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Alien nuggets!

12:15pm, 31 Oct 2016

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If you're sat at your computer with nothing better to do, you should really try this:

sidigital.co

You can actually try to shoot REAL aliens in the nuggets with an ACTUAL* gun. I managed to get one in the head, but haven't got the money shot yet :-)

*nerf. Same thing.

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Comments

Keeping a tight lid on the biscuit tin

4:20pm, 28 Oct 2016

Whilst you're all having a go at the new training beta, I'm taking a look at solving the 'elevation problem'.

When you upload a training entry, the site takes a 256-point sample along the route, and uses the Google Maps Elevation API to retrieve the elevation profile. It works pretty well, but there are a few problems. Mostly, the further you go, the larger the gap between the points in the sample. And if you've ever tried to measure the coastline of Britain (don't!) you'll know that this is a recipe for missing stuff. What's more, beyond a certain distance, even Google goes "This is just a list of counties, you mug. Which way did you actually go?".

So I've been looking at how I can improve on that. Google only allow me to supply 256 points - so the obvious choice is to sample half the route, or a part of the route, and get the elevation for that bit. And then do all the other bits, and then stitch them together.

But I've got to be careful, because Google tend to get rightfully Grumpgle if people start spamming their APIs with requests. A few years ago they introduced quotas, and if you go over these, they lock you out for a bit, or start talking about how much their services cost for high end users.

I've been looking at the distribution of distances that you lot run - which is fun in itself. In a sample of 2000 runs and rides grabbed from last Sunday (in theory, the most popular day for going long), about 1500 were 10 miles or less. And 443 were between 10 and marathon. So that leaves 57 ultra-distance entries (doesn't matter in this case whether they're runs or rides).

Seeing that distribution lets me see how many more requests we'd be generating, depending on the size of the chunks I use. Five mile chunks would more than double our requirement (4440 instead of 2000). Ten mile chunks would add 800 extra requests.

It's worth thinking about what a 256 point sample would involve too. With five mile chunks, that's a point every 30 metres. With ten miles, surprise surprise, it's every 60 metres. But I also don't know what sort of granularity and accuracy Google operates at.

I figure the best strategy is to build a mechanism I can throttle back. Five mile chunks would keep us within the quota most days, but the ability to change one number in a config file, and take us to six mile chunks, feels like a nice way to stay in control.

Yeah, I know - your watch does elevation. Some of your watches even do elevation properly, with barometric pressure, and sextants and the like. I'm looking at that too. That's got to be worth a biscuit, right?

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Comments

Biscuits! What a good idea.... But seriously, I read through and thought - but my watch supplies that anyway (and then got to your last couple of sentences). Or does it?

I know it shows up in the summary on screen, but it doesn't always seem to show up the same numbers on the Garmin Connect site.

I think my wife's watch doesn't show the elevation on the watch, but pretty sure it's there in the on-line application.
So do Garmin pull the on-line nos from some kind of digital mapping themselves? And could you nick that data as part of the sync into Fetch?
3FrenchMs
4:51pm, 28th Oct 2016
Typically, a lot of watches use 3D positioning to calculate your altitude, as well as your latitude and longitude. But it's often not especially accurate - it would frequently place me below sea-level, and it's the reason why Fetch chucks it away without looking. More modern and/or expensive watches have inbuilt systems for measuring it more accurately using pressure sensors. The trick will also be to work out which watch is sending the data, and therefore whether to use it.
fetcheveryone
4:55pm, 28th Oct 2016
Are there other topography datasets that are open source? Could you end up downloading your own for the uk, and only using Google for overseas perhaps?
Jenelopy
7:02pm, 28th Oct 2016
@Jenelopy - good point. OpenCycleMaps combines the OpenStreetMaps map data with open/free topology data in their maps. However, I think there are usage limits on the services they host, so to use it on a popular website you may have to self-host the data and associated open source software components.
DW
8:09pm, 28th Oct 2016
@Markymarkmark - yes, my Garmin watch doesn't do elevation on the watch, but when you look at the activity on Garmin Connect it shows "Elevation Corrections Enabled". They don't say what mapping data source they use, but presumably most data coming to Fetch via Garmin Connect already has elevation data added by Garmin.
DW
8:13pm, 28th Oct 2016
I don't take any notice of the elevation data of my runs - so it would not bother me if it was not there. Maybe you ought to do a poll of who minds/not and serif there is a big enough demand. Is there a way of users toggling that bit of data in/out of their logs?
Seratonin
8:20pm, 28th Oct 2016
@fetcheveryone - It's been a while since I looked at any Google APIs, but what do the T&Cs say about caching?
There must be quite a lot of Fetchies with overlapping routes, particularly during races or parkruns. If Google are ok with you maintaining a local cache of elevation data that you've queried before, then that would perhaps allow you to reduce your API usage while increasing the number of elevation sample-points. But of course, maybe you're already doing that...
DW
8:29pm, 28th Oct 2016
That would have been worth a Wagon Wheel, back in the days before I'd heard of watches with GPS and barometers and accelerometers. It's probably still worth a Choco-Leibnitz.
RichHL
1:07pm, 29th Oct 2016
I was going to say what DW said but without reference to the T&Cs! If a route overlaps one that you have done before could you then copy that routes elevation data? I'm guessing you don't actually keep the data at the moment though, just the elevation totals, but even that for a segment would be a bit you don't have to query again.
Nightjar
1:25pm, 29th Oct 2016
There was a quick improvement to be had, which I've put in place already it was that straightforward The API accepts 512 points, not 256 as I'd previously thought (maybe they've changed it).
fetcheveryone
8:52am, 30th Oct 2016
Wow, that's hard work. I remember when you introduced "use elevation correction". Magic. Actually, I remember when Garmin introduced it (recognising how rubbish GPS is for height) Great work. G
Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
9:18pm, 30th Oct 2016

Training Log Beta

12:18pm, 28 Oct 2016

If you've been following, you'll know that you can try out the new training log layout here:

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/trainingbeta.php

And you can get a walkthrough of the main features here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLhvclfrwE

So now it's time to let me know whether you're happy with it, by voting in the following poll:

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/polls-view.php?id=5629

But... if you *do* vote awful, do tell me why. Otherwise I don't know what's wrong. Ta.

