid pretty much double for all their meals. And to my wonderful Katie. Without her none of this would ever happen.
Katie and I travelled down to Abingdon on Saturday afternoon, expecting to arrive at the Premier Inn, and then find a supermarket to buy some fruit. But my mam and dad were waiting in the car park, with a boot full of the finest fruit that Blackwood Market has to offer!
We got our bags into the rooms, and drove off to find Fetchpoint aka 'Fruit Corner'. It's in the middle of a largely deserted business/industrial park, so it was clear there was gonna be lots of room for our wonderful gang of Fetchies to do what they do best
Back to the hotel for a very short power nap, then down to the bar area to meet up with DocMoye and Flatlander for a bit of grub. A word here about Doc here. My parents and Katie were there because they always support me, and Flatlander was there to race - but DocMoye chose to give up her weekend to drive all that way, stay in a hotel, and give 100% throughout to the Fetch cause. She won MOTM a few months back, but it's one of those situations where you want to vote for someone again. So thanks Doc
Food was reasonable (a Harvester), but my main goal was not to upset my stomach (which can decide to turn off any time if I don't get the food/water balance right). I sunk three pints of OJ & lemonade, which definitely helped
Back to the hotel for a bit of R&R - my only excursion being a trip down to the bar at about 9pm with my dad for a pint of San Miguel to settle the nerves. I'm glad I did that
I slept pretty well I think, and got up at 6.30 to get some breakfast in ASAP - two bits of toast with marmite
and some fruit juice. Quite a few other runners milling round the hotel at that point - all with that careful 'last meal' mentality. A bit more faffing, and into the car at 7.45 to make the trip to the start. A wee, and we met our first new Fetchie - Oranj, who is as grinny in real life as he is in all his race pics. Out on the track, we bimbled around a bit; met Running Beer who gave Katie his drinks bottle to take to Fetchpoint; spotted Mick and Phil warming up their wheels and jogged over for a hug and high fives; then helenfc in a shiny space blanket; and co-erced new Fetchie Bren (wearing StuH's hoodie).
Another trip for a wee, and then we gathered on the infield. I said hello to Mrs The Great Dollop, taking race photos, and then a handshake with StuH, and a big hug with Katie, before I merged into the crowd of wintergreen.
A klaxon (I think), and then after a minute of shuffling, we were off! I was running my fourth marathon!
1) 1m - 9:45(9:46/m)
There was lots of jolly banter as we went round the athletics track, which threw me a bit, as I'm really not used to running in big groups - I really wanted to just focus on not going off too fast. Someone asks me if Fetcheveryone is still a thing, and I don't really want to be having a conversation. I mention how difficult it is competing against the S word. I may have also used the C word.
2) 1m - 9:27(9:27/m)
Still trying to judge the pace, and still cringing a bit at myself. We're also gradually going downhill just a little bit, past two large pens of geese and turkeys, all chattering loudly at us. There's also a perfectly nice but very loud runner with a speaking radius of about 20 people, and I'm quite pleased to gently ease ahead.
3) 1m - 9:40(9:42/m)
A little walk at the first water station (which points at this split being a bit too fast overall), and then at the end of this mile we go onto a pretty tree-covered path, which I certainly don't remember from 12 years ago. On the right, a lake appears out of the mist - I have no recollection of any of this from previously. I say hello to two runners who say they are looking forward to Fruit Corner
4) 1m - 9:32(9:30/m)
Continuing along the path, I spot MnP up ahead, slowed to a walk because of the uneven path. I yell "EASY" (of course), and have a quick little high five with the lads. If you don't know the story of Mick and Phil, please go read up on it here: micknphil-marathonlads.com - Mick is such a trooper, and it always warms my heart to see him.
5) 1m - 9:27(9:27/m)
I'm still going a bit faster than planned, but I'm also actually enjoying myself. One thing that sticks out about this race is the sheer volume of marshals out on the course. Thanking every single one is a feat in itself, and the vast majority are all very engaged, and encouraging. It's one of those things that you just don't see at big/corporate events. Here there was absolutely no feeling that they have been press-ganged into service. The race is organised by several different Oxford clubs, and it's my guess that the majority of volunteers are club runners, so the empathy level is at a maximum.
This mile also goes through a town square, where a diagonal path has been roped off like a red carpet. It was lined with pedestrians, and I absolutely bounced along there, enjoying feeling like royalty. Once again, this is something that comes with smaller more personalised events. They are part of the community calendar, and there's a feeling that most people are enjoying the spectacle (although, like Flatlander, I also saw one person driving like a tool). Took a gel at the end of mile five.
6) 1m - 9:36(9:36/m)
7) 1m - 9:36(9:36/m)
Mile six tracks along the river for a bit, then passes the point at which the first of two laps begin. Mile seven delivers what is probably the only gentle upward drag of the course, but it's not too bad, just a little bit of wind to contend with.
8) 1m - 9:28(9:28/m)
9) 1m - 9:38(9:38/m)
For the next couple of miles, I'm mainly just thinking ahead to seeing everyone at Fetchpoint. The hamstring makes a few minor noises, but nothing major, and I'm very pleased that my IT band hasn't caused any fuss. Katie told me after the race that she had some concerns that it might result in a DNF - she's been treating it over the last week, and it did seem very tight.
10) 1m - 9:42(9:43/m)
I'm pretty excited in mile ten, knowing that Fetchpoint was up ahead. I spot some landmarks we'd driven past the previous day, and then round the penultimate corner, where Katie was waiting to give me a cheer and my next two gels. It's so lovely to see her, and I can also hear the din of Doc Moye's bugle from round the next corner, and we trot round it together, and it's all a blur - a veritable runners banquet of platters being offered to me, and the smiling faces of some truly wonderful Fetchies. None of them *had* to do this - but their collected altruism and willingness to come together to celebrate running, and to support the site is something I can never be grateful enough for. Thank you everybody!
I get a real boost from seeing them, and follow their advice to keep going
11) 1m - 9:27(9:26/m)
12) 1m - 9:24(9:24/m)
13) 1m - 9:29(9:30/m)
On some nice flat tarmac, and my pace has increased a bit - maybe a little bit too much. I shake hands with Rob Runner who is and he wishes me well. The runners have really spread out by this point - the nearest runners are at least a hundred yards ahead, and the same behind. I was prepared for this though. I found it really tough to run in such isolation back in 2006, and it's stuck with me so long, I was determined to be strong enough to keep going with only my own company. Because of some roadworks, the path gets really narrow, and the only other people I see for a while are two lead bikes, followed by two very speedy leading men.
14) 1m - 9:37(9:37/m)
Just after the halfway point, the route turns back onto the uneven wooded path, and I guess round about now my thoughts are starting to turn to what lies ahead, whilst trying vigorously to compartmentalise the race. I'm still going though.
15) 1m - 9:42(9:42/m)
We reach the point where lap 1 becomes lap 2, and begin the slow upward drag to Drayton. It's harder work this time, and the sun has come out, much stronger than I ever imagined it would. I draw level with an Asian lady who tells me that she's planning to run Hawaii marathon. It's nice having these little snippets of interaction with the other runners, and I wish her well, pulling slowly ahead.
16) 1m - 9:42(9:42/m)
17) 1m - 9:40(9:40/m)
18) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m)
19) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m)
Ok, so I'm starting to feel less and less like I'm trying to keep a lid on my pace, and more that this really is the quickest I can go. By the end of 18 miles, I'm focusing really hard on the fact that I'll see some friendly faces at about 19.2 miles - and it starts to feel like a bit of eternity - which is not the greatest news considering that when I leave them, there's another 7 miles ahead. But don't think about that Ian. Don't!
20) 1m - 9:50(9:50/m)
The Fetchpoint Mile is back! Katie is on the same corner, and she asks me how I am. "A bit f**ked", I say. She has more gels for me, and I deposit my wrappers with her. I tell her I'm gonna hug my mam, and how I know it'll make her cry, but how I'm gonna do it anyway. I do, and it does; and I hug my dad too. Katie runs along with me for another fifty metres, reassuring me that I can do this. It's feeling like a mountain though. I do some very sluggish sums, and realise that if I can manage 10 min miling from here, I can get that PB. But throughout the race, my Suunto has been beeping ahead of the mile markers, so that's against me; and I think I admit right here that I'm not going to hold on to that. But I know I have a marathon to finish, and that I can do this.
21) 1m - 10:27(10:27/m)
In mile 21 I take my first absolutely necessary walk. My breathing has gotten really shallow. I have an inhaler with me, but it doesn't feel like it's come about because of asthma symptoms, moreso just a feeling of panic about what lies ahead. I've got myself into A Bit Of A State. I take some of my inhaler, and try to relax a bit. Getting going again is a bit sore in my left knee, which is the troublesome IT band one.
22) 1m - 11:08(11:09/m)
I make it through the next water station, and take another little walking break. Back onto the narrow path alongside the roadworks, and I'm chugging along, a bit like the Tin Man without the oil. There must be some walk breaks in here, and every time I go from walk to run, the pain in my left knee is enough to make me wince. I am channeling runnerbean at this point, and getting all Qui-Gon with all those Darth Mauls that are pacing around my head.
23) 1m - 12:49(12:49/m)
Through Sutton Courtenay, and back onto the long wooded path. I am meeting lots of runners who are struggling now - and the camaraderie is good - encouraging each other to push on, and sharing tales of our pain.
24) 1m - 11:04(11:04/m)
Back onto the tarmac at this point, past a lady with a big red fish hat. She and her friends have a sound system, and they give me a bit of a boost and a smile. I am feeling incredibly grateful for all the support now, even if it doesn't look like it. I trade run-walks with another runner (who turns out to be called Jesus. Thanks Jesus!), and keep grinding towards the finish.
25) 1m - 12:57(12:57/m)
Back through the towny bits now, quite a few twists and turns. It's at this point that I am reminded of a recurring dream I've had for many years now. I guess it's a familiar one to a lot of you - you're running a race (or trying to get to a race), and either get lost, or something happens to slow you down. I realise that all of my dreams of this nature are set in Abingdon town centre. I go through the Underpass of Doom, which is most unwelcome. On a corner, a marshall tells me that there's half a parkrun to go. I tell her to sod off, but I hope I conveyed that I meant it playfully. If you are reading this, lovely marshals, please know that you were ALL wonderful.
26) 1m - 12:19(12:19/m)
Last mile now, and I really want to get it done, so I resolve to try to run it. But almost instantaneously, I get a popping cramp in both calves, so I have to stop and give it a little bit of a poke. I try to run through it, and eventually get on top of it. I talk to myself, out loud. There's just one more stop to get rid of a huge stone, but I think I managed to run quite a lot of this, despite the relatively slow overall pace. The final turn onto Dunmore Road is welcome for two reasons. Firstly, we walked up here to the stadium, so I know where we are. Runners walking away from the stadium are cheering me on, and I can smell the hot dogs. And secondly, Katie is waiting on the pavement, and she jogs alongside me for several hundred yards until the turn into the leisure centre grounds. It's just a little jaunt round the car park, then half a lap of the track, she tells me.
27) 0.38m - 3:52(10:15/m)
And there it is. A little incline up to the track (where I remember cramping up last time), but I manage it, and get onto the track. I might be able to catch Jesus. I'm looking to my right, and see mam, dad and Katie yelling at me. Nothing's stopping me now. One last grimace at the photographer, and I give it whatever beans I have left. The Fetch chanting is getting loud, and there's a row of high fives to be had. I'm smiling now, because I'm going to finish this thing. Last bit of power, and I might have even managed twenty yards of sub-8, but I bet it looked a right mess.
Done
The journey back to the car was mercifully short, and the adrenaline got me home and through a shower, before a nice meal with the Katie, Mam & Dad, the Jigs'es, the H's and DocMoye. Our wonderful Fetchpointers had packed everything up, and got everything sorted, which was a huge bonus.
