Serving both as a flood and a F'Laps update
The flood water had gone by the following day. My boy went back to the house with his mum to collect the bits and pieces we left in his room when we made our final dash for the boat. It was already stinking by that point, and I can't imagine it's got any better.
The insurance company contacted me on Monday. They are arranging a 'stabilisation team' who go and dry the place, and sanitise it. They'll throw away the things that cannot be saved, and inventory them ready for the visit of the loss adjuster. There's a street WhatsApp group, so we've all been trading info on what our various insurers have said, and the timescales they've each been given. I've heard everything from 3 months to 12 months until the house is habitable again.
There have been some small amounts of financial help. The county council are giving residents £120 per household from their 'hardship fund'. Not sure what that's supposed to be spent on. And the government are providing up to £500 per household (probably means tested) for support, and up to £5000 that can be spent on 'future flood resilience'. The word in the WhatsApp group is that it's a good idea to replace the floorboards in the front room with a solid concrete floor, so that there's no option for flood water to rush into the cavity beneath the joists, making it easier to defend the footprint of the house from water. And then there are other things, like suspension of council tax for at least three months, and I got our broadband fees suspended for two months. All will help to make things a little easier to swallow.
There's also provision for alternative accommodation whilst the house is uninhabitable. In the short term, this is looking like a hotel room, so that I can go up and (a) do house things when necessary, and (b) get some time with my boy. If it's decided that the house will require a long rehab, then it might be a flat somewhere. I've no idea yet.
The other bit of news is that the car has been totally written off. It was very efficient - the money is already in our account, and we've been looking round for a replacement. Fingers crossed we've got something lined up. I've got to go back and see if there's anything I can salvage out of the car, and hand the keys over.
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And in F'Laps news - there is now a page where you can sign up; choose your distance; estimate the number of F'Laps you'll try to complete; and crucially, add your location *if* you like the idea of a gathering. Hopefully if enough people do that, we can coalesce around certain hotspots. I haven't figured out a date yet (see our main news story for more on that), but I'm thinking probably second half of June. If you want to join in, even provisionally, here's the link: fetcheveryone.com/flaps.php
The flood water had gone by the following day. My boy went back to the house with his mum to collect the bits and pieces we left in his room when we made our final dash for the boat. It was already stinking by that point, and I can't imagine it's got any better.
The insurance company contacted me on Monday. They are arranging a 'stabilisation team' who go and dry the place, and sanitise it. They'll throw away the things that cannot be saved, and inventory them ready for the visit of the loss adjuster. There's a street WhatsApp group, so we've all been trading info on what our various insurers have said, and the timescales they've each been given. I've heard everything from 3 months to 12 months until the house is habitable again.
There have been some small amounts of financial help. The county council are giving residents £120 per household from their 'hardship fund'. Not sure what that's supposed to be spent on. And the government are providing up to £500 per household (probably means tested) for support, and up to £5000 that can be spent on 'future flood resilience'. The word in the WhatsApp group is that it's a good idea to replace the floorboards in the front room with a solid concrete floor, so that there's no option for flood water to rush into the cavity beneath the joists, making it easier to defend the footprint of the house from water. And then there are other things, like suspension of council tax for at least three months, and I got our broadband fees suspended for two months. All will help to make things a little easier to swallow.
There's also provision for alternative accommodation whilst the house is uninhabitable. In the short term, this is looking like a hotel room, so that I can go up and (a) do house things when necessary, and (b) get some time with my boy. If it's decided that the house will require a long rehab, then it might be a flat somewhere. I've no idea yet.
The other bit of news is that the car has been totally written off. It was very efficient - the money is already in our account, and we've been looking round for a replacement. Fingers crossed we've got something lined up. I've got to go back and see if there's anything I can salvage out of the car, and hand the keys over.
--
And in F'Laps news - there is now a page where you can sign up; choose your distance; estimate the number of F'Laps you'll try to complete; and crucially, add your location *if* you like the idea of a gathering. Hopefully if enough people do that, we can coalesce around certain hotspots. I haven't figured out a date yet (see our main news story for more on that), but I'm thinking probably second half of June. If you want to join in, even provisionally, here's the link: fetcheveryone.com/flaps.php
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
On Wednesday I drove to Notts to have some time with my boy, as per usual. Everything was going well. On Friday he came home from school a bit earlier because the heavy rain was causing traffic issues - so we made rice crispie squares, and I gave him his tea before taking him to the pub for his shift at the pot wash.
A few neighbours had mentioned the water levels, so I'd been on the EA website for a look - and it did suggest that we were at risk of a potential flood. There's a field behind the house. Not a very pretty one these days, as there's a *big* pile of flytipping that has grown over the last year or so. I've known it to be completely full of water before now, and according to long-term neighbours, they've seen people do watersports on it in years gone by. But folks who have been on the street for fifty years say they've never known the water to reach the house. Indeed, the EA site shows that the River Erewash peaked at 2.24 metres above the datum point back in February 1977, and its typical high is 1.3 metres.
I went down to look at the field at about 9pm with my head torch, and it was maybe one step up from 'boggy'. There were a few large puddles focused on the paths where people walk their dogs - but not much else to be seen. And it had stopped raining. I still slept downstairs though.
At about 4.30am, I woke to the sound of gurgling from outside. I went for a look out of the back door, and got a shock. The water was just below the threshold of the door. My first reaction was to slam the door shut! And then, right before my eyes, a trickle of water came through the door frame. I grabbed the dog towel, and stuck it up against the door. About 20 seconds later, the towel was soaked, and the water continued to come. I grabbed some more towels, and a mop and bucket. After ten minutes or so of mopping and trying to keep the water restricted to the lino, I retreated to the kitchen floor, which is tiled. My goal was to stop the water reaching the laminate floor, because I knew it would be totally screwed with even just a small amount of water. I sacrificed blankets and cushions, in the hope that this might be all the water there would be - that some peak would arrive. But it hadn't peaked yet. I realised it'd be good to phone the immediate neighbours - and as you might imagine at 5am, they were both asleep but grateful to be woken.
Making the best defence I could, I started grabbing stuff out of the living room and transporting it upstairs. From the conversations I had later, it seems that the first thing people always ask you about, or tell you about, is the 'lectricals. And I suppose it was a priority for me too. My precious laptop, and my son's game console went first. The telly is on one of those Ikea 4x2 units - and I was tempted to leave it where it was - but relented and struggled upstairs with it. I put the big bit of sofa on the small bit of sofa, hopeful that at least the top one would escape. We have some very old sofas in the front room that I've been trying to get the council to take away (they never have any slots), so I left them where they were.
I picked up the stripey rug that we've had for as long as my boy can remember. It's pretty scabby, but he loves it. I picked up family photographs, clay models and little oil paintings that my boy had made. I dived into the kitchen cupboards, and lifted up a bunch of his old school work AND my old school work. A bunch of CDs that weren't in cases slid into the water which was now lapping at the laminate floor - I will just have to hope there was nothing too precious on them. I grabbed charging cables, and some crisps, squash and bagels from the kitchen. I grabbed my running trainers, and my son's favourite trainers from the front room.
I was very glad that I decided to move the telly, because there was a slide and a splash from the living room. The Ikea unit that it was sitting on had floated up and flopped over. They don't tell you about the floating when you see floods on the telly.
I took a peek out of the front door. A log and a couple of plastic bottles floated in. The pavements had been no more than 'wet' at 4am. Now the entire street was flooded. At this point, I got a real understanding of why any sort of preparation for this (aside from moving stuff upstairs sooner) would not really have helped. The front room is floorboards on top of joists, with a cavity of about three feet underneath. And I could hear the sound of the water rushing angrily into the cavity. It rose up through the floor, coming up in every corner, and squeezing through miniscule gaps in the laminate. When the entire floor was underwater, you could see that it was still rising because of the jets of water that rose up through those same hole-y points.