Cheers :-)

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Comments

I like it, especially the hexagons, although mine don't look anywhere near as impressive as yours.
Diogenes
12:30pm, 28th Oct 2016
I approve of this new layout
The_Saint
1:24pm, 28th Oct 2016
I looked at the hexagons and mine are disjointed. However on the whole it's looking great.
Festive Flier
1:34pm, 28th Oct 2016
Can you screenshot them FF? They do seem to be suffering the closer you get to the equator.
fetcheveryone
1:36pm, 28th Oct 2016
I like it, now I need to do some more training!
Gus
1:49pm, 28th Oct 2016
I down-voted. I'm not sure how it's better for me (although perhaps Youtube would tell me, but I can't watch it at work and I keep forgetting to watch it at home).

The 'list' and 'calendar' and 'summary' used to be on one page, now they're not. That might be good for kilobytes or something, but it's less good for me. Not just extra clicks - I actually looked at those things side by side, and now I can't.

Also the historic mileage-by-month table is gone - ah, I've just seen I can get it back by switching to 'classic'. But the date-select feature is gone - I can't pick all training from, 1 Jan to 23 April, say.

The loss of those 3 things on the same page (my para 2) is the big deal for me. Especially since I don't appear to got anything in return
paul the builder
1:56pm, 28th Oct 2016
Ptb - click where it says "October 2016" with a big downward arrow.
fetcheveryone
2:39pm, 28th Oct 2016
And if you can, watch the video - it at least explains the rationale behind some of the changes I've made.
fetcheveryone
2:47pm, 28th Oct 2016
JR - you can revert to this via the settings, which you'll find at the bottom of the training log. However, you might find that this is a better tool for analysing pre-race build-up: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-analysis-graphs.php
fetcheveryone
3:16pm, 28th Oct 2016
In theory, I can leave a URL there with the old copy of the training log forever, if anyone is that averse to the new version. But... counter-question... can either/both of you talk me through the sort of things you're doing when you're doing the side-by-side comparison?
fetcheveryone
3:26pm, 28th Oct 2016
I like it! But I have a discontiguous (is that a word?) set of map segments - I'm pretty sure I haven't been to the isolated bit without having run along the connecting roads!

However - there is a railway running though the bits without hexagons - are they mutually exclusive?
3FrenchMs
3:37pm, 28th Oct 2016
MMM - there's a bit of a problem with the hexagon algorithm at the moment (see the video, if you can, for the sound of the frustration in my voice). I'll see if I can get it right

JR - you can certainly re-enable the 'classic' month view in the settings - and I've no plans to take that away. I just felt that as my training log gets bigger and bigger, the rows of months start to push the current content further and further down the page. I get how the calendar can be useful for seeing which days I'm more consistent on (and times when I've missed my Wednesday swim). But given that it's a very quick flick between the calendar and the list, I'm still not seeing how the side-by-side aspect is important.
fetcheveryone
3:48pm, 28th Oct 2016
It's all good apart from an occasional, OCD-triggering, errant hexagon. I think that's more my problem than yours though.
RichHL
3:58pm, 28th Oct 2016
Oops, sorry I missed the drop-down to expand for the date selection boxes. That's fine.

'Calendar' is the best single overview of a block of (say) a month's training - the 'list' is harder to read to get an overall view. On the 'calendar' view I can spot a light mileage week, or a particular long run easily; it's not so easy from the 'list'. And with them both on the same page, it's then only a click to expand the 'notes' for that run/runs to look more in to it - was I writing about being tired? How's my HR for that run/that week?

The way I looked at the 'summary' information typically would be clicking on a month and checking average HR and pace for the month. Then comparing with this time last year, or at a similar point before a PB performance etc. I guess I can still do that once I'm on the summary tab. But I probably won't do it (as much) if it's not right there in front of me, and I have to think to click to look at the 'summary' now.
paul the builder
4:00pm, 28th Oct 2016
I can't see any hexagons on the map - although not sure if I'm doing it wrong... Even when I select all my training, at the bottom of the map it says "You explored one hexagons during this period of training", which seems at odds with my 2,763 Conquercise zones! Most of my runs are manually plotted routes, rather than from a GPS, if that makes a difference.
EdJ
4:01pm, 28th Oct 2016
I love being able to see run/bike/swim all at a glance both in terms of the distances and time spent - that's really nice. But, as others have commented, I would miss the comparison to previous years as I tend to run the same races each year and want to see whether my training is better /worse than the previous year.
The other feature I would miss is 'total training hours' per month, which I use very frequently (although it's not impossible to tot them up myself!).
Lastly the rolling 12 month data does my head in, as I am so used to comparing year to year - but that's probably will just take some getting used to.
In summary - some great new features but does it have to be at the expense of some of the old features?
Sweetie
4:08pm, 28th Oct 2016
Problem on the first page - the dates for the cross training activities are white on light grey so really hard to see.
Fragile Xmas Ornament
5:30pm, 28th Oct 2016
In the calendar view, when viewing more than one month, is it possible to make the individual months distinct e.g. by colouring alternate months light grey?
Fragile Xmas Ornament
5:44pm, 28th Oct 2016
Does the new version have the progress towards yearly target bit - or is that only on the old version?
Fragile Xmas Ornament
6:11pm, 28th Oct 2016
I like a lot of it, but, like Sweetie I'm not really keen on the rolling 12 month total - especially as even when I set it to show all of 2016, it still seems to show the overall total mileage for the last 12 months?