I don't think I drank enough liquid after the race, because overnight the aches and pains in my legs were joined by an angry stomach - so much so that I didn't eat breakfast this morning. But Katie drove us home, and I've since had some porridge and a bacon sarnie. There's a bit of swelling on my left knee where my IT band has rubbed and inflamed, and I'm still wincing a bit every time I get up - but aside from that, plus a bit of general stiffness, things are about as good as I could have hoped.
Once again, thank you to everyone who supported me on this journey - whether online, or in the flesh at Fetchpoint. I remain astounded that this happens, and I'm definitely not worthy. And a special thanks to my Mam and Dad, who wouldn't take any money for the fruit, and who paid pretty much double for all their meals. And to my wonderful Katie. Without her none of this would ever happen.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Well done and a great blog!Gus3:06pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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That's pretty good pacing/racing, very good effort indeed. I still don't know how people can write up a blog like that, my marathon blogs amount to 2 ir 3 paragraphs!, so a good blog too. I still think I will not do another.Ocelot Spleens3:06pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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So is fetcheveryone still a thing? Well done and fetchpoint sounded fabNDWDave3:09pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well done! Awesome right up too!JCB3:16pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Ive no idea how you have found the energy to write a blog....but I'm glad you did. Well done on your achievement.DingDocMerrily
Me and son once found ourselves following Jesus at a park run.....as atheists we did the only thing we could, we overtook him.3:16pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
*write* up. Sheesh. It's 1:15am and that's my excuse!JCB3:16pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well done!3FrenchMs
(You have my complete and utter understanding of what happens inside your head somewhere after 20 miles - I confess something may have got in my eye whilst I was reading miles 20-26.)
Now give yourself a couple of days before you think about running. You done good. Bask in the glory!3:18pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
fabulous, I've been looking forward to reading how it went!D25*xy4aXma5name!3:19pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well done. I feel quite emotional reading it. And you *are* worthyHelegant3:19pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
etc. I have to go and actually read it now! You only slowed 12 mins after 20 as far as I could read in your splits which is pretty decent if you had bad ITB pain. I'll comment more loquaciously in a mo. G3:27pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
Ha ha, I absolutely LOVED Abingdon until that underpass last year!Weean3:28pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well done on your run and blogDvorak. Hope you don't dream of Abingdon again (my "race gone wrong" dreams also tend to feature town/shopping centres).3:30pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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awwww man, something in my eye! mam n dad justMazH3:34pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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merry minardi *hic*
Love this blog, love your running, love fetchpoint, love fetch 3:40pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
Great read, well done Fetch. A very determined push on there at the end when it would have been easy to have DNF'd or to death march it in. But with lots of strong running that's a cracking time, nice one. (You didn't mention that 23-25 feel like they are uphill back to the track. That' how it felt to me, anyway. And did they make you do half a mile round muddy paths before getting into stadium? I cursed at that 9 years ago!)Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) G3:41pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well run, well done, Fetch!jabberknitmas3:52pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Everyone needs a Jesus during a marathon. 😀runnerbean
You are most worthy Fetch.4:01pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
HellsBells4:12pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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It beats me how you can recall the race in such detail. My marathons usually go: miles 1-7 = "slow down, slow down, slow down"; miles 8-14 = "getting into a groove now"; mile 19 = how the hell did I get here?" miles 20-25 = "oh god, why don't my legs work, water, jelly babies, jaffa cakes, chocolate, anything"; mile 26 = "thank god that's over, where's the pub?"Fitz
Good running, good blogging, great Fetchpointing.4:13pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
Is Fetch still a thing? What a question! Bigger than ever, and always improving. Well done on the sub-4 and the gritty finishDiogenes4:29pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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You're a trooper.swittle4:30pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Think it all went downhill after the marmitecolindglen4:34pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Something in my eye. Well runLindsD4:40pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Felt like I was right there with you, only I wouldn't have lasted 20 miles, never mind 26.2. Fab blogging and running. Come and do a race in the North East!TheScribbler4:43pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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well done sir. Watching you finish on Sunday you looked pretty fresh and still running strong, so even more respect for that!iaincr4:48pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Brilliant:)Feleecy Navidad4:48pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Brilliant, well done Fetch!Sigh4:55pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Great runningCanute5:06pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Great running and I'm amazed that you can remember so much detail, well done!angelrose5:11pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Excellent blog, and a proper brave race. Well doneRaptors claws are coming to town
5:25pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
Well done Fetch, great running.mole-thing5:48pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Terrific blog, gutsy performance. Well done.jennywren5:51pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Loud runner at mile 2? Isn't that Gobi's usual marshalling point? Just a thought...flanker
Well done on the sub-4.6:15pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
Good work Ian. Well run, and well told!FergusG6:17pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Fab stuff. Well done to all of you 👍Neilio6:18pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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I've run Abingdon 3 times, and I was feeling all the feelings at those different (tough) places in the race with you as I was reading that. Tremendously well done on completing it in a decent time despite the pains and problems. I well remember running up the last road before you get to the park, and swearing out loud at my legs - I also encouraged another runner who was struggling to do the same, and it got us both going again. Not sure what the spectators thought ....Schnecke6:20pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well done!Ness6:49pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Congratulations and a great blow by blow account. Enjoy a well earned rest. xFairy clogs7:19pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Great run, great blog. Well done Fetch.Eynsham the Red Knows Rain Dear7:34pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Rosehip Fabulous - all of it 8:17pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Congratulations :D You've almost made me want to think about doing another marathon!stilldreamingofawhitechristmas8:23pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well done Fetch!1step2far8:34pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Well doneSerendippily8:54pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Wonderful. Well done you and big hugs to Katie and your Mam and Dad!In the bleak midWinniefree8:59pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Great blog and well done on your runLisrun 9:40pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Festive Flier fantastic effort and blog When's the next one? 9:48pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Brilliant - well done, great effort!chunkyblizzard9:56pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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You're certainly right about the marshals. A huge number of them being so encouraging and cheerful.Flatlander
Great to see that you kept going and beat your fears.10:05pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
What a great blog - and a heroic marathon - massive well done xxAutumnleaves10:16pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Enjoyed reading that.dave99
Congratulations on a great result.
Well done.10:23pm, 22nd Oct 2018 -
Bravissimo!!!!!!!!!!Oscar the Grouch10:46pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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RRR-CAZmas 🇬🇧 Great read and brought back memories of my two attempts at Abingdon.10:54pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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yaaasss!!!! well done. Greta blogMr. White11:04pm, 22nd Oct 2018
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Wonderful blog and even more wonderful running!Bintmcskint
Bravo, Sir6:17am, 23rd Oct 2018 -
Awesome well done! I remember the turkeys quite well from the beginning of the raceearly bird6:54am, 23rd Oct 2018
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Great blog Sir Fetch 👏 & well done 👍Debbie G7:27am, 23rd Oct 2018
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Great running and blogging! Congratulations on a gritty performanceLittleDonkeyDaisy7:34am, 23rd Oct 2018
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Great running and blog Sir Fetch!Garfield8:15am, 23rd Oct 2018
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Well done👍Stevewjj9:22am, 23rd Oct 2018
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What a great write-up - I loved the mile-by-mile detail. That pattern of a steady pace for 20 miles and a bit more variety in the last 6 is all too familiar and you have conveyed the experience really well. Well done on the result too!♪♫ Synge ♪♫
I've done Abingdon four times (well, started five, finished four) and those turkeys (although probably not exactly the same ones) were there on all of them, going right back to 2009. Great to see that they had a mention!9:42am, 23rd Oct 2018 -
nice oneJono.10:08am, 23rd Oct 2018
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Great blog and well done Ian! Hope your knee recovers soon.StuH
I agree with everything you say about the marshals and Fetchpoint, all amazing! Despite being disappointed with my time I had a great day!12:47pm, 23rd Oct 2018 -
Great stuff, Ian - you're aSarahWoo. Thanks for taking the time to write such a great blog too x1:42pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Great run and great write-up! Sterling efforts.DavidGould4:05pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Enormous congratulations. And thanks for the enjoyable read - you made it sound easy!Batmansdad9:42pm, 23rd Oct 2018
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Cracking read. Hadn't seen how you got anywhere until reading this, so it was like watching Match of the Day without knowing the results!!!! WELL DONEDaz Love4:44pm, 24th Oct 2018
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Great running and top bloggage - well done!jennyh1:10pm, 25th Oct 2018
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Great blog and very well done! Completely missed the turkeys myself, might just have to do it again some time 🙄Helenfc11:52pm, 25th Oct 2018
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Aw fab. I want to run a marathon now (even if my longest run for the past 18 months has been 15k....)! I'll be back! Thanks for the motivation which is sorely needed this time of year.Icy Turkey Guzzler 🇮🇸11:05am, 26th Oct 2018
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Great to read this and get a view on a course I havent yet run. Wish you were setting a fetchpoint up this yearBazoaxe9:00pm, 17th Oct 2019
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After having to pull out of the Yorkshire marathon last week at mile 22 unwell I have been thinking about trying to get round Abingdon on Sunday. I loved this blog which amongst other things gives a great account of the course and your battle to the line! Well done.Solo5:21pm, 19th Oct 2023
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Thank you, that’s very kind of you. If you go for it, good luck! I hope you can write a blog about it too.fetcheveryone5:25pm, 19th Oct 2023
It's a relatively short and fairly simple list today, because I'm trying to get Monday's newsletter sorted. When Monday comes I am hoping to have most of the day off for my post-marathon recovery. I'll try to make it sound as interesting as possible (although it's all interesting to me, 'cos I love it). Let's get to it:
1) Teebee suggested that we added a link to user profiles to help users assign their club. A simple usability win
2) FRU's swims were being recategorised as runs. The system was getting confused with zero-distance swims, with non-zero times. We used to have a problem with people putting in e.g. 400 miles in 10 minutes, when what they meant was probably "400 metres". There's a little bit of code that works out the pace, and changes the category to 'Run' if it looks too fast to be swimming. That's still not ideal, is it? Anyway, FRU can log swimming without issue now, hopefully.
3) chunkywizard's biking kilometre target wasn't showing up in fetcheveryone.com/training-targets.php - it turns out there was a fairly boring rounding issue that I won't bore you with.
4) Oranj had added a few runs to 'compare sessions' on his training log, but then couldn't remove them. This is a throwback to when we converted from http to https back last year. If there's a bit of code in a https page that's making requests for stuff over http, Chrome (and possibly other browsers) get a bit sniffy. Luckily I have lots of spare 's'es, so that was an easy fix.
5) Roberton noticed that the race finder fetcheveryone.com/races-map.php breaks if your search for events brings back no matches. This bug arrived during the conversion to using OpenStreetMap. At some point, our code says "right, zoom to an appropriate level to show all the markers we've placed on the map". And if there are zero markers, things get all parallel-universey and fall over.
6) chunkywizard also noticed that as you got closer to your annual mileage targets, so the little bit of summary text on the Train page next to each coloured bar was getting squished. I've done a bit of fancy footwork to sort that out. How are you all getting on with your targets btw?
7) Carpathius wanted to know where the 'add a race' link had gone when searching for races on her phone. On a desktop, there's a nice big green button in the header called 'Add A Race' or summat. But the mobile view has finite space, so I made the call to remove the button for mobile. The compromise (which uses less space and hopefully doesn't break the flow of the page) is to add a bit of text on mobile that offers a link to same.
There. Told you it wasn't too exciting this week. I *am* excited by our checkpoints replacement though - and judging by the comments, most of you are looking forward to it. Here's a bit more about how I think it'l work:
My Fetch Mile
Rather than plotting out all the points along a mile-long route, you'll just get to place two points. The first point can be anywhere (with possibly some restrictions about being too close to another mile). Once you've clicked it on the map, we'll also add a greyed out circle with a radius of a mile - and your second click has to be outside that circle - so the distance between the two will be at least a mile. To allow for a bit of GPS wiggle room, the markers will have 80 metre radii to trigger them when you run through - so if you're a bit lucky, you can trim 160m off the route.