I'd done about as much as I could in terms of rescuing stuff by this point, so all there was left to do was watch. I could perhaps have tucked the curtains up onto the windowsills, but I didn't want to spend too much time in the water with only one dry towel in the house. So I just had to watch.
There was one more big noise from downstairs. The fridge freezer had floated a little, and the bottom had slid out. Luckily because the kitchen is small and narrow, it came to rest at an angle, with its bottom end resting against the kitchen cupboard opposite. It could easily have slid the other way, and deposited its contents everywhere. Small mercies.
Outside, the car alarms and horns had all joined in, the poor things confused and flashing various lights as the water invaded their innards. From my son's room, I could see that our car (yes, the one we spent a load of money getting fixed) was now resembling a duck pond. I also realised that my favourite coat (which I've had for over 20 years) was on the back seat, which was a bit of a blow. But the water levels had risen to such an extent that the tyres were completely submerged, so I knew there was little point trying to move it, nor would it have been safe to do so.
First light came, and I could see a bit more of the size of the flood. The field was totally gone. The rickety garden shed was submerged all the way to its windowsill. The tips of the weeds in the garden were still just about visible.
Out front, a fire fighter came wading down the street. It's hard to tell how tall someone is when they are submerged in water, but it was up above her knees just about. They were starting the process of evacuating people, knocking on windows (and upstairs ones with a pole).
I'd managed to let my boy sleep through it all. He'd had a few beers after his shift with his work colleagues, as they wanted to celebrate his birthday with him - but I gave him a poke at about 9.30, as there was stuff to see. The fireboat was going up and down the street, with various mini-arks full of people, suitcases and pets.
We eventually got our boat out at about 11.30. The boy went first, and heard a fire person say "the people in number 8 are now awake and aware of the situation". I'm guessing they had a big night, but imagine waking up to that. The boat came back for me, and I waded out into water that came up to my knees before clambering aboard for the short journey. Reader, it did cross my mind to do a few lengths of the street, because hopefully I'll never get the opportunity again - but it had a bit of a rainbow-like sheen on it that was somewhat off-putting.
The boy's mum came and got us from the high street, me barefoot clutching my laptop bag and running trainers, and the boy clutching his console and school bag, wearing my knockabout trainers. Back to her house for a quick change of clothes, and some food, before Katie arrived from Bedfordshire to collect me.
And that's where we're at right now. Katie rang the car insurance firm, and amongst all the other questions they asked "do you have any dashcam footage of the incident?". No, but I have a photo of a firelady standing thigh-deep in flood water next to it. Will that do?
By the way, I am completely fine. You can ask Katie if you don't believe that to be true. I was lucky when I was born, and I am lucky this weekend. I have somewhere else I can call home, and so does my boy. There will be work ahead to restore the house, but it will all happen. I witnessed plenty of people leaving their homes who will face months in temporary accommodation, and I know from the street WhatsApp group that there were several people who didn't get much chance to rescue their stuff. I have countless offers of help from every corner, and my dad is the best plasterer there is.
But hey... you're here for the pictures, right?
I'll warm you up gradually. Here's the field behind the house. You can see the flytipping mountain, and the shed up to its eyeballs in water.
And here's the car, blinking in confusion. I don't think it knew much about it in the end, which was a blessing. And the firefighter for scale:
Here's the front room. That's the electric meter and fuse box that you can see between the door and window. And I also had a brief concern that the floor was collapsing in the corner on the right, but then I realised that the little wooden unit was just floating unevenly:
Here's the living room. That's the unit that the TV was standing on before I made the call to move it:
And here's another view, so you can see the angle of the fridge. That's my one and only Fetch hoodie on top of the upturned sofa. I jettisoned it when I got too warm from sprinting around with stuff. Too far away for me to reach, but hopefully safe from the water.
Right now, we're waiting for a call from the insurance assessors, who will come to check out what needs to be done, and inventory the contents, and it will all eventually get sorted. Aside from that, it's business as usual folks. No paywall. Ever.
A few neighbours had mentioned the water levels, so I'd been on the EA website for a look - and it did suggest that we were at risk of a potential flood. There's a field behind the house. Not a very pretty one these days, as there's a *big* pile of flytipping that has grown over the last year or so. I've known it to be completely full of water before now, and according to long-term neighbours, they've seen people do watersports on it in years gone by. But folks who have been on the street for fifty years say they've never known the water to reach the house. Indeed, the EA site shows that the River Erewash peaked at 2.24 metres above the datum point back in February 1977, and its typical high is 1.3 metres.
I went down to look at the field at about 9pm with my head torch, and it was maybe one step up from 'boggy'. There were a few large puddles focused on the paths where people walk their dogs - but not much else to be seen. And it had stopped raining. I still slept downstairs though.
At about 4.30am, I woke to the sound of gurgling from outside. I went for a look out of the back door, and got a shock. The water was just below the threshold of the door. My first reaction was to slam the door shut! And then, right before my eyes, a trickle of water came through the door frame. I grabbed the dog towel, and stuck it up against the door. About 20 seconds later, the towel was soaked, and the water continued to come. I grabbed some more towels, and a mop and bucket. After ten minutes or so of mopping and trying to keep the water restricted to the lino, I retreated to the kitchen floor, which is tiled. My goal was to stop the water reaching the laminate floor, because I knew it would be totally screwed with even just a small amount of water. I sacrificed blankets and cushions, in the hope that this might be all the water there would be - that some peak would arrive. But it hadn't peaked yet. I realised it'd be good to phone the immediate neighbours - and as you might imagine at 5am, they were both asleep but grateful to be woken.
Making the best defence I could, I started grabbing stuff out of the living room and transporting it upstairs. From the conversations I had later, it seems that the first thing people always ask you about, or tell you about, is the 'lectricals. And I suppose it was a priority for me too. My precious laptop, and my son's game console went first. The telly is on one of those Ikea 4x2 units - and I was tempted to leave it where it was - but relented and struggled upstairs with it. I put the big bit of sofa on the small bit of sofa, hopeful that at least the top one would escape. We have some very old sofas in the front room that I've been trying to get the council to take away (they never have any slots), so I left them where they were.
I picked up the stripey rug that we've had for as long as my boy can remember. It's pretty scabby, but he loves it. I picked up family photographs, clay models and little oil paintings that my boy had made. I dived into the kitchen cupboards, and lifted up a bunch of his old school work AND my old school work. A bunch of CDs that weren't in cases slid into the water which was now lapping at the laminate floor - I will just have to hope there was nothing too precious on them. I grabbed charging cables, and some crisps, squash and bagels from the kitchen. I grabbed my running trainers, and my son's favourite trainers from the front room.
I was very glad that I decided to move the telly, because there was a slide and a splash from the living room. The Ikea unit that it was sitting on had floated up and flopped over. They don't tell you about the floating when you see floods on the telly.
I took a peek out of the front door. A log and a couple of plastic bottles floated in. The pavements had been no more than 'wet' at 4am. Now the entire street was flooded. At this point, I got a real understanding of why any sort of preparation for this (aside from moving stuff upstairs sooner) would not really have helped. The front room is floorboards on top of joists, with a cavity of about three feet underneath. And I could hear the sound of the water rushing angrily into the cavity. It rose up through the floor, coming up in every corner, and squeezing through miniscule gaps in the laminate. When the entire floor was underwater, you could see that it was still rising because of the jets of water that rose up through those same hole-y points.
I'd done about as much as I could in terms of rescuing stuff by this point, so all there was left to do was watch. I could perhaps have tucked the curtains up onto the windowsills, but I didn't want to spend too much time in the water with only one dry towel in the house. So I just had to watch.
There was one more big noise from downstairs. The fridge freezer had floated a little, and the bottom had slid out. Luckily because the kitchen is small and narrow, it came to rest at an angle, with its bottom end resting against the kitchen cupboard opposite. It could easily have slid the other way, and deposited its contents everywhere. Small mercies.