Also on the calendar view, it doesn't seem to show a total for the week if the week is yet to be completed (for instance, the total for this week is blank). Is that intentional?
jennyh
6:11pm, 28th Oct 2016
Hexagons? My map says I've only explored 1 hexagon and even then I can't find it on the map just like EdJ.
pedroscalls
12:20am, 29th Oct 2016
I'm sorry to say that despite knowing better I clicked on the All runs button and it took a long time to come back. I did resist the urge to click it a few more times. I wonder if you should limit this to max of 1 year? (I curse the designers of our ecommerce web sites who insist on having a "show all" button.)
Nightjar
1:28pm, 29th Oct 2016
The summary at the top is showing my previous 12 months total rather than my 2016 total. That's no good at all! How will I know how far off target I am???? Also, despite changing it to 'all running' it was still showing swimming and cross training. I don't really care about those. I also would prefer the month calendar on the same page as I like to see where I am at with my weekly target. Don't understand the hexagons at all. What's the point of those?
CC2 Speedy Goth
6:59pm, 29th Oct 2016
whist the hexagon thing is nice....I miss not seeing my previous years data...where will I find it?
PeteFastFeet
12:31pm, 31st Oct 2016
You can look at any time frame you want - just click the bit that currently says "October 2016" in the header. Or, if you want all your months, like they used to be, you can scroll to the bottom of the training log page, go into settings, and switch your months to 'classic' view. For me though, twelve years of running = twelve rows = the stuff I want goes further and further down the page.
fetcheveryone
12:34pm, 31st Oct 2016
Can I applaud the fact that multiple training entries on the same day are now shown separately I also really like the speed with which the different views load up
Autumnleaves
12:49pm, 31st Oct 2016
I voted 'Good' but what stops it being 'Awesome' are the points others have raised, like not having the calendar at the side (I like it there because as far as I'm concerned, the less scrolling/clicking/finger flicking the better) and in particular the business of not being able to see *only* 2016 totals even when the dates are set to 2016, will probably make me stay on 'classic' view.
LittleDonkeyDaisy
6:40pm, 1st Nov 2016

100 Running Words

11:43am, 28 Oct 2016

It was hard to get out of bed for this - but Katie and the dog led the way. Our first mile was broken up with the usual stops for Stephen, but also a curiosity about the mist from the river, as it seamlessly combined with the smell of smoke from an unseen campfire. We giggled together as we scurried through woods and streams, and the chance to run with other dogs. Back home with a smile, and gravel in our shoes, Stephen retires to bed, stereotypically smelly, but non-repentant in his life-long quest to lead us on our adventures.

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Comments

Beautiful , great blog.
Red Ant
11:53am, 28th Oct 2016
Lovely
Feleecy Navidad
11:56am, 28th Oct 2016
Lovely
.B.
12:03pm, 28th Oct 2016
Bet that made a change from fiddling with the training log I love your use of words - giggle and scurry together in one sentence just makes you smile. Thanks for playing.
TheScribbler
12:16pm, 28th Oct 2016
I need to read Scribs driver for this 100 word thing. Doesn't have to be haiku then?! Nice run, nice report. G
Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
12:19pm, 28th Oct 2016
Ace!
I think the discipline of the limit has also made you think much more about the quality of the words used. I really like this wee story.
Angus Clydesdale
1:40pm, 28th Oct 2016
Nice...
Ness
4:19pm, 28th Oct 2016
Dvorak
8:33pm, 28th Oct 2016
(this was a long way down though... ;))
Autumnleaves
8:43pm, 28th Oct 2016
Raptors claws are coming to town
11:51pm, 28th Oct 2016
RichHL
1:03pm, 29th Oct 2016
I nearly missed this! Good ol' Stephen
LittleDonkeyDaisy
6:28pm, 1st Nov 2016

Pssst....

2:12pm, 27 Oct 2016

Want to try out the beta of the new training log?

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/trainingbeta.php

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

If you want a walk-through of the features, try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLhvclfrwE

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

I'm generally quite resostant to change but I like it. I like it a lot.

The hexagon view for all time is quite clunky on my mobile though. Not a major issue but definitely a major drain on something as it took about 13 seconds to load the page fully for the third page and struggled to move the map about.

Even so, make it go live!
Gooner
2:26pm, 27th Oct 2016
The first time you do it, the system has to build a lot of hexagon info in the background. Try it again now, and see if it's any quicker.
fetcheveryone
2:29pm, 27th Oct 2016
I think that the calendar view is a bit confusing as it's showing runs I've done and proposed ones in the same colour on the same calendar.
I'd prefer not to see the proposed ones or show them in a different colour.
It's good though. 😀
Captain S
2:47pm, 27th Oct 2016
My hexagons are overlapping vertically and have small gaps horizontally. There also seem to be a few isolated hexagons floating slightly off routes, but I think you already mentioned that in an earlier blog.

Looking at the view for the whole year, there is a gap bang on a road I run down nearly every week.

Look really good, but personally I liked seeing the mini calendar next to the log and the summary at the bottom. Only one click away I know...
StuH
2:47pm, 27th Oct 2016
When I click on the map tab can it not default to my home zone rather than London ? cant find any settings to change it but that's prob me being a bit thick
Gromit
2:51pm, 27th Oct 2016
Grommers - have a look here: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/user-settings-location.php
fetcheveryone
3:00pm, 27th Oct 2016
In the video you made, if you wanted to switch from the new calendar 1 year view, to see the "traditional" all years summary view, there was a button below the calendar - that's not there when I view the link you gave. How do we see all our months/years summary ?
K5 Gus
3:07pm, 27th Oct 2016
The option to switch to the traditional view is now in the config options at the bottom.
fetcheveryone
3:17pm, 27th Oct 2016
I had found the link in the config options, but that takes you away from the beta version ( trainingbeta.php ) to the current version of the site ( training.php ). So there's then no option to switch back again, without finding the new link, or typing beta into the url
Guessing that will all be tidied up when it goes live though
K5 Gus
3:26pm, 27th Oct 2016
Yeah, you might find yourself directed back to the live version - but that should go away when this one goes live
fetcheveryone
3:27pm, 27th Oct 2016
I like it.I like the weekly total including the whole week at the end of a month. I like the map. It would be fun but not really any better if the map had different colour hexagons for run/bike.
Winded
4:12pm, 27th Oct 2016
My work computer won't display the new log clearly (it's not you, it's them) but I would be disappointed to have to get by without smiley faces.
Raptors claws are coming to town
4:30pm, 27th Oct 2016
The 'state' graphic is in the 'conditions' tab
fetcheveryone
4:37pm, 27th Oct 2016
thanks boss sorted it
Gromit
4:45pm, 27th Oct 2016
Love it.
larkim
4:50pm, 27th Oct 2016
MB - I'm seeing that too. Even opening one of the drop-down boxes seems to make it correct itself. I'm guessing you're using Chrome? Or is the problem more widespread?
fetcheveryone
4:52pm, 27th Oct 2016
I think I like it, but why are my annual totals in miles, when my monthly ones are in my chosen unit of km?
Jenelopy
7:07pm, 27th Oct 2016
I've got to leave you some bugs to find in the beta version, otherwise it's not so much fun
fetcheveryone
7:09pm, 27th Oct 2016
Is it feasible to make the hexagons colour coded to training type. Even it is only possible to do so for the first or last hit in a particular Hex?
Are the floating hexagons a feature? I don't know if this was covered up there ^^