The idea is that you place two markers such that the route between the two of them is fairly self-explanatory - but you can also include some information in your notes about your mile, if need be. There might be occasions when someone could take multiple options to get from A to B - and indeed people might accidentally stumble upon both points without ever doing the bit in between. All of these will count as a visit, which is a bit of a limitation of the system, but I think it's probably fairly unlikely to spoil anyone's fun
It might even be feasible to allow you to generate a virtual badge that people who do your route can collect.
Here's the basic mockup again:
1) Teebee suggested that we added a link to user profiles to help users assign their club. A simple usability win
2) FRU's swims were being recategorised as runs. The system was getting confused with zero-distance swims, with non-zero times. We used to have a problem with people putting in e.g. 400 miles in 10 minutes, when what they meant was probably "400 metres". There's a little bit of code that works out the pace, and changes the category to 'Run' if it looks too fast to be swimming. That's still not ideal, is it? Anyway, FRU can log swimming without issue now, hopefully.
3) chunkywizard's biking kilometre target wasn't showing up in fetcheveryone.com/training-targets.php - it turns out there was a fairly boring rounding issue that I won't bore you with.
4) Oranj had added a few runs to 'compare sessions' on his training log, but then couldn't remove them. This is a throwback to when we converted from http to https back last year. If there's a bit of code in a https page that's making requests for stuff over http, Chrome (and possibly other browsers) get a bit sniffy. Luckily I have lots of spare 's'es, so that was an easy fix.
5) Roberton noticed that the race finder fetcheveryone.com/races-map.php breaks if your search for events brings back no matches. This bug arrived during the conversion to using OpenStreetMap. At some point, our code says "right, zoom to an appropriate level to show all the markers we've placed on the map". And if there are zero markers, things get all parallel-universey and fall over.
6) chunkywizard also noticed that as you got closer to your annual mileage targets, so the little bit of summary text on the Train page next to each coloured bar was getting squished. I've done a bit of fancy footwork to sort that out. How are you all getting on with your targets btw?
7) Carpathius wanted to know where the 'add a race' link had gone when searching for races on her phone. On a desktop, there's a nice big green button in the header called 'Add A Race' or summat. But the mobile view has finite space, so I made the call to remove the button for mobile. The compromise (which uses less space and hopefully doesn't break the flow of the page) is to add a bit of text on mobile that offers a link to same.
There. Told you it wasn't too exciting this week. I *am* excited by our checkpoints replacement though - and judging by the comments, most of you are looking forward to it. Here's a bit more about how I think it'l work:
My Fetch Mile
Rather than plotting out all the points along a mile-long route, you'll just get to place two points. The first point can be anywhere (with possibly some restrictions about being too close to another mile). Once you've clicked it on the map, we'll also add a greyed out circle with a radius of a mile - and your second click has to be outside that circle - so the distance between the two will be at least a mile. To allow for a bit of GPS wiggle room, the markers will have 80 metre radii to trigger them when you run through - so if you're a bit lucky, you can trim 160m off the route.
The idea is that you place two markers such that the route between the two of them is fairly self-explanatory - but you can also include some information in your notes about your mile, if need be. There might be occasions when someone could take multiple options to get from A to B - and indeed people might accidentally stumble upon both points without ever doing the bit in between. All of these will count as a visit, which is a bit of a limitation of the system, but I think it's probably fairly unlikely to spoil anyone's fun
It might even be feasible to allow you to generate a virtual badge that people who do your route can collect.
Here's the basic mockup again:
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Thanks Fetch! The Checkpoints replacement sounds good. That game was always a bit buggy - I was getting notifications of first run through such and such a checkpoint pair for the same tiny checkpoint pairs over and over (amongst other things).Oranj1:06pm, 19th Oct 2018
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Lots of niggly bits sortedDingDocMerrily
Re the check point replacement, will there be the capicty to change you mile ..... For example if some builds a motorway straight across your route or you've just done it wrong ?1:12pm, 19th Oct 2018 -
Yeah, I reckon there'll be a button for that, if it's gone wrong. Even if that's the 'help' button to begin withfetcheveryone1:16pm, 19th Oct 2018
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*like*LindsD1:41pm, 19th Oct 2018
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Sorry - not really being awkward deliberately ...um
How about making the mile circle grey area able to be over-ridden? Or are you choosing to force more linear routes?
I show part of a run I've done a few times, but would fail the mile radius check.
(equally, other than track miles, I've done 3.5 miles here and all in the same conquersize zone)
Hope the weekend run goes well & you enjoy an easy day Monday!1:44pm, 19th Oct 2018 -
Um, the random 2 point route thing will lead to it being more about being in an area rather than running a route I think. Not such a bad thing but I think saying to people, this is the best way to run in this area is a bit better. Maybe I need to see it in practice to be convinced.chunkyblizzard2:40pm, 19th Oct 2018
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forgot to say, thanks for the fixes!chunkyblizzard2:40pm, 19th Oct 2018
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Thanks for the fixes. This weekly update is great!roberton
Regarding the Fetch Mile, I know it would be a lot harder to implement but it would be a lot better if the route was a mile, not the crow's distance between the start and end point. Basically what 'um' said.3:47pm, 19th Oct 2018 -
Good stuff. How are you getting on with fixing the FetchApp?Angus Clydesdale4:14pm, 19th Oct 2018
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Really good weekly update. I used to work for big software company and never understood a word of what updates had been done as it was all written in proper techy language...Yazoo10:31am, 22nd Oct 2018
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I do enjoy Fix-it Friday... but I must admit I did a bit of a "disappointed Ralph Wiggum" noise when I read the My Fetch Mile bit :-/ Your mockup of Katie's River Path Adventure looks great, with an actual route that you can add a photo and blurb to, but the way you describe it here sounds more like the old Checkpoints but with manual set-up. I think um's example shows up the limitation perfectly.I saw ishep come sailing in
I imagine you're thinking more of the complexity and processing cost, but if your goal is ease of creation for the user, how about this: run an activity that includes the chosen mile; upload; click "Make a My Fetch Mile™ from this activity", which will overlay a mile-wide highlight over the pace graph; drag the mile-wide highlight box over the target mile (which would probably move corresponding start and finish markers on the map); click Done! to go to an edit page that will let you add a photo and blurb or cancel the whole thing1:21pm, 23rd Oct 2018
Before I explain this - a note to the folks of Manchester. I haven't forgotten about doing a Manchester Mile - but it's been difficult to find a good weekend. I was gonna drag The Boy along, but he's the goalie for his team, and it's hard to drag him away (and pretty difficult to leave him behind). I'll get it sorted - thanks for your patience.
Anyway... this is a blog about my suggested alternative to Checkpoints. I've mocked it up in Photoshop:
The idea is that every Fetchie can build a page (or several) to describe their own favourite mile (or thereabouts) of running. As a visiting runner, you can still try to run it fast if that's your thing, but there's more of an emphasis on actually enjoying yourself, and perhaps paying attention to whatever it is that makes it special for the person that added it to the database. Rather than willy-waving, it's more about sharing an experience, and perhaps collecting as many as you can on your travels. After visiting the mile (which is detected automatically), you get to sign the guest book, so it’s nice for the person who created that mile too.
How does that sound?
Anyway... this is a blog about my suggested alternative to Checkpoints. I've mocked it up in Photoshop:
The idea is that every Fetchie can build a page (or several) to describe their own favourite mile (or thereabouts) of running. As a visiting runner, you can still try to run it fast if that's your thing, but there's more of an emphasis on actually enjoying yourself, and perhaps paying attention to whatever it is that makes it special for the person that added it to the database. Rather than willy-waving, it's more about sharing an experience, and perhaps collecting as many as you can on your travels. After visiting the mile (which is detected automatically), you get to sign the guest book, so it’s nice for the person who created that mile too.
How does that sound?
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Great.NDWDave9:25pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Interesting idea .... I like the idea of my own stretch of tarmac to test myself on but personally I don't think I'd be a collector.DingDocMerrily9:28pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Sounds interesting.1step2far9:36pm, 16th Oct 2018
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I really like this idea, especially the guest book.HowFar?9:37pm, 16th Oct 2018
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I think that's an inspired idea, I love it!Sigh9:42pm, 16th Oct 2018
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(I do hope you didn't actually say lorem ipsum...some Edward Lear would be better)Sigh9:44pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Even King Lear would be better...Angus Clydesdale9:51pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Great idea, inspirational. Especially writing about the route. My thoughts; Will we be able to see how many we have visited? Will we have separate ones for running, cycling, walking, swimming? Searches to find them?PeteFastFeet9:59pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Lovelychunkyblizzard10:06pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Love this idea!sallykate10:21pm, 16th Oct 2018
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We'd need a map of the UK with them all on as well as maps of each. I think it's a great idea but how many will you have in the UK if every active member contributes only one? (Incidentally, lorem ipsum contains: To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it?)ChrisHB10:30pm, 16th Oct 2018
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I think it's inspired.LindsD10:34pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Excellent idea😊ThorntonRunner10:49pm, 16th Oct 2018
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What a great idea. Didn’t know I could speak Latin.Nightjar11:17pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Very interesting. I'm getting a social guidebook kind of vibe!JCB3:00am, 17th Oct 2018
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Really like this - like routes only more interactive ( could you add the guestbook feature to routes too?Rosehip
Would different categories of mile work? I mean could they be labelled as either "Race me on this one" or "Enjoy the view from this one" or something?6:17am, 17th Oct 2018 -
Like it!Ness6:25am, 17th Oct 2018
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I've just created a route of a local hill if you want to use that to play around with data, see who's run it etc: (hopefully not just me!) fetcheveryone.com/routes-view.php?id=1796515Sigh8:08am, 17th Oct 2018
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Here's another one that should have more data: fetcheveryone.com/routes-view.php?id=1796516Sigh8:45am, 17th Oct 2018
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Good idea ... but ...um
I'm not likely to travel anywhere for a mile. I understand the standardizarion approach, but why limit it to a mile - or if you do, suggest on one of the notes is extensions to it - eg to make up to a longer distance?
Or have distance categories (eg 1,5, 10 miles or 1,6,12 ? Or further?)
I suspect '3' miles is already well covered.8:59am, 17th Oct 2018 -
I Like this and the distance. If collecting them people could run "the mile" as part of a longer run or if lucky enough to be in popular areas run between miles and try to fit multiple into one run.ElDuderino10:44am, 17th Oct 2018
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I love the ethos, vs the w-w of ahem, other training log websites.Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) G11:44am, 17th Oct 2018
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I like it! Unfortunately I'm going to need to wait until I go home for my favourite mile.Garfield12:13pm, 17th Oct 2018
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Nice! Do it! (please).3FrenchMs12:53pm, 17th Oct 2018
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I love it.I saw ishep come sailing in
Regarding the mile distance: I think what um is suggesting is more suited to routes than this. I think, if anything, these should be no more than a mile, but should also be longer than just a couple of hundred metres (to mix units) - the short ones on the Other Site are a bit ridiculous due to GPS and matching inaccuracies.
Probably best to allow multiple MFMs to partially overlap, so one doesn't block someone else from creating one in busy areas... just in case that's a consideration2:24pm, 17th Oct 2018 -
I love this idea, especially the collecting of miles, sort of like a shorter version of the BWF permanent trails.Kanajlo
A mile is a good fixed distance, as it can be a challenge without being too intimidating.
I'll have to get thinking about my favourite mile now.7:05pm, 17th Oct 2018 -
Great ideaLittleDonkeyDaisy8:43pm, 17th Oct 2018
One thing's for sure, we're all gonna be a lot thinner.
4:52pm, 15 Oct 2018
This Sunday, I will be running Abingdon Marathon!