Outside, the car alarms and horns had all joined in, the poor things confused and flashing various lights as the water invaded their innards. From my son's room, I could see that our car (yes, the one we spent a load of money getting fixed) was now resembling a duck pond. I also realised that my favourite coat (which I've had for over 20 years) was on the back seat, which was a bit of a blow. But the water levels had risen to such an extent that the tyres were completely submerged, so I knew there was little point trying to move it, nor would it have been safe to do so.
First light came, and I could see a bit more of the size of the flood. The field was totally gone. The rickety garden shed was submerged all the way to its windowsill. The tips of the weeds in the garden were still just about visible.
Out front, a fire fighter came wading down the street. It's hard to tell how tall someone is when they are submerged in water, but it was up above her knees just about. They were starting the process of evacuating people, knocking on windows (and upstairs ones with a pole).
I'd managed to let my boy sleep through it all. He'd had a few beers after his shift with his work colleagues, as they wanted to celebrate his birthday with him - but I gave him a poke at about 9.30, as there was stuff to see. The fireboat was going up and down the street, with various mini-arks full of people, suitcases and pets.
We eventually got our boat out at about 11.30. The boy went first, and heard a fire person say "the people in number 8 are now awake and aware of the situation". I'm guessing they had a big night, but imagine waking up to that. The boat came back for me, and I waded out into water that came up to my knees before clambering aboard for the short journey. Reader, it did cross my mind to do a few lengths of the street, because hopefully I'll never get the opportunity again - but it had a bit of a rainbow-like sheen on it that was somewhat off-putting.
The boy's mum came and got us from the high street, me barefoot clutching my laptop bag and running trainers, and the boy clutching his console and school bag, wearing my knockabout trainers. Back to her house for a quick change of clothes, and some food, before Katie arrived from Bedfordshire to collect me.
And that's where we're at right now. Katie rang the car insurance firm, and amongst all the other questions they asked "do you have any dashcam footage of the incident?". No, but I have a photo of a firelady standing thigh-deep in flood water next to it. Will that do?
By the way, I am completely fine. You can ask Katie if you don't believe that to be true. I was lucky when I was born, and I am lucky this weekend. I have somewhere else I can call home, and so does my boy. There will be work ahead to restore the house, but it will all happen. I witnessed plenty of people leaving their homes who will face months in temporary accommodation, and I know from the street WhatsApp group that there were several people who didn't get much chance to rescue their stuff. I have countless offers of help from every corner, and my dad is the best plasterer there is.
But hey... you're here for the pictures, right?
I'll warm you up gradually. Here's the field behind the house. You can see the flytipping mountain, and the shed up to its eyeballs in water.
And here's the car, blinking in confusion. I don't think it knew much about it in the end, which was a blessing. And the firefighter for scale:
Here's the front room. That's the electric meter and fuse box that you can see between the door and window. And I also had a brief concern that the floor was collapsing in the corner on the right, but then I realised that the little wooden unit was just floating unevenly:
Here's the living room. That's the unit that the TV was standing on before I made the call to move it:
And here's another view, so you can see the angle of the fridge. That's my one and only Fetch hoodie on top of the upturned sofa. I jettisoned it when I got too warm from sprinting around with stuff. Too far away for me to reach, but hopefully safe from the water.
Right now, we're waiting for a call from the insurance assessors, who will come to check out what needs to be done, and inventory the contents, and it will all eventually get sorted. Aside from that, it's business as usual folks. No paywall. Ever.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Oh my goodness. You have a very practical response to crisis. This looks dreadful. Thoughts with you all.Oscar the Grouch12:01pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh goshEvilPixie
Glad you are all safe12:02pm, 23rd Oct 2023 -
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry this has happened to you. I’m glad you’re all safe ♥️Pikelet12:03pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Omg so sorry for you and your family, devastating.kev-eats-owt12:04pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Omg, it's always other people and never yourself or someone you know. My heart goes out to you.Fenland Flier12:04pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh my word. I can't imagine how that would feel, let alone being able to post about it! Hope the money wisely spent on insurance over the years gets things back up and running for you. Best wishes!!larkim12:06pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Ohh no, that's devasting, so sorry to read and see thisK5 Gus12:06pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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That water looks absolutely revolting. My heart feels for you. Hope the insurance people do you good.minardi12:07pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh no, that must have been and will continue to be very stressful. You appear to have dealt with this just about as well as you could.Bazoaxe
In our first winter in our house the water of leith flooded our local park and Murrayfield stadium was also under water. They have since then build flood defences, but I have always wondered. I have hoped we are far enough away and sufficiently uphill to be ok, but you never know. Water can be awful.
I hope you get dried out and the insurance sorts you out.12:08pm, 23rd Oct 2023 -
CRIKEY. The sort of adventure you don't need. Cool and sensible reactions from you - you did remarkably well don't you think? You makeit very real. Raffo was up at his Mum's in Worksop were there have been similar problems (not for the first time) Phew tha teveryone i safe and you saved the vitals. Oh and the Fetch hoodie wil still be there... sorry 'bout your favourite coat though.Sharkie12:09pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh heck! Glad you're all OK. Hope the insurance all gets sorted quickly and smoothly for you.RunnyBunny12:13pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Blimey! Something very similar happened at the back of us Friday afternoon. We got away with a flooded garden, greenhouse and shed. The poor buggers in the estate on the opposite bank of the brook got flooded out.Nicholls59512:18pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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I’m so sorry to read this. Obviously glad that you and t’boy are ok. Here’s hoping that the insurance and renovations run smoothly.Eynsham Red12:19pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Glad you're both safe. What a nightmare!Sigh12:22pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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So sorry to hear this 😢ThorntonRunner12:26pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh, that is horrible thing that's happened to many. I'm so glad we live on a hill. It not that everything can't be repaired and replaced, it's all the hassle and time it takes. Great attitude, stay lucky Mr W.Diogenes12:34pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh heck. I'm so sorry this happened hope insurance not too troublesome.1step2far12:38pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Blimey, that's awful. I'm glad you & the boy are OK.Battlecat12:42pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Really sorry to see this. It’s an inconvenience you don’t need and just upsetting to see things ruined. Thinking of you xCorrah12:45pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Glad you're OK but that's awful!Ness12:52pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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What an absolute nightmare for youMandymoo12:53pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Gosh! What a nightmare!Raemondo
Lucky indeed that you can stay somewhere else and had the time to rescue so many things.