A+ don't get too cocky with the grade.
Ted
7:27pm, 27th Oct 2016
I've been on tenterhooks for hexagons Not really looked at rest the yet. Although ... quite a lot of mine seem a bit off. Specifically, to the left. And numerous detached hexagons. (I know, beta)
Dvorak
7:35pm, 27th Oct 2016
Why does the 'gorerilla' precede the Summary tab? Quick play and I like it a lot. Our pig and sperm runs look a little less defined in hexgon form.
Watford Wobble
8:31pm, 27th Oct 2016
The hexagons aren't quite right. If you look at my log, I run along station road all the time but there is a section of it with no hexagon showing.
I love it though.
Elsie Too
9:01pm, 27th Oct 2016
Thank you for fixing the units of my annual total, that was quick
Jenelopy
9:08pm, 27th Oct 2016
I want to only see this year's mileage totals but if I change the dates to '2016' the year total still includes Nov and Dec 2015 mileage. This is not helpful for someone aiming to hit 700 miles in 2016. Can we just have the 2016 (or whatever) info showing if that's what we've asked for?
LittleDonkeyDaisy
9:47pm, 27th Oct 2016
LD - I'm looking at adding that to the training home page.
fetcheveryone
9:58pm, 27th Oct 2016
Thanks!
LittleDonkeyDaisy
7:35am, 28th Oct 2016
I love it, it's added 200 miles to my running distance, or is that a rolling 12 months rather than YTD? Would prefer to have core than weights in the top summary
Maclennane
7:36am, 28th Oct 2016
The "year" view seems inconsistent - choose "2015" and I get presented with November to October (not sure which years). Gallery image
for screenshot. Could be just me...
larkim
9:22am, 28th Oct 2016
The November-October bit is a fixed summary of the last twelve months.
fetcheveryone
9:28am, 28th Oct 2016
OK - just looks odd when the user explicitly selects "2015" for the summary to be shown in a different format.
larkim
12:36pm, 28th Oct 2016

Fetchmob, December 3rd

11:07am, 27 Oct 2016

We've decided to go with Luton Wardown parkrun on December 3rd. Although it actually only received 1 vote, there were a lot of parkruns in the vicinity that received quite a few votes. And it seems to tick the box for public transport, with Luton station being less than a mile away.

The plan will be to do the parkrun, and then find somewhere nearby for a coffee/cake or a fry up, or something like that.

Here's a poll - let us know if you can make it.

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/polls-view.php?id=5627

Those of you that are too far away - please don't despair. We'll go somewhere else next time, and spread it about as much as we can.

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

Possibly a bit too far for me this time round.
westmoors
11:32am, 27th Oct 2016
Tempting - only just over an hour on the train for me...
sallykate
12:35pm, 27th Oct 2016
I am told that usually they put on coffee and cake in the cricket club in the park afterwards.
Nightjar
1:41pm, 27th Oct 2016
Allegedly there is a train that goes direct from my actual house to this parkrun's doorstep. However, I'm not really running at the mo. Though I am eating cake and lots of it.
McGoohan
2:14pm, 27th Oct 2016
It is a bit far for me unfortunately. I used to live in Luton but tend to only make very rare trips back to watch the football and haven't done that in quite a while either
BaronessBL
2:43pm, 27th Oct 2016
I can make it
Lady Sol
11:10pm, 2nd Nov 2016
Is the Fetchmob happening? It's been very quiet uness I've missed a Fetchmob thread.
Nightjar
3:58pm, 2nd Dec 2016

Where to mob?

1:55pm, 25 Oct 2016

I've been trying to work out how to turn the Fetchmob polls into an actual decision on where to hold our Fetchmob on December 3rd. So I drew all the votes on top of a map, so I could see how they group together. Here it is:

As things stand, I'm torn between suggesting Luton Wardown and Wimpole Estate - if you group the votes together, they seem like possibilities. And I've not done either before.

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

Oh sh*t it's a long way back from Malaga and probably not a good idea before a marathon.
Festive Flier
2:21pm, 25th Oct 2016
We'll do another one if it works out, FF
fetcheveryone
2:24pm, 25th Oct 2016
And we *will* aim to spread it around too. I know not everyone lives near me
fetcheveryone
2:25pm, 25th Oct 2016
Wimpole is a great run. Lots of beasties, including a well-horned bull, and great for sausages, bacon and sausage rolls afterwards. Loads to do for non-runners too.
flanker
2:52pm, 25th Oct 2016
For people travelling a long way Wimpole might be easier from a traffic point of view and possibly a parking point of view. Nothing worse than trying to get to a town centre park run and sitting in traffic to get across town or having to drive round and round to find a parking space. However Wimpole has a parking charge I believe unless you are NT members which might also put some off.
BaronessBL
2:55pm, 25th Oct 2016
Wimpole has mud and a sodding great hill
HellsBells
3:14pm, 25th Oct 2016
Not that I'm too likely to be there but: Wimpole isn't really possible via public transport, but Cambridge is.
McGoohan
4:24pm, 25th Oct 2016
Wimpole parkrunners are an amiable lot and will usually supply lifts to the liftless. Let us know.
RichHL
5:26pm, 25th Oct 2016
My children were frightened by an agressive turkey at Wimpole. Fact.
McGoohan
5:30pm, 25th Oct 2016
Not sure we'll make this one, but I like Fetchie meetups and NT parkruns.