Katie is planning to do some tweeting and Facebook Live-ing on the day - and I might even do a bit too
The training has gone pretty well - two 20 milers, two 18 milers and seven ultra-halfs I pulled a hamstring in mid-September, so I've had to be pretty careful since then, but I ran my final 20 in late Sept, and although the hamstring was a bit sore afterwards, it's been ok since. I've also had a bit of a tight IT band on the same leg (probably all related) so it feels like I'm a bit precarious. But aside from that, running is feeling pretty smooth, and I'm gonna give it my best shot.
Comparing it with my previous marathon attempts, my overall mileage over the last six months is way up. I'm on 592 on my way to 600, already past the 501 I put in for London 2015 - and hopefully mentally ready to dig in when I need it.
The eating strategy is sorted - toast in the morning, and then gels every five miles, and little walks at the water stations to break things up. And plenty of water afterwards. And Guinness.
Breaking the run into chunks has proven to be a very useful tactic - Katie suggested it to me initially, and I tried it on my long runs, then forcibly during 4.25 laps of Draycote Water ( fetcheveryone.com/t-15438689 ). Thinking about being 16 miles in, with 10 to go, is Too Big - but dealing with each chunk as it comes is manageable.
Pacing at Draycote Water also went pretty much to plan - I managed to stick pretty close to 9:45/mile most of the way round, with a final mile of 9:07. An average of 9:44 would put me on par for a PB, so my plan is to stick at 9:30ish for the first ten miles and see how things are going. Originally I was thinking about sub-4, but I think I'd settle for a good experience where I can finish strongly - so I think that 9:30 gives me scope to do that and still have room for a little PB. Finishing the run without needing to lie down for a couple of hours immediately after will mean a lot - anything else is a bonus. The greatest teacher, failure is.
Katie is planning to do some tweeting and Facebook Live-ing on the day - and I might even do a bit too
The training has gone pretty well - two 20 milers, two 18 milers and seven ultra-halfs
I pulled a hamstring in mid-September, so I've had to be pretty careful since then, but I ran my final 20 in late Sept, and although the hamstring was a bit sore afterwards, it's been ok since. I've also had a bit of a tight IT band on the same leg (probably all related) so it feels like I'm a bit precarious. But aside from that, running is feeling pretty smooth, and I'm gonna give it my best shot. Comparing it with my previous marathon attempts, my overall mileage over the last six months is way up. I'm on 592 on my way to 600, already past the 501 I put in for London 2015 - and hopefully mentally ready to dig in when I need it.
The eating strategy is sorted - toast in the morning, and then gels every five miles, and little walks at the water stations to break things up. And plenty of water afterwards. And Guinness.
Breaking the run into chunks has proven to be a very useful tactic - Katie suggested it to me initially, and I tried it on my long runs, then forcibly during 4.25 laps of Draycote Water ( fetcheveryone.com/t-15438689 ). Thinking about being 16 miles in, with 10 to go, is Too Big - but dealing with each chunk as it comes is manageable.
Pacing at Draycote Water also went pretty much to plan - I managed to stick pretty close to 9:45/mile most of the way round, with a final mile of 9:07. An average of 9:44 would put me on par for a PB, so my plan is to stick at 9:30ish for the first ten miles and see how things are going. Originally I was thinking about sub-4, but I think I'd settle for a good experience where I can finish strongly - so I think that 9:30 gives me scope to do that and still have room for a little PB. Finishing the run without needing to lie down for a couple of hours immediately after will mean a lot - anything else is a bonus. The greatest teacher, failure is.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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To the force, look for guidance. Accept what fate has placed before you....#fetchjedirunnerbean5:03pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Good luck! And as someone toying with the idea of entering my first marathon in years, I've been paying attention to your training and wondering how it will work out.roberton5:08pm, 15th Oct 2018
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The training is the hard bit ..... Sunday is just the finish funnelDingDocMerrily5:10pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Having seen the training you've done, if you said, "I'm going to do sub-4," I would totally believe you. But I'm not the person whose belief matters, and a secure PB is an excellent objective too. Taper wiselyRaptors claws are coming to town5:11pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Have fun! You'll do just fine3FrenchMs5:17pm, 15th Oct 2018
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( you can throw that back at me next April when I'm getting nervous)DingDocMerrily5:19pm, 15th Oct 2018
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You will be awesome because you are awesome. You've done the work, now collect the pay out. Will be thinking of you as I trot round a local 10k moaning that it's a long way!HellsBells5:35pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Go for it, and enjoy yourself!chunkyblizzard5:36pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Best of luck for Abingdon, I hope you get the PB you so clearly deserve.sallykate5:37pm, 15th Oct 2018
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EnjoyCorona5:40pm, 15th Oct 2018
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What HellsBells said xxLindsD5:46pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Good luck Fetch.mole-thing6:13pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Best of luck!Sigh6:16pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Hope it goes well for you.Flatlander
Whatever you do, don't start off faster than your target pace, then you'll have a chance of enjoying the run .6:16pm, 15th Oct 2018 -
Have an awesome time and be awesome xmerry minardi *hic*6:19pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Good luck. Any cake requests for the evening before the race?Elsie Too6:54pm, 15th Oct 2018
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The conditions are looking favorable here for Sunday. Hope you have a good run 😀Eynsham the Red Knows Rain Dear6:56pm, 15th Oct 2018
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I agree that chunks are easier to visualise. You've done the hardest bit - the training, so me you can look forward to the razzamatazz of the event and the adulation if the crowds.Helegant7:34pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Good luck, hope you enjoy!Metro_Nome7:34pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Go give it some beanz.Watford Wobble8:06pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Fab postjamesbenjamins8:21pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Columba
8:37pm, 15th Oct 2018 -
5 days of hydrating, early nights and ignoring the maranoia. Good luck and see you on the start line!StuH8:40pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Best of luckBaronessBL
8:55pm, 15th Oct 2018 -
Pasta and water are your friend from Wednesday, drink water regularly from Wednesday on and one pasta meal a day too. Enjoy your run and finish strongly. will be thinking of the Fetchfest I'm missing.Festive Flier9:51pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Good luck Fetch!1step2far10:22pm, 15th Oct 2018
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Good luck!JCB12:23am, 16th Oct 2018
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TeeBee
You've got 1000s of people rooting for you!5:36am, 16th Oct 2018 -
Go get itRosehip and enjoy it too 7:35am, 16th Oct 2018
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Toe-nails!StuH7:58am, 16th Oct 2018
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..."be mindful of the future… But not at the expense of the moment.” Good luck !Albert O Balsam8:50am, 16th Oct 2018
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Very best of luck. You've trained well, you're in great shape and you have a strong race day plan. Just got to go execute! And enjoy!Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) G9:07am, 16th Oct 2018
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oh exciting, will be tuning in to see how its going, no pressure from the thousands of Fetchies cheering you on!D25*xy4aXma5name!9:52am, 16th Oct 2018
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“Wipe that nervous expression off your face.” – Leia OrganaDragon_Reborn
Good Luck1:12pm, 16th Oct 2018 -
Run well and enjoy itCStar2:33pm, 16th Oct 2018
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Well done Fetch. I have really enjoyed your blogs and the fetch point was amazing. You looked in a world of pain towards the end - but then so was I!Sorequads11:02am, 23rd Oct 2018
Once again, I don't have a list of small fixes to show you this week. I've been nursing the algorithm that does the automatic route matching, and cackling to myself every time it's found a good pairing. You can read more about that in my blogs from yesterday - so I won't go on about that too much.
A few of you have already established that it's not infallible. A bit of code like this relies on being able to establish a heap of similarities between two sets of data - and to be able to do it reasonably quickly. A 5k or a marathon route needs to have some sort of recognisable fingerprint or archetype that all other attempts can be matched to.
For simplicity's sake, let's say you ran in a straight line parallel to the equator, and about 2.5 miles north of it. Your GPS would be recording a bunch of latitude readings that might end up generating something like this:
2.51,2.50,2.50,2.49,2.494,2.51,2.51,2.52,2.50,2.49
If you ran again the following day, you might get something largely similar, but also just a bit different:
2.51,2.51,2.48,2.52,2.50,2.49,2.51,2.50,2.49,2.50,2.49,2.494
Humans would look at the map and be happy to declare this the same route. But an algorithm needs to be able to tell whether those differences are critical or not. So how about we round the numbers?
If we round to whole numbers, 2.499 and below would be rounded down to 2, but 2.5 and above gets rounded up to 3 - and our attempt at simplification has driven these two routes apart:
3,3,3,2,2,3,3,3,3,2
3,3,2,3,3,2,3,3,2,3,2,2
The obvious thing to do in this trivial example is to round to one decimal place, so both routes flatten out to 2.5's all the way. But we just create problems somewhere else, when 2.449 becomes 2.4 whilst 2.45 becomes 2.5
We could keep increasing the number of decimal places, but the rounding boundary just moves to somewhere else. And what's more, the detail you include, the more likely it is that you run into discrepancies caused by GPS data, or by small incidents along your route that change it slightly, but not enough to mean it's "different". AND we're trying to REDUCE the amount of detail here, in order to see the bigger picture.
In short then, it's a balancing act - and some routes will fall on one side of the tightrope, whilst others will fall on the other side. I would be very happy to hear about other matching algorithms btw, so do shout out if you've found any described online.
Incidentally, here are the most popular routes by number of completions not number of people (no surprise, all bar one are parkruns):
Aberdeen
Bedford
Conkers
Frimley
Cardiff
Newcastle
A Lap of Endure 24
Poole Park
Hazlehead
Strathclyde
(I knew I'd get a list in somewhere).
The next steps for the route matching:
1) I'm running the same process against all the routes in our database. There were 3.5 million training entries, but only about 600,000 routes, so it should be a bit quicker. Once I've done that, I'll attempt to stitch it all together, so that not only will it be able to say "you ran this route 45 times", but also "and it looks like 'The Football Ground Loop'". Or "you've run this one a lot, why not give it a name?".
2) I'm working on a way that will let you amalgamate any routes that the system has failed to match up. The system should then remember that if a route matches fingerprint A, then it should actually be classified as fingerprint B - so it should get better at picking up variations. However, we're at the mercy of a lot of randomness, so don't expect miracles.
3) Ooh, you've just unlocked the Stanwick 10k badge. Imagine the possibilities
4) We have lots of parkrun routes now. Chunkywizard was asking about automatically matching the race listings to the routes. That's one step closer
A word about checkpoints
My first ever attempt at route matching resulted in our checkpoints system. And I'll be honest, I hate it. It puts stuff in the wrong place because it's dropping the markers automatically - and it's just a bit soulless. But at least it eventually gave birth to something more useful We have the technology to do this better. My idea here is to ditch the lot, and instead give you each the ability to build your own, maybe with names and descriptions. What do you reckon? I guess this might be similar to something that happens on another website, but I wouldn't know because it's a swear word in our house
This is *your* website. I'm not sat in Canary Wharf surrounded by a team of developers. I'm sitting here in my front room waiting for the heating to kick in, and waiting for a cake to cool in the kitchen so I can ice it for The Boy. But that doesn't mean we can't have big ideas, and a website that will be there for you through thick and thin. It's free to use, and it's my goal that it always will be. But we need your support - so please go take a look at this page if you haven't already, and take a moment to consider it: fetcheveryone.com/invite.php
Have a great weekend!
A few of you have already established that it's not infallible. A bit of code like this relies on being able to establish a heap of similarities between two sets of data - and to be able to do it reasonably quickly. A 5k or a marathon route needs to have some sort of recognisable fingerprint or archetype that all other attempts can be matched to.
For simplicity's sake, let's say you ran in a straight line parallel to the equator, and about 2.5 miles north of it. Your GPS would be recording a bunch of latitude readings that might end up generating something like this:
2.51,2.50,2.50,2.49,2.494,2.51,2.51,2.52,2.50,2.49
If you ran again the following day, you might get something largely similar, but also just a bit different:
2.51,2.51,2.48,2.52,2.50,2.49,2.51,2.50,2.49,2.50,2.49,2.494
Humans would look at the map and be happy to declare this the same route. But an algorithm needs to be able to tell whether those differences are critical or not. So how about we round the numbers?