It sounds like there's already a nice enough community in the street, hopefully folks will be able to help each other through, it must be very traumatic for everyone.1:02pm, 23rd Oct 2023 -
Sorry to hear this but glad you are all OK.westmoors1:03pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh gods. Just the thought of the water coming in makes me want to cry. I'm glad you're OK.RooA1:08pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Blimey, the colour of that water, ewww! As everyone else says, hope you get it all sorted with the minimum hassle possible under the circumstances.Sweetie1:14pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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So glad you’re all safe. Horrible thoughjennywren1:19pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Sorry to hear this but glad you're both safe!Stevewjj1:24pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Glad you are all okay but a terrible thing to happen to you. Just so powerless. But it’s only stuff and it’s replaceable. Will just be a bit of a chew sorting it all out. My heart goes out to everybody who was affected.Dave W1:27pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh my god. i'm so sorry. I hope it all sorts itself as well ass possible for you.Bowman 🇸🇪1:28pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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"as"Bowman 🇸🇪1:29pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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How awful. Glad you’re both OKlaterunner1:37pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Those pictures are so dramatic - thank heavens you are ok, and that you were able to salvage some of the stuff that matters. Hope the aftermath isn't too dreadful.Autumnleaves1:38pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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sorry see that Mr Fetch. what a nightmare. hope dries out soon and damage not too bad.Spanners991:44pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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You're more stoic than Stoic City v. Stoic City Reserves. I would be in pieces if that happened to our house. ;-(Fitz1:49pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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I'm sorry. We had a leaking roof. It does not compare. Well done for coping so well.Bright Strider1:50pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Goodness. Well done for making the decision to be downstairs and to keep checking. Well done for sorting all the stuff to get it upstairs. I'm really sorry it's happened to you, but you have your head in the right place about it. Hope that it's not too much of a drawn out process to get it all sorted.phal1:56pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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I'm impressed you left the boy to sleep ... that's great 'dadness' right there! Hope the insurance gets sorted quickly and that you aren't out of the house for too long.stilldreaming2:07pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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So glad that you’re both safe and that you are able to be so stoical about it. It must be a real shock to watch it all unfold like that. Hope the insurance and ongoing clear-up is straightforward for you all.Winniefree2:15pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Very glad you are safe. What a very practical reaction you had.McGoohan2:18pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Crivens! Glad you’re safe and sound.Angus Clydesdale2:26pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Wow that is incredible when you think long term neighbours have never seen it flood. Glad you were there to help your boy and to notify the neighbours. Gutted for everyone there I hope all and pets got to safety and it is resolved swiftly. Thinking of you all.geordiegirl2:39pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh my. Words fail me. I'm glad you got both out ok and unharmed, and it sounds like you rescued the good stuff. Hopefully everything else is "just" stuff.3M2:39pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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So glad you are both ok. Hope you can get is all sorted quickly.Jaks2:45pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Holy bananas. It's not fun going through something like that, but as you say the insurance will sort it out eventually, and you have somewhere else you can stay safe while it's being fixed.Chicken 🐔 Legs
Reminds me of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 in Grand Cayman, except we had the cars floating & being blown down the road.
Wash everything, as that water has a lot of nasty stuff in it. The sewers also flood.3:04pm, 23rd Oct 2023 -
Devastating.D23:26pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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HorribleRosehip
Was a good call to sleep downstairs and especiwell done for phoning your neighbours. I can’t believe The Boy slept through that!3:48pm, 23rd Oct 2023 -
That is truly awful and must have been surreal. Hope things move quickly for you to get back home.Solo3:53pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Crikey Ian, it’s alarming how quickly the water flooded your house, seems like you kept calm in difficult circumstances, hope the insurance companies pay out quickly so you can restore order. Shame about your jacket but things could have been so much worse.Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)3:56pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Glad you are OK. It's amazing how quickly it can rise isn't it? My sister had a flood in her house, from the river, it was a little higher in her house, but not much. I think it was about 6 months before she could move back in after everything had been done. Hope it's quicker now, this was 2000/2001.Pinks4:00pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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How awful for you. Hope the claim is settled soon, and you can get things sorted and comfortable againforest plodder4:30pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Blimey! Glad that you and the boy are safe and wellstuart little4:35pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Your claim handler was a script following cretin, sorry you wasted that money on an enginerichmac4:50pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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So glad everyone is safe. Hugs .HellsBells4:51pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Jeepers Fetch I'm really sorry to see those pictures of your house. I hope the insurers move swiftly and it doesn't become a long-drawn out stress. At least you are both safe, that's the important thing.LazyDaisy4:52pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh my. Horrendous. Glad you are all safe. Hope the hoodie survived.TeeBee5:12pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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What a blog! Glad you’re both OK; what a hassle it’s going to be to sort all this out.♪♫ Synge ♪♫6:07pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Wowroberton
Also amazed how quickly this happened.
Love your calm reaction, you did all the right things there 🤩
Best of luck for you and everyone else in the coming days/weeks/months.6:09pm, 23rd Oct 2023 -
Wow, that was pretty chilling to read, glad you kept your head & did everything sensibly! All the best for getting it sorted xxxxcompartmental6:53pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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On no I am so sorry to read this and see the pictures. I hope you can get it sorted soon.Looby Loo6:55pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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That looks scary , glad you are all safe thoughJen HB7:37pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh my, that’s terrible. So glad you’re all safe, and I hope the insurers get things moving quickly so you can start to sort it all out.Cats Whiskers7:43pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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God, I'm so sorry. Glad you are both OK. You are so calm and practical. I'm sure that's the right way xxLindsD8:11pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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This is so awful for everyone involved. I hope the clean up doesn't take too long.Pegg8:24pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Aside from trying to mop it up that’s a very level-headed and sensible approach. Glad you are both safe and have options. Sorry about the car too, after all the hassle you had getting it to work again…!cathrobinson8:37pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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That's horrible, I'm sorry that happened to you xxfleecy8:39pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh my. What a mess. Glad you are safe and have kept a level head.DocM8:46pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Holy that's dramatic. Glad you and the boy are ok. I think not going swimming was a wise choice.Dvorak8:59pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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oh dear!Seratonin9:19pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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Oh my gosh, that sounds terrifying. All your floors and stuff. I know it's only stuff, you and the Boy are safe, but what a pain in the rear.cackleberry9:43pm, 23rd Oct 2023
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That is so awful but glad you are all safe and well.Welshpoppy5:36am, 24th Oct 2023
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That’s really really awful but I’m glad you’re ok and you saved the tv and games console 🤦🏽♀️ .runnerbean6:48am, 24th Oct 2023
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Oh Ian - so sorry you've been through this. I know something of the creeping horror of flooding, the way you try to shore up the doorways only to find it seeping through up from below the floor, and the desperate rush to identify and save what can't be replaced, and the unreality of it all. Thank God that you managed to save the things that really matter to you and the boy, and that you have somewhere to live over the coming weeks and months (it takes a long time to dry out...) Good luck with all the hideous admin, it WILL all be sorted and you get to have the house redecorated and refurnished once it's all dried out which is quite fun!Iron_Mum7:51am, 24th Oct 2023
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Mi dispiace di quanto hai dovuto subire, ma vedo che hai una grande forza e sai prendere le cose negative e renderle non dico positive ma un modello di insegnamento.... vedrai che ci saranno giorni migliori a questo e io te lo auguro. Un saluto a te alla famiglia e a tutti coloro li vicino che hanno subito tale scempio..... passerà.ZORBAX658:05am, 24th Oct 2023
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I reckon you did well there. I am sure I would have run around like a headless chicken. Mainly because we don't have a mop!Ocelot Spleens8:55am, 24th Oct 2023
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Best wishes for drying out and sorting out. Glad you're as ok as you can be.GetOutTheDoor
Yay for saving some treasure as the water level rose.9:51am, 24th Oct 2023 -
Oh my! I’m glad you’re safe and have suitable alternative accommodation. Well done for keeping your head and moving what you could.TheScribbler10:14am, 24th Oct 2023
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OMG! Thank goodness you're both safe. Sounds like you handled the situation as well as you possibly could. Hope the clear up and claiming processes aren't too drawn out or hassled.clare197610:35am, 24th Oct 2023
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Oh crap! I hope the insurance journey is smooth and quick.Carpathius10:46am, 24th Oct 2023
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Gawd, looks a right mess. Looking at the colour of that water you made the right call not going for lengths of the street tho. Glad everyone is safe.bigleggy11:29am, 24th Oct 2023
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That looks horrendous - am impressed at all the photos you managed to take and the coherence of your blog post. I'm glad you're safe and hope things can get sorted out with as few issues as possibleIdristheDragon12:31pm, 24th Oct 2023
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Oh dear god that's awful, I'm so sorry this has happened but glad everyone is safe and that you aren't homeless. I keep seeing images like this on the news and it's heartbreakingRunningbauble212:11pm, 24th Oct 2023
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Wow! Glad you are safeMeeps2:14pm, 24th Oct 2023
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Over the years we've become used to seeing scenes like this on the news, but this is the first time it's happened to someone I know. I'm glad it wasn't as bad as it could've been and that you're all safe. Hopefully, this was a one-off freak event. Not sure how I would have coped in the same situation!Blister3:03pm, 24th Oct 2023
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Sorry mate. All the best.Windsor Wool4:26pm, 24th Oct 2023
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Arrrgh, I'm glad you were able to salvage some things before the water arrived. I hope things are sorted out for you soon.Garfield8:00pm, 24th Oct 2023
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In my line of work I know the absolute devastation that flooding causes.Eawoman45
Fingers crossed the clean up can start soon and repairs can begin. 🤞🏻8:10pm, 24th Oct 2023 -
oh no, how awful, what a shock, I’m so glad you and your boy are safe xx.B.9:56pm, 24th Oct 2023
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Yikes, scary stuff!Pothunter11:15pm, 24th Oct 2023
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Oh it must be so horrible and now the mess to deal withsmallclanger10:56am, 25th Oct 2023
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Oh no, what a horrible thing to happen.alpenrose8:22pm, 25th Oct 2023
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Words fail me. You seemed to be rational and calm in the face of adversity. Not sure I'd be able to do that.JCB4:23pm, 26th Oct 2023
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Wow! Goodness. Glad you are well.2triornot2tri6:21pm, 26th Oct 2023
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Oh. My. God. Mark had said stapleford was under water. Blimey. That looks terrible. So sorry !runningmumof3boys8:08am, 5th Nov 2023
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BlimeySerendippily2:50pm, 5th Nov 2023
We're trying to figure out which among you have lofty aspirations of continuing the challenge past 24 hours. It'll be important to know, so I can ensure that I'm conscious and supportive of you for long enough. I don't mind what your answers are, but please offer a realistic estimate.