Generally we'll drive an hour or so from east of Reading (just skims the bottom left of your range here) or would consider staying overnight for a fetchie meetup in an interesting place. Wimpole looks quite interesting but there's not a lot of choice to stay overnight. (Stevenage ibis anyone?)
Cambridge has hotels...
JustCommando!
5:50pm, 25th Oct 2016
I would struggle to deive that far south, that early...but I am now working that weekend so luckily I won't have to chose
Gooner
6:30pm, 25th Oct 2016
There is also a Chiltern League XC in Luton that afternoon (about 10 minutes away from the parkrun, in Stopsley Park), so completely selfishly, that's the one I'd pick. It can't be too bad to get to from public transport either.

(Although what I'm going to find to do in Luton for 3 or 4 hours is another matter...)
Oranj
7:02pm, 25th Oct 2016
If required I could take a carload from a station to Wimpole. If public transport is a real issue though I would suggest Huntingdon as it is walking distance from the station (well, warm up run distance).
Winded
8:59pm, 25th Oct 2016
Huntingdon would seem to be a good shout with good road and rail links.
Nightjar
10:14pm, 25th Oct 2016
I haven't completed the polls, I was waiting to see which one is selected so that I could then see whether it's possible to get there before 9am
.B.
10:17pm, 25th Oct 2016
Hmmph, since I wrote that yesterday my family have decided to have an early xmas dinner (in Devon) that weekend. Looks like I'm out
Oranj
9:07am, 26th Oct 2016
wimpole is one that everyone should do sometime in their life. never done luton
DingDocMerrily
4:29pm, 26th Oct 2016

Little things

10:47am, 25 Oct 2016

When you add a URL to a post, or a blog entry or that sort of thing, it should turn it into a link - like this:

facebook.com (our FB page)

and when you link to a YouTube video, it should embed it, like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKEsyIuTrO8

But bigleggy reported via feedback that sometimes, depending on the order of the links, part of your posting would get eaten up. And lots of you over the years have noticed that a 'less than' sign can cause an annoying bit of truncating (I had that once, but the ointment worked wonders).

So another little fix, with some extra ones thrown in...

1) bigleggy's problem is hopefully fixed
2) you can now use both forms of youtube link (i.e. the shortened youtu.be ones will work too)
3) you can use < and > without worrying about losing your stuff
4) you can also do this (with 'b' tags)
5) and this (with 'i' tags)
6) and this (with 'u' tags)

With luck, none of that will have screwed up anything else - but hey ho - it's time to post this and find out :-)

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

like this?
StuH
10:51am, 25th Oct 2016
no
StuH
10:52am, 25th Oct 2016
do you do the tags like or is it different?
chunkyblizzard
10:53am, 25th Oct 2016
ha it swallowed them like this?
chunkyblizzard
10:54am, 25th Oct 2016
(B) and (/b) but with < less than and >greater than?
chunkyblizzard
10:55am, 25th Oct 2016
I haven't tested them in comments.
fetcheveryone
10:56am, 25th Oct 2016
They get stripped in comments.
fetcheveryone
10:56am, 25th Oct 2016
Really?
The main issue I had with YouTubes was when you'd put it at the end of a blog and it would just sit over half of what you'd written. Is that what leggy was complaining of?
McGoohan
10:57am, 25th Oct 2016
Write your own blog
fetcheveryone
10:57am, 25th Oct 2016
Ah - yes, xpost. My italics were stripped nekkid in the comment
McGoohan
10:57am, 25th Oct 2016
it works in the threads though - (b) and (/b) but with < less than and >greater than
chunkyblizzard
10:58am, 25th Oct 2016
Yep McG, I think that should be working ok now. At least it does for the example that bl sent me.
fetcheveryone
10:59am, 25th Oct 2016
I love that Stewart Lee sketch, just had to watch it again
.B.
11:01am, 25th Oct 2016
I have no idea what any of this means but just wanted to say hi
Irontubs
11:01am, 25th Oct 2016
Hello
fetcheveryone
11:04am, 25th Oct 2016
I like. Thank you!
3FrenchMs
12:10pm, 25th Oct 2016
Thanks Fetch
bigleggy
12:33pm, 25th Oct 2016
OK, I wrote a private blog as a test and I turned bold on. And everything on the blog page was bold! How do I turn it off? (I deleted the blog, which deboldified things.)
Dvorak
12:44pm, 25th Oct 2016
You need to get the closing tag right. It's like this, without spaces < / b >
fetcheveryone
12:52pm, 25th Oct 2016
Thanks :-). Tricky blighters, Johnny HTMLtags.
Dvorak
1:02pm, 25th Oct 2016
at last :-D
flanker
2:53pm, 25th Oct 2016
Ooooh fancy!
Alice Navidad
5:23pm, 25th Oct 2016
Does it work in comments as well?(not that it really matters there) italics test bold test (I'm used to these already...I work with XML on a daily basis!(yawn)
Garfield
8:17pm, 25th Oct 2016
Hmm, not so much there...must blog soon and play with it there.
Garfield
8:18pm, 25th Oct 2016

That All-Time Mileage League

2:31pm, 24 Oct 2016

Before you check out this link, leave a comment with your guesses on who you think has made the top ten. This is a table showing the sum total of all running mileage for Fetchies. The top 100 are listed, and if you've not made the cut, you'll still see your position at the bottom.

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/training-league-alltime.php?category=R

There's a corresponding table for biking and swimming (needs a bit of hosing down) too.