If we round to whole numbers, 2.499 and below would be rounded down to 2, but 2.5 and above gets rounded up to 3 - and our attempt at simplification has driven these two routes apart:
3,3,3,2,2,3,3,3,3,2
3,3,2,3,3,2,3,3,2,3,2,2
The obvious thing to do in this trivial example is to round to one decimal place, so both routes flatten out to 2.5's all the way. But we just create problems somewhere else, when 2.449 becomes 2.4 whilst 2.45 becomes 2.5
We could keep increasing the number of decimal places, but the rounding boundary just moves to somewhere else. And what's more, the detail you include, the more likely it is that you run into discrepancies caused by GPS data, or by small incidents along your route that change it slightly, but not enough to mean it's "different". AND we're trying to REDUCE the amount of detail here, in order to see the bigger picture.
In short then, it's a balancing act - and some routes will fall on one side of the tightrope, whilst others will fall on the other side. I would be very happy to hear about other matching algorithms btw, so do shout out if you've found any described online.
Incidentally, here are the most popular routes by number of completions not number of people (no surprise, all bar one are parkruns):
Aberdeen
Bedford
Conkers
Frimley
Cardiff
Newcastle
A Lap of Endure 24
Poole Park
Hazlehead
Strathclyde
(I knew I'd get a list in somewhere).
The next steps for the route matching:
1) I'm running the same process against all the routes in our database. There were 3.5 million training entries, but only about 600,000 routes, so it should be a bit quicker. Once I've done that, I'll attempt to stitch it all together, so that not only will it be able to say "you ran this route 45 times", but also "and it looks like 'The Football Ground Loop'". Or "you've run this one a lot, why not give it a name?".
2) I'm working on a way that will let you amalgamate any routes that the system has failed to match up. The system should then remember that if a route matches fingerprint A, then it should actually be classified as fingerprint B - so it should get better at picking up variations. However, we're at the mercy of a lot of randomness, so don't expect miracles.
3) Ooh, you've just unlocked the Stanwick 10k badge. Imagine the possibilities
4) We have lots of parkrun routes now. Chunkywizard was asking about automatically matching the race listings to the routes. That's one step closer
A word about checkpoints
My first ever attempt at route matching resulted in our checkpoints system. And I'll be honest, I hate it. It puts stuff in the wrong place because it's dropping the markers automatically - and it's just a bit soulless. But at least it eventually gave birth to something more useful
We have the technology to do this better. My idea here is to ditch the lot, and instead give you each the ability to build your own, maybe with names and descriptions. What do you reckon? I guess this might be similar to something that happens on another website, but I wouldn't know because it's a swear word in our house This is *your* website. I'm not sat in Canary Wharf surrounded by a team of developers. I'm sitting here in my front room waiting for the heating to kick in, and waiting for a cake to cool in the kitchen so I can ice it for The Boy. But that doesn't mean we can't have big ideas, and a website that will be there for you through thick and thin. It's free to use, and it's my goal that it always will be. But we need your support - so please go take a look at this page if you haven't already, and take a moment to consider it: fetcheveryone.com/invite.php
Have a great weekend!
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Aberdeen, Bedford, Frimley, CardiffMcGoohan
Everybody talk about pop music12:09pm, 12th Oct 2018 -
Have a great weekend yourself - and I love the Helegant banner!Sigh
I agree, ditch the checkpoints. Having experimented with the segments on the other place, I no longer use them; so it wouldn't bother me at all if there is no equivalent on here. I know that Garmin also introduced segments, and I don't use theirs either, and I've turned them off on my Edge; not every bike ride (or run) is about going as fast as I can!12:49pm, 12th Oct 2018 -
As I run mainly alone and don't have too many people run in my routes I have quite liked the checkpoints but do agree the random location of the points is a down side.DingDocMerrily
If an improved version with some control over the points could be replace it that would in my opinion be a good addition to the site. I don't understand what happens on inferior sites.1:05pm, 12th Oct 2018 -
Ditch checkpoints; as routing can vary the 'best times' are almost meaningless and both fetchpoint and WSW are better variants of the 'where have you been' theme.flanker1:18pm, 12th Oct 2018
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Oddly I was only looking at checkpoints today looking at tables and clicking on maps. I thought one day I might go out and try to beat the 15 minutes to get from one side of the village to the other. But then again that is one checkpoint out of 50 anonymous ones. A tailored checkpoint would be good. How fast can you get across Bromham Bridge works much better.Nightjar1:32pm, 12th Oct 2018
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So basically I think it would work well as challenges that people could set up. The current checkpoint notifications don’t mean much.Nightjar1:34pm, 12th Oct 2018
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I quite like the fact checkpoints are arbitrary and not user defined. This makes it very easy to play 'passively' and not have the game disrupt life (WSW has very real potential to do this).rhb1:37pm, 12th Oct 2018
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P.s. can we have option to turn of WSW notifications please? Aim being to make passive play easier.rhb1:38pm, 12th Oct 2018
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*off* (sorry)rhb1:38pm, 12th Oct 2018
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Checkpoints didn't really work, did it, so it's great that it's morphing into route matches. We can't call them segments, obviously. But could we have "bits of routes" - routelets, if you will? Using your new matching technology, but doing it intra route, as well as start to finish?Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
Lots of love, G (P.S. Happy Friday!!) 1:39pm, 12th Oct 2018 -
Route matching? Any options for testing if a route never goes more than (eg) 100m from the base route?um
Or a 'level of confidence' type indicator to flag 'potential' matches to let us determine whether a mtch or not?
Without consuming the combined computing resources of NSA, NASA and CERN?
Thanks & well done on the Le-Helegant-Jog banner - little touches like this make Fetch!1:48pm, 12th Oct 2018 -
It's all very excitingchunkyblizzard3:17pm, 12th Oct 2018
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As I said in the earlier post, this is a great development. Keep working on it.roberton
As for checkpoints, I vote for getting rid of them. I never cared about the notifications saying I'd connected a new random set of points. Also, I think there's something to be said with pruning features from the site from time to time, to allow more time to be spent on things that work rather than keeping the lights on (of course needs to be balanced by keeping the site's appeal broad). And there's a *lot* of games listed at the moment.3:25pm, 12th Oct 2018 -
Blimey, nothing's ever simple,eh? But it all sounds great! Hope the cake went down well._andy3:25pm, 12th Oct 2018
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Thanks for the banner. I smiledHelegant4:01pm, 12th Oct 2018
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Hi Ian- thinking about matching mathematically, I'd do 2 tests,um
1) max distance between tracks (eg 100m)
(Using this one first, so if 2 routes have a start more than (eg) 100m apart, we know it's not a match and there's no need for (2)
2) area between tracks (with a matching depending on length of the route, so, eg a 5km run would have a lot lower match area than a 42km run). I'd also net the area, so the bits either side eliminate each other rather than add to each other)
I can mock this up as an example, if you're interested
However - converting that to xml / gps track and measuring data points rather than an image is a step further than my computing experience has got to - unless there's existing geo mapping sw tools that already do this.
I sense a weekend of internet research ...4:21pm, 12th Oct 2018 -
I always thought that as far as I was concerned the Checkpoints were a bit pointless.angelrose10:58pm, 12th Oct 2018
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Nice Banner!3FrenchMs
Yep, I agree checkpoints are a bit (check)pointless in real life - I get very varied results due to running to and from them after going through them from different places.....
But rootlets would be cool!9:26pm, 14th Oct 2018
Thanks for all your comments on my previous blog about the new route matching feature - I am really excited about it, and it seems to have gone down really well
There have been so many comments that I thought I'd best do another quick blog to address them all - because I guess not all of you will read the comments as well as the blog.
1) The 'attempts' column means the number of times the person has tried that route. When looking at your own, it shows the order in which your attempts happen.
2) Yes, it's direction dependent.
3) Yes, it's tried to process *everything*.
4) "It's missed one". Yep, the way that the rounding in the algorithm works is that sometimes it will round one of the sections of your route into "not near", and therefore will assume it's a different route. But I hope to be able to have some simple way for you to manually amalgamate missed opportunities.
5) Sortable columns. Yep, should be no problem.
6) Yep, sometimes other runners have their privacy set so that they don't appear. But I guess the longer the run, the more likely it is that a deviation will cause problems. One to ponder. It's done pretty well on the half marathons I've looked at.
7) Yes, I would love to hear examples of routes that should be matches. Please provide a list of the training entry ID's (you can see these in the URL when looking at your training - it's a 6/7 digit number).
8) Yep, I'll separate runs and rides ASAP. Don't cross the streams!
9) "There's a run in the leaderboard that's obviously short/long". If it's yours, click the bin to delist it (don't worry, it won't disappear from your log). On the group leaderboard it'll be replaced by your next best attempt. If it's someone elses, try an fmail. If that doesn't work, send me feedback.
10) A graph! What a good idea!
11) Pace in km for kilomeisters - I'll get that sorted.
12) "This removes the need for $tr*v*". Good. Please tell ***EVERYONE*** - get them over here.
There have been so many comments that I thought I'd best do another quick blog to address them all - because I guess not all of you will read the comments as well as the blog.
1) The 'attempts' column means the number of times the person has tried that route. When looking at your own, it shows the order in which your attempts happen.
2) Yes, it's direction dependent.
3) Yes, it's tried to process *everything*.
4) "It's missed one". Yep, the way that the rounding in the algorithm works is that sometimes it will round one of the sections of your route into "not near", and therefore will assume it's a different route. But I hope to be able to have some simple way for you to manually amalgamate missed opportunities.
5) Sortable columns. Yep, should be no problem.
6) Yep, sometimes other runners have their privacy set so that they don't appear. But I guess the longer the run, the more likely it is that a deviation will cause problems. One to ponder. It's done pretty well on the half marathons I've looked at.
7) Yes, I would love to hear examples of routes that should be matches. Please provide a list of the training entry ID's (you can see these in the URL when looking at your training - it's a 6/7 digit number).
8) Yep, I'll separate runs and rides ASAP. Don't cross the streams!
9) "There's a run in the leaderboard that's obviously short/long". If it's yours, click the bin to delist it (don't worry, it won't disappear from your log). On the group leaderboard it'll be replaced by your next best attempt. If it's someone elses, try an fmail. If that doesn't work, send me feedback.
10) A graph! What a good idea!
11) Pace in km for kilomeisters - I'll get that sorted.