Some other things:
1) we're looking at 1 mile, 2 mile, 5k and 4.1666667 options, to cater for all abilities. You can start off doing the longest distance, and drop down to a shorter distance at any point. Obviously you can't go up in distance.
2) people can start as soon as they like on the day, with a cut-off start time of midday. Aside from those who start at dawn, I'm expecting that most will start at midday. Obviously if you start earlier, you can build up a 'lead', but you'll stop at some point, whereas others may not.
Right, here's a poll asking for your estimates on how long you'll keep going for:
Some other things:
1) we're looking at 1 mile, 2 mile, 5k and 4.1666667 options, to cater for all abilities. You can start off doing the longest distance, and drop down to a shorter distance at any point. Obviously you can't go up in distance.
2) people can start as soon as they like on the day, with a cut-off start time of midday. Aside from those who start at dawn, I'm expecting that most will start at midday. Obviously if you start earlier, you can build up a 'lead', but you'll stop at some point, whereas others may not.
Right, here's a poll asking for your estimates on how long you'll keep going for:
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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And this is for virtual ones as well right?Bowman 🇸🇪11:50am, 18th Oct 2023
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Yes.fetcheveryone11:51am, 18th Oct 2023
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Although there are rumours of get-togethers, and that would be very lovely, assume they're all virtual for now.fetcheveryone11:52am, 18th Oct 2023
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Ok!Bowman 🇸🇪12:04pm, 18th Oct 2023
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Am going to give this some thought and decide after my holibobs.Ness12:12pm, 18th Oct 2023
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Is it likely to be the last option Ness?fetcheveryone12:17pm, 18th Oct 2023
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😂🤣😂Ness12:25pm, 18th Oct 2023
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My plan is to stick with the full distance, and as such i'm unlikely to make it pat (or to) 12 hours. As such, that's my vote.ptr_runner12:28pm, 18th Oct 2023
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I have voted for the hours I am *hoping* to keep going.Fitz
Hope > expectation!12:49pm, 18th Oct 2023 -
I wish I was fit enough to even consider playing along with this insanity. But if there's a Fetch-fest nearby then I might have to hang out and watch the madness unfoldJamieKai *chameleon*7:37pm, 18th Oct 2023
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This has a whiff of 'How long is a piece of string?'Oranj7:55pm, 18th Oct 2023
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Why can't we go up in distance for later laps?Jen HB8:26pm, 18th Oct 2023
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@JenHB I If you've ever watched a Backyard Ultra unfold, I can assure you that the last thing on anyone's mind is 'I know, let's run a bit further this lap'.Oranj
There is a race format like called 'Last Man Standing' or some such. You get 1 minute less to complete each lap. At around the 5 minute km pace it rapidly ends.9:23pm, 18th Oct 2023 -
It’s a difficult one, I’d like to try for longer than 12 but just not sure how long I’ll last!jelly9:47pm, 18th Oct 2023
There is now a thread:
fetcheveryone.com/forum/f-laps-2024-62820/
Please watch it if you're interested (I've taken the liberty of sticking it in the watch list of everyone who commented on my blog about it).
And a poll so you can vote for which month of 2024 you'd like this to happen:
fetcheveryone.com/forum/f-laps-2024-62820/
Please watch it if you're interested (I've taken the liberty of sticking it in the watch list of everyone who commented on my blog about it).
And a poll so you can vote for which month of 2024 you'd like this to happen:
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Lol at inevitable Fetchland naming of a serious athletic endeavour with a slightly rude name! GHappyG(rrr)11:41am, 17th Oct 2023
Thanks for all the encouraging comments on Thursday's blog. I think we have enough interest to make something happen, if we can get the date right. I also spoke to Katie about it, and we thought it might work to have our house as a venue for a local pod of F'laps runners. I think we'd have to be very careful about numbers though, as we don't want to upset our neighbours! Hopefully if people are keen to get involved in other parts of the country (and it sounds like there are), we could see multiple get-togethers happening simultaneously.
I will try to (a) fix a date; and (b) put together the code so we can have a short test event to iron out any wrinkles.
Quite a lot of you asked about alternate distances - I thought I'd covered that already. But yes, there's no reason we can't do a shorter distance version. And if I code it right, you could start off on the full 4.1666667 version, and drop down to the 5k or one mile version at any point during the challenge.
I found a great video by a Youtuber called Beau Miles - he did a marathon by running at least one mile per hour for a day. And in between the running, he tries to be as productive as he possibly can. It's amazing. Have a look here:
I had a good run on Saturday morning. We had plans to meet up with friends for cake by the river (and a dip, if the water was behaving itself) in Newton Blossomville - a little village about six miles west of us. And Katie was up early for swim coaching - so I had plenty of time to do a longer run.
I'd done my two previous longer runs (HM distance) without fuel or water on the route. I tend to cope ok at HM distance, but on one run I was conscious of thirst for the last 3-4 miles, and after the other, my calves were both a bit shot. And as I wanted to run a bit further, I made a plan to tackle my fuelling. The day before I hid a bottle of Lucozade behind a tree about 4.5 miles into my route; and I bought some Swizzel's Squashies from the shop. I ate quite a lot of these the day before the run, but saved just enough that I could treat myself to one every two miles. This is a tactic that Katie taught me, and it's worked great in the past. As well as a little sugar boost, it helps break a longer run into smaller milestones. I counted out as many as I needed, wrapped them in a little bit of clingfilm and shoved them in my pocket.
I was a bit worried about how cold it was, and how my hands would cope with holding a cold bottle of drink. But I had to do 4.5 miles first. The route I'd planned takes in an early mile on the A428. It's far from the most pleasant place to run, but I relied on the traffic being fairly light - and it proved to be so. My legs must have known what my intentions were for the run, because they settled into a nice easy pace that rarely changed for the rest of the run.
Once off the A road, things were peachy. Over the next 3.4 miles, I encountered precisely one vehicle and one cyclist. The rest was just birds and fields and a beautiful morning. I picked up my Lucozade, and initially had some big glugs, thinking I might not want to hold it for too long. But it didn't feel too cumbersome, so I stopped chugging and focused on my running. I know it might offend people to say that roads are my favourite surface - but the consistency underfoot really helps me get into that flow state. It felt lovely.