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

Gobi, Plodding Hippo, Santababy
McGoohan
2:33pm, 24th Oct 2016
Marigold?
chunkyblizzard
2:34pm, 24th Oct 2016
Yowzers! Just looked at the results. I am in position 1101
McGoohan
2:35pm, 24th Oct 2016
Shame the swimming league has been spoilt by those idiots / big fat liars
Angus Clydesdale
2:35pm, 24th Oct 2016
Marigold, AntClark, sunbed Athlete
westmoors
2:45pm, 24th Oct 2016
I'm in position 1148.
westmoors
2:46pm, 24th Oct 2016
Not convinced Craggy, Beef or Deadbeat should be there. Craggy ran over 18k miles run in 2007, Beef over 11k and Deadbeat over 8k. All seem unlikely mileage years compared to the rest.
Have yourself Musashi lil Christmas
2:51pm, 24th Oct 2016
You've missed the < symbol.
fetcheveryone
2:53pm, 24th Oct 2016
it's pre-2007. You can log back as far as you want so their data is fom multiple years. I'm in 1413, but only have data from mid 2012 which is hindering me in a top 100 place!
chunkyblizzard
2:54pm, 24th Oct 2016
RaceJase, Boab, Sunbed, ... I remember looking at this before. Some people run awfy far.
Dvorak
2:55pm, 24th Oct 2016
Hmm, time to dig out my old training diaries and add the Kilometerage. I might scrape into the top-100...
Oranj
2:57pm, 24th Oct 2016
Ah right, my mistake. Thanks for clearing that up 😃
Have yourself Musashi lil Christmas
3:39pm, 24th Oct 2016
I'm 387 in the bike league. The expected suspect was in Number 1.
McGoohan
3:39pm, 24th Oct 2016
Plodding Hippo must be top ten - maybe mxhornet too?
BaronessBL
3:55pm, 24th Oct 2016
Well - some of those names/places were a surprise. Me being 2208 was not though
BaronessBL
3:57pm, 24th Oct 2016
Sunbed athlete
RuthB2
5:04pm, 24th Oct 2016
It's interesting how the Team Flinky's totals are separated by only 30 miles, even though their individual yearly totals vary quite a lot from each other.
Flatlander
7:20pm, 24th Oct 2016
Of course there is always one who will come along with a grip and suggest the all time mileage league should only count miles run since joining Fetch.

I had 8 years running pre fetch that I didnt log, but assuming 1k miles per year I would almost be in the top 10
Bazoaxe
7:38pm, 24th Oct 2016
SBA, Marigold, hellen, Boab, contro, milemonster.
paul the builder
8:02pm, 24th Oct 2016
I got 5 right. I'll give that a 'tidy'.

Are you putting a dopr-down box for 'all-time' in the normal league page? Or put another way: how will we find this again?
paul the builder
8:05pm, 24th Oct 2016
The first one. And I've done it already.
fetcheveryone
8:18pm, 24th Oct 2016
I'm impressed I am that high given the way life has changed since 2008
Gobi
9:15pm, 24th Oct 2016
I'm 118, but that includes all my running since 2000.
ChrisHB
9:57pm, 24th Oct 2016
Blimey,what badge are some of those guys on?
JustCommando!
7:26am, 25th Oct 2016
How on earth does a runner swim 400+ miles so far this year Training for Windermere I guess, respect to her & everyone doing well
ferret
5:52pm, 25th Oct 2016
if its who I think, she is an injured runner doing more swimming as a result
Bazoaxe
7:28pm, 25th Oct 2016

The sudoku that keeps on giving.

10:27am, 21 Oct 2016

Yesterday, amidst a load of snotty tissues, I was working on optimising the download time for the new version of the training log. I hope you didn't read that first sentence and decide that this was a nerdy technical blog. It's just a nerdy blog :-)

If you've not seen what it looks like yet, have a look at this video (and subscribe to my channel):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLhvclfrwE

There are quite a few factors that influence download speed - but I've been looking at the size of the HTML file today, to see how I can improve that. In simple terms - the smaller the file, the quicker you can download it.

File size isn't a huge issue when you're on your super-fast broadband at home or work. It's a big fat pipe, and you can pour lots of data through it quickly. But when you start connecting over 3G etc, it becomes more like trying to suck the website through a drinking straw - so the volume matters. Not only that, but it also helps the web server too. The sooner it can finish pumping out one page, the sooner it can deal with the next user's request.

When there's a focus on cramming in new features, pages gets bigger and bigger. And on top of that, a page that's been around for some time will have various bits of sticking plaster on it - bug fixes that patch a wound quickly, rather than cleanly. And what's more, the more convoluted a page becomes, the harder it is to add those new feature requests, because there are an increasing number of things to consider. So it's a necessary part of the web management process to revisit stuff periodically; to clear out and rebuild. And it's fun.

My benchmark for my efforts yesterday was the existing live log. If I view *all* my training, looking at (say) the 'weather' tab, the resultant HTML that comes back is 5.42Mb - which I guess is on the upper end of acceptable, given that I've got 9600 miles on the clock. If I switch to the 'notes' view, I get 6.41Mb for the page :-O

I was understandably nervous to look at the figures for the new version of the log. Because not only have I rewritten it so that *all* the different views (speedmarks, predictions, notes, splits, weather, etc, etc) all come down in one hit, but I've also added the other features, like the hexagons. And I know that probably one of the first things you'll do is to look at all your training to see how many hexagons you've filled in. I know that's what I did.

I took a look. 12.2Mb for my 'all training' page. By downloading all the extra fields in one hit, I'd doubled the download requirement. Ok, so I also know that in 99% of cases of daily use, most of you are just looking at the current month, or just a small subset of what you've recorded. And I know that with a 12 year history, I'm probably one of the extreme cases. [Fact checker: I'm 664th on the all-time mileage leaderboard]. But trimming that file size down will benefit everyone, and 12Mb felt like an enormous amount.