12) "This removes the need for $tr*v*". Good. Please tell ***EVERYONE*** - get them over here.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Helegant to point 12.8:38pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Rosehip8:44pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Looking forward to wearing my new Fetch shirt at my race on Sunday and spreading the word!Sigh9:00pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Re 1 'When looking at your own, it shows the order in which your attempts happen'. Ah ok, I wondered why I couldn’t guess what it was for! We have the date in a column anyway, do we need the number as well? If it’s staying can we have a different column heading? Ta.chunkyblizzard10:20pm, 11th Oct 2018
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When you get a moment, please can you look at what’s wrong with the App? I hate having to use the $tr*v* one. Thank you.Angus Clydesdale10:56pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Angus - when I had problems with the app I found that it worked fine for other people so I switched my phone off and turned it on again and the app works for me again. My guess is the gps sensor in my phone needed a reboot or something.Elsie Too6:49am, 12th Oct 2018
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I thought I had limited routes available to me - but it seems I hardly run the same one twice! I’d like to see a table with all the routes on, in order of how many times I’ve run them, so I can find ones I’ve done more than once.Fragile Xmas Ornament
Next thing you need to add is segments....7:30am, 12th Oct 2018 -
It's interesting, on a regular 4.5 mile route of mine it added in 4.0 "versions" (where I've just turned around early) quite a lot. I have no problem with this. But if the default order was "Pace" rather than "Time" then for a variable distance but comparable route, that would make more sense.Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
Basically what I'm asking is will *not* binning them cause you any problems? Is your system "learning" to match better based on us hoomans including or removing matches? Well done on outdoing Striva in one fell swoop! G8:16am, 12th Oct 2018 -
Thanks Elsie, but I don’t think it’s my phone GPS because the *other* app is working fine. Last time I set them both going at the same time, only FetchApp failedAngus Clydesdale9:31am, 12th Oct 2018
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One thing that has intrigued me after a race this weekend (brand new route) is how many matches it made, but how few of those individuals had used the race portfolio bit. So there were 16 matches and only 5 logs in the race. This race - fetcheveryone.com/viewracedetails.php?id=2485689larkim
Sort out out of sync with the Chester marathon where there were loads of runners, but very few matches (to my GPS trace anyway - and I'm confident it was a good clean trace). So see here my trace - fetcheveryone.com/t-14250538 - this matched only 3 times, but there were 36 entrants, most of whom had the clipboard icon next to them so should have had a log uploaded.2:52pm, 16th Oct 2018 -
Ran Snowdonia Mara a couple of weeks ago, and a couple of entries that seem to "match" look odd. Route leaderboard here fetcheveryone.com/training-routebest.php?routestring=d13f92ad78ac86e0f4f0dcea8c2f95cf&allperfs=1 but the top two entries ( fetcheveryone.com/t-14318746 and fetcheveryone.com/t-11825241 ) have distances / times a way out from 26.2 miles. Yet their actual run trace maps and splits etc in their logs seem correct. Their summary run details both match the erroneous data (4 miles and 14 miles) but the splits table derived from the overall GPS trace looks correct.larkim
Odd!2:59pm, 8th Nov 2018
Here's the first steps of a new feature that I hope you'll really appreciate.
In your training entries, just above the map, you'll notice some extra buttons on routes that you run regularly:
You can click the buttons to see either your own best times on that route, or a leaderboard of everyone's best efforts. It's particularly fun to look at your local parkrun, or at a race - but also really handy if you have a regular local loop that you do.
To get you started, here's the leaderboard of matches for Bedford parkrun:
fetcheveryone.com/training-routebest.php?routestring=d4a6c938d8500ea1d7bdcdafed1fee5d&allperfs=1
and here's Bedford Harriers Half Marathon:
fetcheveryone.com/training-routebest.php?routestring=8d104d8020dfbbd5aa2ae0af04b9b053&allperfs=1
Because of the way it matches up your routes to each other, there will be the occasional false match - if you've taken an adjacent side street, or a shortcut somewhere - I've included the distance as a column too, so you can spot these more easily. You can remove any of your attempts from a table by clicking the little bin next to the relevant row.
All free, forever, with your support Fetchies. Bring it all the way on. Raaaar.
In your training entries, just above the map, you'll notice some extra buttons on routes that you run regularly:
You can click the buttons to see either your own best times on that route, or a leaderboard of everyone's best efforts. It's particularly fun to look at your local parkrun, or at a race - but also really handy if you have a regular local loop that you do.
To get you started, here's the leaderboard of matches for Bedford parkrun:
fetcheveryone.com/training-routebest.php?routestring=d4a6c938d8500ea1d7bdcdafed1fee5d&allperfs=1
and here's Bedford Harriers Half Marathon:
fetcheveryone.com/training-routebest.php?routestring=8d104d8020dfbbd5aa2ae0af04b9b053&allperfs=1
Because of the way it matches up your routes to each other, there will be the occasional false match - if you've taken an adjacent side street, or a shortcut somewhere - I've included the distance as a column too, so you can spot these more easily. You can remove any of your attempts from a table by clicking the little bin next to the relevant row.
All free, forever, with your support Fetchies. Bring it all the way on. Raaaar.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Lovely [Goes off to have a play]chunkyblizzard2:01pm, 11th Oct 2018
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what's the attempts column mean?chunkyblizzard2:04pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Ooh, nice - a couple of q's :K5 Gus
Is it direction dependant ? ie if you have a circular route that you sometimes do clockwise and sometimes anti-clockwise, will they all show together or will they be classed as 2 separate "routes" ?
Has it been through the whole history of activities ? I've a regular loop I must have done at least 30 or 40 times in last 3 years and looking at the most recent it found 3 other matches ?2:05pm, 11th Oct 2018 -
Intriguing! Even if it is not infallible it is fun to play with, and that's what it's all about. Would like the columns to be sortable (for date at least) on the "by you" view - e.g. I could then sort my local parkrun route attempts by date and see progress etc. (not that I can't already do that on the official parkrun site, but just as an example). Intriguing that for the Chester Marathon there are only 3 matches - in the knowledge that there were at least two other fetchies who ran it that day not too far away from me so I was surprised not to see their entries there. Perhaps that's a privacy settings thing?larkim2:12pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Hi Fetch - sounds great, but how close does the matching need to be?um
eg my routes 15306591, 15373756, 15458040 and 15494567, to me, are all the same. Yet the match algorithm says each one is unique.
If you have better things to do than check each query like this, please feel free to let me know (politely or otherwise)
Is this a new automated way to check Route of the Day submissions - ie *er er* noise and an error message 'already submitted x times' ?2:14pm, 11th Oct 2018 -
This looks wonderful!Autumnleaves2:37pm, 11th Oct 2018
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It's matched 104 of my 131 Woking parkruns, chances are most of the missed ones are the winter course, impressive. What took me by surprise was the number of other Fetchies that have ran the course.StuH2:38pm, 11th Oct 2018
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brilliantDingDocMerrily2:43pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Very cool. It does seem to be combining runs and rides, though. I expect those should be separate...dirtbum2:44pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Excellent - makes one of the few remaining benefits of S**v* redundantSigh2:48pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Have sent you feedback, but my local parkrun route shows a run by me of 2.09 miles, and a run by someone else of 1.26 runs.Bob!
This obviously skews the tables for both my fastest times, and THE fastest times.
Can the table include only runs within a certain parameter from the norm?3:11pm, 11th Oct 2018 -
Bob - you can go to your own list of performances and delete any that are there in error. See?fetcheveryone3:15pm, 11th Oct 2018
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So, it won't delete from training log, just from that list?Bob!3:17pm, 11th Oct 2018
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It's spot on with my runs @ Hanley parkrun, it just needs a graph!Sigh3:25pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Excellent! Works well for me3FrenchMs
I just spotted it and then found your blog!3:39pm, 11th Oct 2018 -
Lovely tool. Thanks for adding this.Eynsham the Red Knows Rain Dear3:56pm, 11th Oct 2018
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couple of things. Pace on Fastest Attempts On This Route is in miles, not the user preference ie Km for me). Also the matching pulls up rides and runs in the same list. It would be good if the matching is only done for the same type as the viewed activitychunkyblizzard4:22pm, 11th Oct 2018
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For those who are matching runs / rides - I'm either impressed that you do such long runs that they match bike rides, or disappointed that you ride such short distances that they match runs!!larkim
If two activities *should* match and don't, do you want them pointing out at all Fetch so you can perhaps refine the algorithm? Or is it set and done now? And can the match be done against "routes" too?4:25pm, 11th Oct 2018 -
Larkim, I used Dinton Pastures parkrun as my test case. I used to cycle round there when I was course measuring before it was live and so I have quick bike activities (circa 17mins) which sit at the top of the fastest attempts page. Also we had a lead bike for 12 weeks so if Paul, Anna, Ashley or Martin ever join fetch they will appear on my list as well!chunkyblizzard4:28pm, 11th Oct 2018
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No need to justify your short bike riding CWlarkim That does make perfect sense though, and I do agree that routes shouldn't match unless the activity type matches.4:36pm, 11th Oct 2018
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My query is along the same lines as um really. I have some largely invariable routes, but I do like to throw in the occasional sidestreet for WSW purposes.McGoohan4:39pm, 11th Oct 2018
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This is great! Loads of things to be ironed out no doubt but that's why you want feedback.roberton
Powerful feature and so glad to see this being added4:54pm, 11th Oct 2018 -
Looks like a great addition to me. Thanks.Ness5:03pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Looks good. Is there a simple way to see a nice graph of how pace has varied over time...?mbolt6:35pm, 11th Oct 2018
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Excellent addition. As mbolt says, there must be good potential for graphsDW
I had a quick look at my Bedford parkruns - 70 runs matched, and the only one from my results that was missing turned out to be one where I forgot to record.
It also correctly matched two freedom runs, a club time trial, and the DA5k race on the same route.8:11pm, 11th Oct 2018 -
I’ve got one Corby parkrun route that I’ve run 20 times, and another that I’ve run 31. Same course as far as I know. fetcheveryone.com/t-15385125 fetcheveryone.com/t-15357303 if you want to see if you need to tweak any algorithms. I like it thoughMerry Fizzmas :-)8:30pm, 11th Oct 2018
On the off chance that you haven't seen the home page, nor read the weekly email, nor seen the posts on Twitter and Facebook, nor seen the cycling jersey thread, then this is probably your last best chance to find out that I'm putting an order in tomorrow for a batch of cycling jerseys. If you want one, please put a pre-order in here (if you need to wait for payday to actually pay for it, that's ok, so long as you let me know with a feedback or summat). NB it might be a couple of years before we do another batch (no pressure).
fetcheveryone.com/preorder-jersey.php
fetcheveryone.com/preorder-jersey.php
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Well worth doing even if you think you're not a cyclist. Lots of us regretted having not bought Fetch cycling jerseys last time they were available, and they may not come round again for years (although I'm hoping for a black version with long sleeves and a full zip in the near future).Raptors claws are coming to town9:51am, 11th Oct 2018
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Well, I do own a bike...StuH9:55am, 11th Oct 2018
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I think they're fab but 1. I don't cycle 2. I don't wear high neck 3. I'm broke at the momerry minardi *hic*10:18am, 11th Oct 2018
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Look so good I'm tempted to buy one for running, but I know that will be the start of a slippery slope leading to buying an expensive bike and another time-consuming hobby. Plus I'm skint too.flanker10:40am, 11th Oct 2018
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It’s at least 10 years since this once-in-a-decade opportunity was available. Just saying...Angus Clydesdale10:51am, 11th Oct 2018
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ok I'm convinced, order placed!Bob!
(see feedback form Mr Fetch)11:24am, 11th Oct 2018 -
ordered!iaincr11:25am, 11th Oct 2018
It's been a quiet time for updates this week. Monday was spent sorting out the weekly newsletter; Tuesday was about getting my accounts sorted out, with huge thanks to Fetchie kdp and Albury Associates Ltd. (kdp didn't ask for a plug, but just offered his help - and he's been an absolute legend - go check out their website: alburyassociates.com )
Tuesday was also about labelling and packing a whole load of Fetch shirts and vests, which took most of the day. At one point, Katie came into the office and suggested it'd be a good idea to open a window, as the marker pen was quite fumey. I wasn't sure whether it was a good idea or not, but the purple unicorn convinced me.
Then Wednesday was over an hour spent at the post office, whilst my new bestie did all the posting labels and told me all about the woes of the Indian cricket team. I'm really enjoying seeing all your pictures of you in your new kit, and happy to have inspired a new nickname variant for The Mighty Fleecy
I've also been speaking with the Abingdon marathon organisers about our fruit station ( fetcheveryone.com/abingdon-fruitninjas.php ); working with Knight Sports to get a Fetch cycle jersey designed ( fetcheveryone.com/viewtopic.php?id=53147 ); and speaking to The Running Awards people about why there's probably no Online Community category this year, and how we might still be involved. More on that soon.
My challenge this week
My coding this week has been focused on solving a problem that's been annoying me for a while. On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, I ran a little five mile loop - it's got a lot going for it, but it also takes in the sewage treatment works, the local abattoir and the football ground.