Into and out of Newton Blossomville. We nearly managed to buy a house here when we moved last year, but got stiffed by a rude estate agent. It was a doer-upper, with lovely views over the valley, and a little walk down to the river. But anyway... let's put that aside for now. I also managed to take a pic of my favourite pair of footpath signs:
The glare of the sun on a wet road was a bit troublesome until I got to Turvey (I can't think of that place without thinking of Rik Mayall), and I ran past another house that we looked at. This one was still for sale, and with good reason - it would have needed loads of work! From there, another lovely flowy set of roads to Carlton (and past another two houses that we looked at). The Squashies were going down nicely, and I'd follow each one with a glug from my bottle. My legs felt good, the day felt good, and I was making excellent time for the cake rendezvous.
From Carlton I ran onto Harrold. It's a small town with a nice cricket pitch, and a quaint high street. Psychologically, the turn into Harrold felt like I'd broken the back of my run, and I felt pretty confident. But there was a reasonably sharp hill to contend with on its far side, and I knew I had one more incline to deal with. So mile 14 and 15 were a bit of a grind, as my HR trace shows. But although I felt a bit tired, I also felt strong - and knew that I'd come far enough to be able to do the rest. It was still a joy to see the signs for Lavendon though, as I knew I was nearly there.
Once at Lavendon, I was onto the A428, which I've driven along quite a few times. Thankfully it was about as quiet as it ever is, because there's a diversion in place at the next village. It feels as though there are so many road closures in Bedfordshire at the moment - I am seriously wondering if they are attempting to wall us in.
I spot the church on my right - I almost ran past it. And I give a little victory yell, because I know I've just hit 17 miles, and I promised myself that I could walk the last half a mile if I needed to. But my legs were happy to keep going, and for the first time in nearly three hours I found myself off-road, and getting my feet soaked in the long grass as I picked my way across the fields to the river bridge. Job done, and cake ahead! I was about five minutes early for the arranged meeting time, so I didn't have long to wait to get hold of my warm clothes, and then a peaceful sit down on a camping chair in a field, surrounded by cake!
Here's my run if you want a closer look:
fetcheveryone.com/t-22351998
It's my longest run since I did Abingdon Marathon in 2018. I managed to get out for another 10k run yesterday morning, and my legs feel pretty good. A bit heavy, yes - but not damaged. I've no plans to do another marathon just now, but over the last month or so I've enjoyed seeing what my endurance is like. I *feel* like I've had a bit of a mindset change since the Big Welsh Swim. The knowledge that I can go a bit further is intriguing.
Incidentally, if you're still here, I wanted to point you at a small addition to the training log. In the header of your runs, you'll see a percentage score titled 'Pacing'. If you run at a perfectly consistent pace from start to finish of your run, you get 100%. If your splits are all over the place, or if you have loads of stops, or stuff like that, you'll get a low score. But I figured it operates as a handy quick assessment for your longer runs, to help give you the incentive to keep a consistent pace.
Have an A1 day!
I will try to (a) fix a date; and (b) put together the code so we can have a short test event to iron out any wrinkles.
Quite a lot of you asked about alternate distances - I thought I'd covered that already. But yes, there's no reason we can't do a shorter distance version. And if I code it right, you could start off on the full 4.1666667 version, and drop down to the 5k or one mile version at any point during the challenge.
I found a great video by a Youtuber called Beau Miles - he did a marathon by running at least one mile per hour for a day. And in between the running, he tries to be as productive as he possibly can. It's amazing. Have a look here:
I had a good run on Saturday morning. We had plans to meet up with friends for cake by the river (and a dip, if the water was behaving itself) in Newton Blossomville - a little village about six miles west of us. And Katie was up early for swim coaching - so I had plenty of time to do a longer run.
I'd done my two previous longer runs (HM distance) without fuel or water on the route. I tend to cope ok at HM distance, but on one run I was conscious of thirst for the last 3-4 miles, and after the other, my calves were both a bit shot. And as I wanted to run a bit further, I made a plan to tackle my fuelling. The day before I hid a bottle of Lucozade behind a tree about 4.5 miles into my route; and I bought some Swizzel's Squashies from the shop. I ate quite a lot of these the day before the run, but saved just enough that I could treat myself to one every two miles. This is a tactic that Katie taught me, and it's worked great in the past. As well as a little sugar boost, it helps break a longer run into smaller milestones. I counted out as many as I needed, wrapped them in a little bit of clingfilm and shoved them in my pocket.
I was a bit worried about how cold it was, and how my hands would cope with holding a cold bottle of drink. But I had to do 4.5 miles first. The route I'd planned takes in an early mile on the A428. It's far from the most pleasant place to run, but I relied on the traffic being fairly light - and it proved to be so. My legs must have known what my intentions were for the run, because they settled into a nice easy pace that rarely changed for the rest of the run.
Once off the A road, things were peachy. Over the next 3.4 miles, I encountered precisely one vehicle and one cyclist. The rest was just birds and fields and a beautiful morning. I picked up my Lucozade, and initially had some big glugs, thinking I might not want to hold it for too long. But it didn't feel too cumbersome, so I stopped chugging and focused on my running. I know it might offend people to say that roads are my favourite surface - but the consistency underfoot really helps me get into that flow state. It felt lovely.
Into and out of Newton Blossomville. We nearly managed to buy a house here when we moved last year, but got stiffed by a rude estate agent. It was a doer-upper, with lovely views over the valley, and a little walk down to the river. But anyway... let's put that aside for now. I also managed to take a pic of my favourite pair of footpath signs:
The glare of the sun on a wet road was a bit troublesome until I got to Turvey (I can't think of that place without thinking of Rik Mayall), and I ran past another house that we looked at. This one was still for sale, and with good reason - it would have needed loads of work! From there, another lovely flowy set of roads to Carlton (and past another two houses that we looked at). The Squashies were going down nicely, and I'd follow each one with a glug from my bottle. My legs felt good, the day felt good, and I was making excellent time for the cake rendezvous.
From Carlton I ran onto Harrold. It's a small town with a nice cricket pitch, and a quaint high street. Psychologically, the turn into Harrold felt like I'd broken the back of my run, and I felt pretty confident. But there was a reasonably sharp hill to contend with on its far side, and I knew I had one more incline to deal with. So mile 14 and 15 were a bit of a grind, as my HR trace shows. But although I felt a bit tired, I also felt strong - and knew that I'd come far enough to be able to do the rest. It was still a joy to see the signs for Lavendon though, as I knew I was nearly there.
Once at Lavendon, I was onto the A428, which I've driven along quite a few times. Thankfully it was about as quiet as it ever is, because there's a diversion in place at the next village. It feels as though there are so many road closures in Bedfordshire at the moment - I am seriously wondering if they are attempting to wall us in.
I spot the church on my right - I almost ran past it. And I give a little victory yell, because I know I've just hit 17 miles, and I promised myself that I could walk the last half a mile if I needed to. But my legs were happy to keep going, and for the first time in nearly three hours I found myself off-road, and getting my feet soaked in the long grass as I picked my way across the fields to the river bridge. Job done, and cake ahead! I was about five minutes early for the arranged meeting time, so I didn't have long to wait to get hold of my warm clothes, and then a peaceful sit down on a camping chair in a field, surrounded by cake!
Here's my run if you want a closer look:
fetcheveryone.com/t-22351998
It's my longest run since I did Abingdon Marathon in 2018. I managed to get out for another 10k run yesterday morning, and my legs feel pretty good. A bit heavy, yes - but not damaged. I've no plans to do another marathon just now, but over the last month or so I've enjoyed seeing what my endurance is like. I *feel* like I've had a bit of a mindset change since the Big Welsh Swim. The knowledge that I can go a bit further is intriguing.