I didn't massively enjoy history lessons when I was in school (big subject change, but stick with me). But one day we were given a historical text, and asked to reduce the word count. The challenge, and the lesson I think, was to maintain the information in fewer words - illustrating how our view of history is susceptible to change as we step further away. School was 22 years ago now, but that one simple exercise remains one of my favourite learning experiences.

It's one of the reasons why I love coding. Can a system, or a body of information be represented in a more efficient way? It's the sudoku that keeps on giving. I had a great time. 12Mb became 7.8, which became 6.2, and then finally 3.97. The methodology is all wrapped up in the ins and outs of HTML and CSS - and I won't get into that, because this isn't meant to be a 'technical' blog. It's just an attempt to explain some of the things that go through my head, and why after 12 years, I'm still just as excited about this.

Onwards!

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

Nice reduction. I assume you are writing everything using really small letters now.
Nightjar
10:35am, 21st Oct 2016
Yeah, I just changed the font size
fetcheveryone
10:36am, 21st Oct 2016
maybe yellow text, that's lighter than black = less MB?
chunkyblizzard
10:44am, 21st Oct 2016
Great explanation thanks for the simplicity for us thicko's
Festive Flier
11:49am, 21st Oct 2016
Very masterful.
KatieB
12:25pm, 21st Oct 2016
Sucking Fetch through a straw?
Seratonin
12:30pm, 21st Oct 2016
Steady!
Angus Clydesdale
1:13pm, 21st Oct 2016
Liking the progress on that Fetch. The internet here in Afghan is more akin to a syringe needle than a drinking straw! So on a purely personal note I appreciate your efforts.
AndyJ82
1:29pm, 21st Oct 2016
I love your enthusiasm. My job mostly just frustrates me! G
Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
2:19pm, 21st Oct 2016
Like it.
Ness
7:25pm, 23rd Oct 2016
"all-time training leaderboard", you say? I don't think that's available for us mortals, is it?
paul the builder
10:43am, 24th Oct 2016
No, but it could very easily be
fetcheveryone
12:46pm, 24th Oct 2016
*waits patiently*
paul the builder
4:39pm, 24th Oct 2016
Am assuming you're joking now
fetcheveryone
4:47pm, 24th Oct 2016
Ooh! Turns out I react to comment notifications much faster than I do to blog ones...:-)
paul the builder
7:56pm, 24th Oct 2016

Sub-25 for 1km

11:30am, 19 Oct 2016

I wasn't planning on pushing myself at swimming this morning, as I've got a bit of a sore throat (The Boy has also been off school on the Nurofen). But somehow, breathing out under water felt fine, and despite yesterday's long run, everything felt good :-)

I got to the 400m mark in 9:38, which was a couple of seconds quicker than last week, so I thought I'd push on, and see what happened. I'd slowed down a bit at 800m (19:40ish), but was still feeling good, so I kept going some more :-)

Last week I was flagging a bit by length 36, but I had a little bit more guts left in me today, and so I got to the km in 24:57. Toot toot :-)

I think wearing my tri-suit has helped me be a bit more streamlined in the water (I am hairy, like animal), and I've been trying to get myself a bit flatter in the water by keeping my head down a bit more - and it seems to be working.

I'm very pleased :-)

Cooled down with another 400m, and as Katie said as we walked back to the car, we could both have carried on through a mile if our breakfasts depended on it.

Enjoying this swimming lark!

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

Head position will have helped more than the tri-suit. I bet you're not more hairy than a seal?!
Angus Clydesdale
12:27pm, 19th Oct 2016
Nice work. Good fun this swimming aint it?
Nicholls595
12:55pm, 19th Oct 2016
Great swim, love to seeing others loving swimming as convinced it's good for other things like running as well as being fun & weightless
ferret
10:45pm, 19th Oct 2016
Excellent!
LindsD
11:38pm, 19th Oct 2016

Fetchmob - December 3rd

10:17am, 19 Oct 2016

I'd like to attempt some sort of Fetchmob on December 3rd, at an as-yet-undecided parkrun.

The plan: do the parkrun, then go off somewhere for coffee/cake/food.

I've made a list of parkruns that we can feasibly get to - and put them into three polls. Vote for your preferred option, and I'll try to work out which one would be closest to most people:

http://www.fetcheveryone.com/polls-view.php?id=5575
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/polls-view.php?id=5576
http://www.fetcheveryone.com/polls-view.php?id=5577

PS There's a group for folks interested in social runs generally: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/groups-view.php?id=1239

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

Just tell people it will be Bedford ;-).
Dvorak
11:00am, 19th Oct 2016
Inna deathmatch stylee, I voted in all three polls, but maybe that wasn't what was intended and I should only vote for one parkrun?
Oranj
11:07am, 19th Oct 2016
Just so long as I get an idea of which ones people can get to - I'll probably amalgamate the ones that are close to each other, and come up with a best guess
fetcheveryone
11:09am, 19th Oct 2016
I've voted none of these on one of the polls ... there are two options that are about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half away for me...if either of those becomes the preferred option then I will vote... but can I realistically see myself being at a 9am start line that distance away on a Saturday morning in December...... hmmmm
BaronessBL
11:12am, 19th Oct 2016
I know it does. Our aim is to go to a different place every time.
fetcheveryone
11:22am, 19th Oct 2016
Paris, France.
McGoohan
11:46am, 19th Oct 2016
Kettering isn't far either
Silvershadow
1:01pm, 19th Oct 2016
2nd link has Kettering. I voted on all 3 too. Mind you I'm trying to get to 100 Bedford parkruns, maybe I'll do that after Christmas.
Nightjar
1:58pm, 19th Oct 2016
Voted in all three too.
Helegant
3:52pm, 19th Oct 2016
disappointed to see that Lower Hutt New Zealand isnt on the list great idea though!
Jenelopy
6:35pm, 19th Oct 2016
I was expecting to see Penallta in there....
WildeRover
8:13pm, 19th Oct 2016
None of them are in the West Midlands, which is in the middle and has loooooads of people!