Tue: fetcheveryone.com/t-15467115
Wed: fetcheveryone.com/t-15471342
It turns out I've run this loop (or a close approximation of it) 45 times. I didn't look this up painstakingly, and I haven't been diligent enough to tag or assign a route to each of these runs. No. FETCH TOLD ME! *miracle noise*
Working out whether two individual runs are on the same route is one of those fun maths/coding problems that make me really happy. It's pretty easy for a human to look at two different map traces and go "yep, those are the same route" - but the trick is getting a computer to do it. Because a computer can whizz through a hundred runs in seconds, but a human would start putting forks in his or her eyeballs after a few minutes.
Challenges include: (1) GPS trace that wobbles around the path, and is always slightly different every time; (2) running at different paces and taking walks, stops etc often means there are more data points on some parts of the run than others; (3) finding something that will be workable for well over three million individual runs, rides etc.
It's all about rounding, smoothing and simplifying your run into something that can be quickly compared with other runs. And the initial signs are promising. I've been able to convert my football ground loop into the equivalent of a unique fingerprint - and by repeating this process for all my runs, I've found matching fingerprints - each of which corresponds to that same route. I repeated the exercise on Katie's data, and found that between us, we've done the "three miler round Priory Lake" 156 times.
Does that excite you? It does me. Not only will I be able to very quickly see where today's run sits in comparison to other runs on that same route; but I also get to see (permissions allowing) when other people have done that same route, and how they got on. Imagine the graphs!
It's pulled in the occasional 'variation' on the route, due to the way the rounding happens. Running along the adjacent parallel street is sometimes seen as the same run; sometimes not - which might be both good or bad, depending on your point of view.
Right now, I've set it to work indexing all your training logs. I'm guessing this might actually take a couple of weeks, but once that's done, we should be good, and I'll start making this available via your training log.
User Experience (UX)
I've been listening to lots of interesting podcasts and doing a bit of reading around the subject of user experience (aka 'UX'). In practical terms, UX is about understanding the interaction between a user and a "thing" - and trying to make that experience a good one. Why? Because in the cold light of day, the more you get out of using something, the more likely you are to want to use it - and that makes a lot of sense for a website that relies on its users (do you keep ticking 'Ask me next month?' when the donations box pops up? How about *this* month? ).
So (ss) here's an example of UX to consider, from the top of your toilet (with thanks to the excellent boagworld.com for mentioning this example in their podcast):
We all know what it does, and we probably mostly know that the different buttons deliver different strength flushes. BUT can you say with all certainty which button you should press? Is the small one for a small amount of water? Or is the button smaller because you can just mash the big button nine times out of ten, whereas the small button is for when you need the nuclear option? I prefer this next one:
Not only is it clearer (at least to us in the UK with our concept of number ones and number twos - but even if not, the dots are a useful indicator of 'volume' - fnar), but it also smiles at me, and I smile back. A great way to give a better experience to the user
When you start looking, UX is everywhere - and it's everywhere on Fetch too - sometimes good, sometimes bad. Bug reports don't always have to be all about finding factual errors, or things that are just plain broken. Sometimes it's just enough to say "I find this bit confusing..." or "It would be better if...". Keep your reports coming in.
The Fix List
Despite all of the above, I did shoehorn in a couple of little updates that I hope will prove to be useful:
1) The main content on our home page, and several others is now just that little bit wider (20 pixels to be precise). It'll mean a little bit less squish in quite a lot of places.
2) When you view our home page whilst not signed in, it used to be that you'd just get a green button in the menu stripe saying something like "Click here to join Fetcheveryone". And it's my gut feeling that because the page is otherwise so busy, it's easy to miss that. So for not-logged-in users, there's now a great big banner welcoming new users, with a mahoosive 'Get Started' button.
In Other News
The Boy is about to become a teenager!
Tuesday was also about labelling and packing a whole load of Fetch shirts and vests, which took most of the day. At one point, Katie came into the office and suggested it'd be a good idea to open a window, as the marker pen was quite fumey. I wasn't sure whether it was a good idea or not, but the purple unicorn convinced me.
Then Wednesday was over an hour spent at the post office, whilst my new bestie did all the posting labels and told me all about the woes of the Indian cricket team. I'm really enjoying seeing all your pictures of you in your new kit, and happy to have inspired a new nickname variant for The Mighty Fleecy
I've also been speaking with the Abingdon marathon organisers about our fruit station ( fetcheveryone.com/abingdon-fruitninjas.php ); working with Knight Sports to get a Fetch cycle jersey designed ( fetcheveryone.com/viewtopic.php?id=53147 ); and speaking to The Running Awards people about why there's probably no Online Community category this year, and how we might still be involved. More on that soon.
My challenge this week
My coding this week has been focused on solving a problem that's been annoying me for a while. On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, I ran a little five mile loop - it's got a lot going for it, but it also takes in the sewage treatment works, the local abattoir and the football ground.
Tue: fetcheveryone.com/t-15467115
Wed: fetcheveryone.com/t-15471342
It turns out I've run this loop (or a close approximation of it) 45 times. I didn't look this up painstakingly, and I haven't been diligent enough to tag or assign a route to each of these runs. No. FETCH TOLD ME! *miracle noise*
Working out whether two individual runs are on the same route is one of those fun maths/coding problems that make me really happy. It's pretty easy for a human to look at two different map traces and go "yep, those are the same route" - but the trick is getting a computer to do it. Because a computer can whizz through a hundred runs in seconds, but a human would start putting forks in his or her eyeballs after a few minutes.
Challenges include: (1) GPS trace that wobbles around the path, and is always slightly different every time; (2) running at different paces and taking walks, stops etc often means there are more data points on some parts of the run than others; (3) finding something that will be workable for well over three million individual runs, rides etc.
It's all about rounding, smoothing and simplifying your run into something that can be quickly compared with other runs. And the initial signs are promising. I've been able to convert my football ground loop into the equivalent of a unique fingerprint - and by repeating this process for all my runs, I've found matching fingerprints - each of which corresponds to that same route. I repeated the exercise on Katie's data, and found that between us, we've done the "three miler round Priory Lake" 156 times.
Does that excite you? It does me. Not only will I be able to very quickly see where today's run sits in comparison to other runs on that same route; but I also get to see (permissions allowing) when other people have done that same route, and how they got on. Imagine the graphs!
It's pulled in the occasional 'variation' on the route, due to the way the rounding happens. Running along the adjacent parallel street is sometimes seen as the same run; sometimes not - which might be both good or bad, depending on your point of view.
Right now, I've set it to work indexing all your training logs. I'm guessing this might actually take a couple of weeks, but once that's done, we should be good, and I'll start making this available via your training log.
User Experience (UX)
I've been listening to lots of interesting podcasts and doing a bit of reading around the subject of user experience (aka 'UX'). In practical terms, UX is about understanding the interaction between a user and a "thing" - and trying to make that experience a good one. Why? Because in the cold light of day, the more you get out of using something, the more likely you are to want to use it - and that makes a lot of sense for a website that relies on its users
(do you keep ticking 'Ask me next month?' when the donations box pops up? How about *this* month? ). So (ss) here's an example of UX to consider, from the top of your toilet (with thanks to the excellent boagworld.com for mentioning this example in their podcast):
We all know what it does, and we probably mostly know that the different buttons deliver different strength flushes. BUT can you say with all certainty which button you should press? Is the small one for a small amount of water? Or is the button smaller because you can just mash the big button nine times out of ten, whereas the small button is for when you need the nuclear option? I prefer this next one:
Not only is it clearer (at least to us in the UK with our concept of number ones and number twos - but even if not, the dots are a useful indicator of 'volume' - fnar), but it also smiles at me, and I smile back. A great way to give a better experience to the user
When you start looking, UX is everywhere - and it's everywhere on Fetch too - sometimes good, sometimes bad. Bug reports don't always have to be all about finding factual errors, or things that are just plain broken. Sometimes it's just enough to say "I find this bit confusing..." or "It would be better if...". Keep your reports coming in.
The Fix List
Despite all of the above, I did shoehorn in a couple of little updates that I hope will prove to be useful:
1) The main content on our home page, and several others is now just that little bit wider (20 pixels to be precise). It'll mean a little bit less squish in quite a lot of places.
2) When you view our home page whilst not signed in, it used to be that you'd just get a green button in the menu stripe saying something like "Click here to join Fetcheveryone". And it's my gut feeling that because the page is otherwise so busy, it's easy to miss that. So for not-logged-in users, there's now a great big banner welcoming new users, with a mahoosive 'Get Started' button.
In Other News
The Boy is about to become a teenager!
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
-
Love the route comparison idea. Have often wanted to compare runs on similar routes.westmoors
The toilet flush made me smile11:42am, 5th Oct 2018 -
love the idea of route matching - bring it on!chunkyblizzard11:57am, 5th Oct 2018
-
We've had that top flush button for over 7 years, to this very day I'm still not sure which is the large flush!StuH
I was wondering about "matched runs" on Fetch just the other day, looking forward to seeing that.11:58am, 5th Oct 2018 -
Route matching would be brilliant. Ideally matched to a defined route name too, so if I use the planning tool (or export) to create a route (e.g. local parkrun) and give it a name in my "routes" I could then also see which runs matched that route and my pace etc on them. I hate to mention the "strava" word, but I freeload off themlarkim (as opposed to contributing to here!) and their segment functionality effectively allows this - create a segment which is in effect a route that you run regularly or a race etc and you can then get your run history matched against them from that single point of entry (i.e. the segment home page). One thing I'd suggest if you were going down that route would be to allow for a manual "force" match. e.g. using the parkrun match example, if one day the GPS were to throw a wobbly part way around so that it didn't meet the match criteria, it'd be nice to be able to match it up along with all of the other systematically matched activities to see it in the list for example.
Look forward to seeing this feature develop! Oh, and the t-shirt is lovely too!12:05pm, 5th Oct 2018 -
matched runs is one of the best features of another site (starts with S) so I am pleased that you will be giving me one less reason to visit itmikep12:07pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
That second button looks like a robot from the Smash adverts, which is obviously a Good Thing.Dooogs12:14pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
No on line community category???/????? WTF???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD25*xy4aXma5name!12:17pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
@larkim - I think that other site does a pretty good job of matching runs even without creating a segment.StuH
Being able to force (and even more so, reject) a match would be good!
I wondered where the online-community category had gone, disappointing.12:26pm, 5th Oct 2018 -
Yep, agree the matched routes works well in "the other place" without segments, but it doesn't give you as nice a source for keeping it all neat and tidy. Linking run activities together AND to a predefined route would be the panacea for me.larkim12:29pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
It will be nice to have a personal route comparison “wow you smashed that route today (and you have run it 27 times)” but please don’t tell me Hammy ran it faster 😀 (every checkpoint!!!). Also will be great that you can now auto detect parkrun and perhaps have a FE parkrun league of some kind?Nightjar12:35pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
Ps thanks to the power of google... the big button is the whole tank, the little button is a reduced quantity. I’ve often doubted there is any difference. Especially if you don’t keep the button pressed for the whole flush. *poop*Nightjar12:44pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
I've always been fairly fastidious (mostly idious but not very fast, in truth) about naming and saving my regular routes, then tagging the relevant route when editing uploaded training. Then I can always see how a run compares to other runs of the same route - because the route page lists all the times I've run it. Getting down and dirty into comparing runs of the same route in detail is a bit clunky though, but I can live with it. So I'm not sure what's the added benefit of having "it" figure out for itself that two runs were on the same route, but then I've never even seenFitz
stravaso I don't know what I'm missing.
99% of the time I can perceive no difference in the amount of flush delivered by the different buttons on a WC. Give me a good old fashioned turn-handle any day.