Incidentally, if you're still here, I wanted to point you at a small addition to the training log. In the header of your runs, you'll see a percentage score titled 'Pacing'. If you run at a perfectly consistent pace from start to finish of your run, you get 100%. If your splits are all over the place, or if you have loads of stops, or stuff like that, you'll get a low score. But I figured it operates as a handy quick assessment for your longer runs, to help give you the incentive to keep a consistent pace.
Have an A1 day!
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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That all sounds wonderful. Well done on the run.LindsD3:40pm, 16th Oct 2023
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What score did you get. From your verbal description I reckon 80% plus? Well done on long run, and interesting fuelling strategy! GHappyG(rrr)3:51pm, 16th Oct 2023
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Great runningCorrah3:51pm, 16th Oct 2023
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@HappyG - I got 95%. I looked back at some of my long runs for previous marathons, and didn't get anything as high - so I guess my pacing has got a bit better.fetcheveryone3:56pm, 16th Oct 2023
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Super job. I agree about roads and getting into flow (for me). I can switch off. Also, really like the pacing feature. *goes off to check latest score*Oscar the Grouch
Finally, I did a 4.3 mile loop iirc for a club thing last year, so I can put up a route near Taunton from a public park if people want it.3:59pm, 16th Oct 2023 -
I was wondering about the pacing part - am glad it is a new feature and not just that I’d missed it!IdristheDragon4:15pm, 16th Oct 2023
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Well doneVelociraptor4:21pm, 16th Oct 2023
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Nice run Great work with the recent training log tweaksRosehip
I sense a temptation for something a little longer than a marathon…..4:28pm, 16th Oct 2023 -
Well done! Nice tool on the pace, too.3M5:25pm, 16th Oct 2023
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Well run Newton Blossomville - could that be any more twee?Dvorak6:59pm, 16th Oct 2023
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That Beau video is ace - a lockdown classic. Have you seen the run in a straight line one he did too?2triornot2tri8:04pm, 16th Oct 2023
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I love the idea of litter picking while you do your lapElsie Too10:44am, 17th Oct 2023
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And gorilla gardening each lap tooElsie Too10:46am, 17th Oct 2023
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Maybe check with the gorilla firstfetcheveryone10:52am, 17th Oct 2023
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I hope you checked the seal on that bottle of Lucozade before you started chugging it!Fitz11:28am, 17th Oct 2023
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No ill effects so farfetcheveryone11:29am, 17th Oct 2023
lots of lovely comments on my previous blog... and sounds like it could go places. But we still need a name for it Answers on a postcard (or in the comments) please
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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LFS - Last Fetchie StandingK5 Gus2:34pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Four point oneathonOscar the Grouch2:39pm, 12th Oct 2023
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FetchYardCumbriAndy2:55pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Fetchathon.Fenland Flier2:59pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Never Decreasing Circles.Musashi3:04pm, 12th Oct 2023
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^ 👍fetcheveryone3:07pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Fetchlaps. No. That sounds rude.LindsD3:21pm, 12th Oct 2023
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You're thinking of F'lapsfetcheveryone3:22pm, 12th Oct 2023
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3:25pm, 12th Oct 2023
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PaulineJoopsy3:32pm, 12th Oct 2023
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It needs a twenty or an XX in it, surely? (It was twenty years ago today, Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play.)♪♫ Synge ♪♫3:42pm, 12th Oct 2023
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XX F'laps?fetcheveryone3:49pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Disappointingly that ^^ brings up fairly large car mudflaps on Google ...um
But you have a choice of image for the shirt!3:57pm, 12th Oct 2023 -
Fetchie Loops or F’loops?HellsBells4:30pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Combining CumrianAndy's and Synge's, gives FetchYard XX, or FYXX, and given most of us are hooked on running and need our daily "fix" then seems appropriateK5 Gus4:33pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Fetch Anniversary Twenty Yards (FATY)Chicken 🐔 Legs5:32pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Whatever you call it it’s going to have to be colloquially known as F’laps, shurely?!Angus Clydesdale6:16pm, 12th Oct 2023
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It's already known as F'laps, surely?BareHeadEm7:29pm, 12th Oct 2023
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LindsD
8:36pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Fetch Anniversary Running Trial.JustCommando!9:05pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I’m up for it depending on when?UltraDunc9:31pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Can't wait to wear a shirt with FLAPS emblazoned on itDocM10:03pm, 12th Oct 2023
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These gave me a right chuckle. Am too busy doing that to come up with a decent suggestion 🤣Corrah6:52am, 13th Oct 2023
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“For FEXX sake, just one more!”♪♫ Synge ♪♫7:52am, 13th Oct 2023
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"What the Fetch are we doing"Spanners9911:41am, 13th Oct 2023
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Surely the winning entry could be made into some merch Mr FetchSpanners9911:42am, 13th Oct 2023
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Fetch Anniversary Backyard.Nightjar2:31pm, 13th Oct 2023
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Anything where yiu go round and round should be called Ring of Fire.Ocelot Spleens7:50pm, 13th Oct 2023
Last month I mentioned that September 2024 will be the 20th anniversary of Fetcheveryone. And I alluded to the idea of organising some sort of get together. That's still on the cards - although I don't know quite what or where yet.
I did have an idea for a virtual event that could be a fun way to bring the community together - either as participants or onlookers. Full disclosure: I've been watching some Youtube videos about Lazarus Lake recently. If you don't know who he is, here's a good one to start with - it's one of his 'Backyard Ultras':
If you don't have time to watch that, the essence of a Backyard Ultra is that all the competitors run a 4.166667* mile lap at (say) midday. You must complete the lap within the hour, and be ready to start again at 1pm. Then again at 2pm, 3pm, etc. As the event progresses, the competitors start to drop out - but the event continues until there's just one person standing - and that person is the winner.
(*24 hours = 100 miles)
The general rules are that you don't get any support whilst out on the route, so your recovery and whatever else you need to do (kit changes, recharging devices, repairs, fuelling, sleeping, pooing, praying, pleading, taking the kids to school etc) must happen in the spare time once you've completed the lap.
Now in theory, we could rock up to one - there are a few dozen across the UK in 2024:
backyardultra.com
But I thought it could be fun to organise a virtual one. NB I've found several other events that use the same real-world format, but are not affiliated to Backyard Ultras - so I figure we're ok to do what we want, so long as we call it something else.
How would that work?
It'd have to be based on GPS data, plus perhaps some photographic evidence to make it a better spectator sport. If you were competing, your GPS file would need to show:
1) a start time for each lap within say 30 seconds of the start of the hour.
2) a finish time before the end of the hour.
3) cover at least the appropriate total distance.
4) be uploaded within say 10 minutes of the end of the hour.
It would be up to you to accumulate the distance via any lap of your choice, so you could vary your route each time if you wished, or keep the same lap. You could do it solo, or you could set up a race HQ with your local Fetchies.
And as for 'appropriate distance' - here we have more flexibility. You could aim for the full 4.166667 mile loop. Or there could be a cut-down version e.g. 5k each hour, or one mile each hour. And summer would be the best time of year, to maximise the daylight.
I could write code that would pull together the training entries and lap photos for all of the competitors, so as a spectator, you could watch the number of competitors erode until the last person standing in each distance category is crowned the winner. All we'd need is a date and a start time.
It'd obviously need to come with a health warning about doing it entirely at your own risk. There'd be no medical cover. You'd obviously need to be prepared to do a lot of running/walking. You'd probably need someone to mop your brow after each lap. If you want to be competitive, you might have to be prepared to run at night. It'll probably hurt a lot.
Would you be up for it? Or is this just "nice in principle, but nah mate". What do you think?