But I have given my choices as I'm willing to travel a bit for fetchie love
Gooner
9:35pm, 19th Oct 2016
Bit far from Manchester for me on a cold December morning...
JamieKai *chameleon*
10:12pm, 19th Oct 2016

New Training Log Preview

12:56pm, 17 Oct 2016

Got 11 minutes? Here's a walk through of the features of the new version of the training log:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYLhvclfrwE

(Second attempt at uploading it, the first one was messed up for some reason)

Please leave a like, and subscribe to my YouTube channel if you can. Leave a comment somewhere to let me know what you think of the update.

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

"This video is restricted. Try signing in with a Google Apps account.

Sorry about that."
StuH
12:58pm, 17th Oct 2016
Googling suggests it could be a workplace restriction on YouTube? I've not put any restrictions on that I'm aware of
fetcheveryone
1:03pm, 17th Oct 2016
No problem playing it here
.B.
1:09pm, 17th Oct 2016
Ah, quite likely as I am at work. I can view other videos on YouTube though.
StuH
1:13pm, 17th Oct 2016
Oooo I love the hexagons
Adorescience
1:14pm, 17th Oct 2016
Yep, working on my phone. Must be something selective about work restrictions.
StuH
1:15pm, 17th Oct 2016
Looks interesting :-). No way those hexagons are going to have anyone running hither and thither, obsessively trying to colour in every section of their town. No sirree bob.
Dvorak
2:12pm, 17th Oct 2016
Hmm, suspicious. Change that we like. This will never catch on
Angus Clydesdale
2:29pm, 17th Oct 2016
I'm at work so will nose later
Gooner
3:02pm, 17th Oct 2016
This is brilliant. I don't approve.
RichHL
3:03pm, 17th Oct 2016
looking good
Dibble
3:41pm, 17th Oct 2016
Thumbs up here. When do we get to play?
westmoors
5:47pm, 17th Oct 2016
I mainly want to resolve the issue with the hexagons loading speed, then I'll make a beta available.
fetcheveryone
6:30pm, 17th Oct 2016
Having nosed...I like it all!
Gooner
8:36pm, 17th Oct 2016
How many hexagons in a conquersize zone roughly ? or what size are they ?
K5 Gus
10:43pm, 17th Oct 2016
Gotta say I like it, particularly the hexagons. Makes me want to run in far off places I've never been to, so I can have a hexagon on it
WilliamCuffay
10:42am, 18th Oct 2016
You can never have enough statistics. I'm 100% sure this is better.
CakeBoy
4:07pm, 18th Oct 2016
Looks excellent. can't wait to play with it.
CStar
9:21pm, 18th Oct 2016
Great work - love it. Also good to get a bit of understanding how mind boggling it is to alter something which as a user you just want to say "can't you just make it do this ..." Map looks brilliant!
jamesmcf
9:23pm, 18th Oct 2016
Nice one, Fetch - you've sorted three items on my wishlist with that!
hayleybrewis
9:26am, 19th Oct 2016
#Hexagons - I'll have a P please Bob
AndyJ82
6:16pm, 19th Oct 2016
Love the site. Hate (scared of) change. The new log looks splendid and the mapxagons are awesome. Thank you Fetch!
andiflint
10:26pm, 21st Oct 2016

Fixed the overlap...

8:48am, 6 Oct 2016

But a few hexagons are appearing in the wrong places...

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

looking good. Are you tempted to fill in the gaps?

Is the intention to have the hexagons darker in areas that have been used more often?
chunkyblizzard
9:16am, 6th Oct 2016
Yes to both
fetcheveryone
9:29am, 6th Oct 2016
ooh hexagons!
emdee
1:57pm, 6th Oct 2016
Nice.
Ness
6:09pm, 6th Oct 2016
That looks like some kinda evil mask
Seratonin
9:02pm, 6th Oct 2016

Why the new training log isn't ready yet...

5:19pm, 5 Oct 2016

I haven't got the maths quite right with the hexagons on my heat map yet, but I'm getting there.

Meanwhile, play some Monkey Toast: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/monkeytoast.php

Oh, I spotted this on my Fetchpoint travels. Live long and prosper, Fetchies...

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

No! How much longer must I wait before I can say that I preferred it how it used to be?
zp
6:05pm, 5th Oct 2016
Sssstop it's not ready yet.
Cheg
6:45pm, 5th Oct 2016
Not long now, zolluppepe, not long
fetcheveryone
6:48pm, 5th Oct 2016
You're running past my granddad's old house!
Ulric
8:03pm, 5th Oct 2016
Monkeys and toast are not a mix I ma used to but your combination is very infectious and compulsive. Your next task is to calculate how many man hours is being lost to employers through down time and the impact this is having on UK GDP
Seratonin
9:00pm, 5th Oct 2016
Can I have a P please Bob?
Waveydavey
8:47am, 6th Oct 2016

vLog

1:56pm, 3 Oct 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyC13cM_Jl4

Shop: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/store.php
Toast of a Monkey: http://www.fetcheveryone.com/monkeytoast.php
Suunto Spartan Ultra: amzn.to

Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.

Comments

Another great vlog
Gooner
6:36pm, 3rd Oct 2016
Pleased to see the twin 13a socket was finished off satisfactorily.
Watford Wobble
8:48pm, 3rd Oct 2016

About Me

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!

Blog Archive

Expand All

2024 (126)

December (5)

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

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

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

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 :-)

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

fetcheveryone

Alien nuggets!

Comments

Keeping a tight lid on the biscuit tin

Comments

Training Log Beta

Comments

100 Running Words

Comments

Pssst....

Comments

Fetchmob, December 3rd

Comments

Where to mob?

Comments

Little things

Comments

That All-Time Mileage League

Comments

The sudoku that keeps on giving.

Comments

Sub-25 for 1km

Comments

Fetchmob - December 3rd

Comments

New Training Log Preview

Comments

Fixed the overlap...

Comments

Why the new training log isn't ready yet...

Comments

vLog

Comments

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