Happy Boythday to The Boy.12:58pm, 5th Oct 2018 -
I think on mine the big button is the "usually press this, number 1s" and the little button is "press me to for a number 2". I don't think you can get the small button down without the big one going down too. So definitely a poor UX!larkim12:58pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
Is the smile on the button for how you feel afterwardschewitt1:18pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
fetcheveryone1:29pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
love the idea of a count up of my routes...i often run a route i assume ive done before then get a notification to say ive connected a new checkpointDingDocMerrily1:51pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
I don't do Strava. Am I weird. All is looking very good. Well done. Good luck all at the wonderful Abi!Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr) G2:11pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
Attended a public enquiry for a rights of way issue this week - the number of times running a route (well, a specific section) would have been very useful.um
(vs clunking through Garmin Training Center for 10 years and viewing each likely run in Google Earth to check it really was the right wood path, not the field next to it or the other path 100yds to the east)3:03pm, 5th Oct 2018 -
I feel the same way about the awards (except when FE is involved of course). Last year social media was awash with posts from races etc offering prizes or places in exchange for votes. Makes it meaningless.StuH3:32pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
I am so excited about the route thing! I was finding the Running Awards increasingly annoying as it is so much 'he who shouts loudest/has big social media following' and not actually about real quality. (Please help me off my soapbox).Autumnleaves4:22pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
Back when we had flush handles, ours had a sticker next to it that said something like "short flush - press and release; long flush - press and hold"... makes sense, but I could scarcely believe my eyes when I visited someone else's facilities when they had a similar system from a different manufacturer which was labelled the opposite way round! What kind of madness is holding the handle down for a short flush?!I saw ishep come sailing in
In related news, and mindful that toilet flush conversation to this extent is a little bit weird, my current flush is like your top picture; I always wondered which way round it was, and was never able to tell through experience. One day, I took the lid off the cistern and found that they BOTH PRESSED THE SAME, ONE BIG BUTTON!5:04pm, 5th Oct 2018 -
Fetch, I save my routes and when I run a route I’ve saved after uploading my run I edit it to add the route. If I go into my routes I click on one and it tells me when I ran it and how quick or slow I ran it. It does mean that I have to do some work for that info but it is there already.Festive Flier6:17pm, 5th Oct 2018
-
kdp keeps nicking my zonesLindsD8:29am, 7th Oct 2018
-
Hi, I can’t find the link for driving the website roadmap. I have a suggestion, in the race summary the race is broken into 0.25 mile splits by default. is it possible to add a filter to enable users to select the split distance that is shown? For example, 1 mile, 5km, 10km? ThanksGrumbs8:56am, 8th Oct 2018
About Me
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!Blog Archive
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2024 (128)
December (7)
Language, Timothy!
New shoes
Denzil Deadman
Chewie, we’re home!
Pics for 2024 :-)
Counterintuitivityness
Progress at the flood house
November (10)
Spam Audit
Granville... fetch your cloth
Orange is not the only fruit
Saddle Up
Beat that, Andy Dufresne
On the train
m
Swittle's Bench!
Escape to Meriden
Secret Santa
October (16)
New KML export button
Triathlon Loitering
Tagging in blog comments
New blog buttons
Disaster Strikes!
New badges!
Bat renovation
HQ
Up-stickering
It's not magic, it's you!
Join us for the Doctor K Cup
The sun was shining...
My dear old things...
Copernican Revolution
A polite no
Pass the spanner
September (6)
The Doctor K Cup - 19th October
Big Scary Project! :-)
Tea towels on their way
Please excuse the lag
I'm back :-)
It was 20 years ago today…
August (12)
DESIGNS REVEALED: Fetch 20th anniversary shirts and vests
Schrödinger's Holiday
Look what I've got!
Finally, a bit of progress
May UCAS be fruitful
Get your pre-orders in :-)
13 spots left...
26 spots left...
Filling up nicely :-)
20th anniversary commemorative tea towel :-) GET IN QUICK :-)
Morienteering Badges :-)
Wheat Intolerance and Barr's Strawberryade
July (16)
Would you do it for a Scooby snack?
Play Along
Pilgrimage
Site down for a short while this afternoon
Attention Chrome users
Pace Analysis
Picture Usage tracking
Nice beats per mile graph
Thanks for the donation Jeff Bezos :-)
F'laps 2024 is done!
F'laps - three laps in
Me in Women's Running magazine :-)
Add A Race - Usability followup
#dogsandwivesatpollingstations
Cadence Filter - a little tweak
F'Laps Leaderboard - help me kick the tyres
June (11)
Today’s Task
Here's something cool
F'Laps - get togethers
Forum tagging
F'Laps - broken delete link :-/
F'Laps - your opportunity to withdraw gracefully :-)
Usability - look what's changed
RW Refugees welcomed
Oscar's Everyone Day
New training entry view is live
Snap Poll :-)
May (7)
Easy Street
Track me on Sunday
V2 Training Beta
New Training Log Beta
Five Noahs
Diamanté Celebration Spatula Kit
Marmite Excalibur
April (13)
In case you haven't cancelled it yet...
Weasels and spiders
Blog Listings Change (nowt major)
Six New Badges! Adding pics to Conquercise zones.
Night Races - Can you help?
Sifting Chunks: Gradient versus Pace
Audible Free Trial - You get free audiobooks, I get five quid!
A donation from JH
Andy Townsend :-)
GCU50: Citizen on Patrol
Fetchpoint: The Game - Where I'm Headed
Fetchpoint: The Game - a consultation
Heavy Roller please
March (11)
I can eat fifty eggs
Oscar the Grouch :-(
If a Fetch fails in a forest...
Trialling a new weekly update email
Lasting Power of Suspicion
Fetch Virtual Challenge 2024 *bunting*
Swittle's Funeral
Cadence
Tea & Trails Podcast
Down to my last pen
A bench for swittle
February (8)
The Lightning Struck Tower
Swittle
Cholesterol
This year so far in pictures
Three Noahs
Fetch is as strong as you make it.
100k - what do I need?
Paywalls are BS: I'm on a podcast!
January (11)
Chasing Round Numbers - A Cautionary Tale!
MOTM - Decision Made (and a competition for EVERYONE!)
MOTM - a chance to rethink
Training Home Page updates
How much walking will I do?
Training Plans - Further Updates
Training Plan List
Butter Police
Why no app?
Useful Chat!
Festive Fetch Calendar - Winners
2023 (136)
December (6)
Nearly forgot...
Jam today
Removing another bit of Google's invasiveness
Fancy an extra challenge over the next 12 days?
Chewie, we're home!
Two tips for today's advent challenge
November (13)
Spammy McSpamface
40 days and 40 nights
EfM confirmed!
New Training Log Beta! 😲 (aka Change Is Not Good)
Escape from Meriden
Waiting for your training?
Route of the Century?
I didn't know I owned a nutcracker
Design our anniversary shirts/vests!
Holiday Reading - plenty of fiction :-)
Swimming in a metaphor
Hello
Off World
October (11)
Fl'update
To think I tried to mop it up!
Vote Please: How many F'Laps will you try to do?
F'Laps 2024
Long Run
So it still needs a name...
Front Garden Ultra?
The Boy is a man!
Festive Fetch Calendar
Creative K's
Signs
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
Happy 19th Birthday!
Forgotten pictures
August (14)
Just in case
Weekly Total Hours
Dim Brys Dim Chwys
All hail our robot overlords!
Your local parkrun
Fool on the hill
Survey Follow Up
A survey?
Did you know?
I made a thing
VC Day
FBI Agent
What keeps you going?
Be careful what's in your paste buffer (and July training update)
July (13)
Delight
Respecting your eyeballs since 2004
Hot Stuff, coming through
Ocean Colour Scheme
18 years, 10 months, 13 days and counting...
Ooof #fail
Our listings need you!
Pics from the end of the swim
A whispered, half-remembered dream
Try the Heatmap!!!
Teaser
100 Running Words (and my June summary)
July Virtual Mile
June (8)
Last Big Swim
I can't be the only one...
Which is the real me?
#EveryoneDay
The legendary sixth samosa!
WSW Main Page Layout Changes
May Summary (contains swimming!)
Hoodies pre-order closes at 10am
May (17)
A new WSW challenge
Tagging images
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 💩
Track Your Blood Pressure
A couple of quick fmail updates
Rusty Metal and a Cycling Grudge Match
Please help me kick the fmail tyres!
Onset of Summer Watch. Have you got Onset of Summer? +fmail!
Premium?
March (10)
And that was March
Try the new fmail system
Can you help my boy?
Tell A Friend?
Some Sweatshop Competitions
Sign up to our 2023 Virtual Challenge
Review: FORM Smart Goggles
UTMOST vs Treadmills
33,258
Embranglement!
February (13)
And that was February
This year's Virtual Challenge
What does Points make?
Automatic Everything Collector
Peaky Finders
FAO Fitbit users
My favourite training graph
You've got this.
Coffee Survey (for my stepson)
Access all the tips
Tiny Usability Changes
Cod science
Hot Tips
January (14)
Monthly Infographic Bug Fixes
No, but really...
Have a play with the monthly infographic
It's not ready yet, but...
Introducing Fetch Premium
Help me design a new Monthly Infographic...
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
Important updates to the Fetch Relay
Introducing the Fetch Relay 2023
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)
Oh, and... it's Yesvember - Day #9
Another bit of the internet fenced off
Yesvember - Day #8 - taking steps
Yesvember - Day #7
Yesvember - Day #6
Yesvember - Day #5
The curse of swimming GPS
Yesvember - Day #4
The Les Mis effect
Yesvember - Day #3
Yesvember - Day #2
Yesvember - Day #1
October (15)
October gives way to Yesvember!
Anyone fancy a threeway?
More thoughts on races
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)
Training View tweaks (and a play button bug fix)
A long ride and a cold swim.
Play Button
UTMOST Wava & Bike Division Rebuilds
New UTMOST leagues for cyclists and WAVA fans
The Doctor K Cup
Chance encounters
Do I ditch our Facebook stuff?
A keeper, from my feedback inbox...
Ultra distances - update
Adding ultra distances to Fastest Fetchies league.
Try the new Training Groups pages
August (11)
Training Groups Update - Coming Soon
Garmin Queue Issues
Donations without reference numbers :-)
New Elbow Laws
No longer the 3398th fastest Fetchie over 10k!
Pulling counties into league tables
What was I thinking?
County Champion?
Just bear in mind that you asked for this.
Wahoo and Coros users
How to make half a million quid (batteries not included)
July (6)
Club Listings
Book giveaway :-)
Updated Race Portfolio
Updated Targets Page
Exactly ***1*** Spare Ladies L Cycling Jersey
Search All Blogs :-)
June (10)
Imagine you could search all the public blogs...
Banking Scandal at Fetch Towers!
7pm on Baker Island #everyoneday
#EveryoneDay - Sunday 26th June 2022
Spare Challenge Coasters
The North West Passage
Feature Request Voting - Know Your Limits!
UTMOST Division 8: YIKES!
Shepperton Weight Gain Programme
UTMOST Division 9! Sub-50 10k :-)
May (16)
Four hours left :-)
Division 10: No hope of escape?
Book giveaway :-)
Division 11: No place left to hide
New HR Analysis
They're here! Well, not exactly *here*, but...
A quick Darth Mode update
Darth Mode! And a few biscuits for the hyperdrive.
Division 12: Two hours of pushing broom
Dark Mode: Beta
PB Potential? Fancy a quickie? ;-)
Division 12: Running Out Of Road?
Thank you everyone!
Making UTMOST moves :-)
Do you want a Fetch shirt?
I did my UTMOST :-) (plus new sharing infographic)
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 :-)
Updated sharing infographic - do you like it?
Spare Fetch Kit
Badge page refresh / feature requests
Flanci / Fetch Leggings
New Badge Pages
New hill badges
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
Shortcuts
Training Import Queue
I fell off (but not really!)
Croeso i Fetcheveryone. Ydych chi'n siarad Almaeneg, Swedish neu Eidaleg?
New mobile nav
Last call for shirts
@
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 ^
Routes - more updates
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!
User profiles
10k Analysis: Part 6 - Training Pace Again
Time to update your injuries :-)
User profile - sticker button.. EDIT and race standard
More user profile adjustments
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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