I did have an idea for a virtual event that could be a fun way to bring the community together - either as participants or onlookers. Full disclosure: I've been watching some Youtube videos about Lazarus Lake recently. If you don't know who he is, here's a good one to start with - it's one of his 'Backyard Ultras':
If you don't have time to watch that, the essence of a Backyard Ultra is that all the competitors run a 4.166667* mile lap at (say) midday. You must complete the lap within the hour, and be ready to start again at 1pm. Then again at 2pm, 3pm, etc. As the event progresses, the competitors start to drop out - but the event continues until there's just one person standing - and that person is the winner.
(*24 hours = 100 miles)
The general rules are that you don't get any support whilst out on the route, so your recovery and whatever else you need to do (kit changes, recharging devices, repairs, fuelling, sleeping, pooing, praying, pleading, taking the kids to school etc) must happen in the spare time once you've completed the lap.
Now in theory, we could rock up to one - there are a few dozen across the UK in 2024:
backyardultra.com
But I thought it could be fun to organise a virtual one. NB I've found several other events that use the same real-world format, but are not affiliated to Backyard Ultras - so I figure we're ok to do what we want, so long as we call it something else.
How would that work?
It'd have to be based on GPS data, plus perhaps some photographic evidence to make it a better spectator sport. If you were competing, your GPS file would need to show:
1) a start time for each lap within say 30 seconds of the start of the hour.
2) a finish time before the end of the hour.
3) cover at least the appropriate total distance.
4) be uploaded within say 10 minutes of the end of the hour.
It would be up to you to accumulate the distance via any lap of your choice, so you could vary your route each time if you wished, or keep the same lap. You could do it solo, or you could set up a race HQ with your local Fetchies.
And as for 'appropriate distance' - here we have more flexibility. You could aim for the full 4.166667 mile loop. Or there could be a cut-down version e.g. 5k each hour, or one mile each hour. And summer would be the best time of year, to maximise the daylight.
I could write code that would pull together the training entries and lap photos for all of the competitors, so as a spectator, you could watch the number of competitors erode until the last person standing in each distance category is crowned the winner. All we'd need is a date and a start time.
It'd obviously need to come with a health warning about doing it entirely at your own risk. There'd be no medical cover. You'd obviously need to be prepared to do a lot of running/walking. You'd probably need someone to mop your brow after each lap. If you want to be competitive, you might have to be prepared to run at night. It'll probably hurt a lot.
Would you be up for it? Or is this just "nice in principle, but nah mate". What do you think?
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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OMG defo up for itSpanners9910:43am, 12th Oct 2023
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Absolutely definitely in👍👍👍Chicken 🐔 Legs
Did Laz' virtual during lockdown around our parish boundary. 4.45 miles, but a little extra won't hurt, right ? (it did).10:48am, 12th Oct 2023 -
love this idea. My requirement would be needing to know the date waaaaaay in advance so I can set it aside and say naff off to anyone else who wants me that day!DocM10:52am, 12th Oct 2023
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That's just an evil idea.um
Could you (or the code) consider making it a bit more open and cumulative, eg 'need to be ahead of the 4.166... hourly level, but you could allow laps or cumulative effort to +10 or +20% (or so) combined to build up? So all your running counts.
Or is that too complex ?
Is there anywhere central, somewhere like Bedford we could turn up and do it en masse?
And space for those who may just want to do a few hours and then a bit more of a social vs those fools (sorry ultra runners) who plan the full 24 hour.10:59am, 12th Oct 2023 -
Not just Bedford, various 'geographic' centres where like minded people could meet up for it.um11:00am, 12th Oct 2023
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@um - hopefully something like that will happen organically - even if it's just a handful of Fetchies attempting it from someone's house. Let's see how much interest there is first.fetcheveryone11:03am, 12th Oct 2023
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Oooh. That sounds more interesting than it should. Especially since I've never run further than 26 miles.theOtherRichard
Depending on whether it is going to be a competitive event or a "I did that" sort of thing, it could include even more Fetchies if it were to allow some sort of tag-team element (teams of 2, 3, 4)?11:05am, 12th Oct 2023 -
I'd give it a go, but that .166667 would be a bugger to work out. Could we have an easier 4 mile and then if anyone really wanted to do 100 miles within the 24 hours they could tag it on to one or more of their own laps?minardi11:14am, 12th Oct 2023
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You could just do 4.2fetcheveryone11:17am, 12th Oct 2023
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I'm a maybe. Hate laps! but I find Backyard Ultras quite intriguing.cackleberry
My estate is a bit dodgey at night so might have to move house for a weekend.11:23am, 12th Oct 2023 -
Im in!Bowman 🇸🇪11:31am, 12th Oct 2023
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Possibly, already got some ultras pencilled in for next year, so would very much depend on timingK5 Gus11:32am, 12th Oct 2023
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There is absolutely, definitely, categorically no way I'm doing this. But if I did... In terms of a spectator sport - wouldn't that require the runners to upload each lap as a separate file rather than pause their watch after every lap? So a bit more faff to squeeze into every hour.Fitz11:32am, 12th Oct 2023
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It would require a stop and restart, yes - otherwise there'd be no knowing who had completed the lap and who had not. Perhaps we'd round it down to 4 miles then to make allowancesfetcheveryone
@cackleberry - you could do a different route each time - and there's nothing that says the start and finish have to be in the same place. Your support crew could follow you around11:36am, 12th Oct 2023 -
Sounds terrifying! A cut-down version of a mile or two per hour might get me more on board with it. Could there be several different distance options, e.g. 30, 50 and 100?Funky Chicken11:36am, 12th Oct 2023
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That's a definite maybe! (And Bedford is.in thr deep south, BTW!)3M11:37am, 12th Oct 2023
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FC - you can drop out whenever you wanted - so the total distance you accumulate is up to you, and as I've said, the amount per lap could be from a choice of e.g. mile, 5k, 4 miles.fetcheveryone11:38am, 12th Oct 2023
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If I could do a mile each hour I'd give it a go! MaltDrinker might be up for a longer distance though.DoricQuine11:44am, 12th Oct 2023
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Date (due to other event commitments) dependent but, in principle - yes please - great ideaCumbriAndy11:57am, 12th Oct 2023
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I'm of DoricQuine's mind...a mile each hour.Garfield12:05pm, 12th Oct 2023
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YES! YES! YES! Shorter distance each hour, please. 5k seems OK.LindsD12:23pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Up to 16 interested parties now (including me) That's a good start.fetcheveryone12:26pm, 12th Oct 2023
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definitely interestedJenni-far-far12:32pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I'd have to do a shorter distance - 2 miles per lap? - but it sounds fun. Summertime, obvs, and as with Doc M, a lot of notice required please.LazyDaisy12:54pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Yep, pending a date, i'm in.ptr_runner1:12pm, 12th Oct 2023
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5k loops would be good, 4.2 miles each hour would require sone training- but long been intrigued by theseRosehip1:26pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Just had a look at the website, think the description for the Manchester one may raise a few eyebrows!!!Snoot
backyardultra.com1:30pm, 12th Oct 2023 -
Actually- a metric version of 4.whatever a mile would give me my 100k or 60 (and a bit)miles for my 60th that I’ve been thinking about…Rosehip1:31pm, 12th Oct 2023
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A team relay version?Velociraptor
I'll play for a while and then support or spectate.1:42pm, 12th Oct 2023 -
Sounds good. You could do a 2.1 loop and call it a half-backyard for those not up to the full. However, do i want to spend all day doing a virtual event? Not really. Would perhaps need low key organised events across the country.with promise of drinks after (or during).Nightjar1:43pm, 12th Oct 2023
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If only you lived somewhere near us Nightjar.fetcheveryone1:53pm, 12th Oct 2023
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During lockdown Quarantine Backyard Ultra(s) was essentially this. People all over the world, set up laptops/cameras at their base (front door/garage/garden etc) and were all joined in massive Zoom meetings so you could see everyone coming in, faffing and going out again on the hour. It was amazing.StuH1:56pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I am definitely interested... Would it have to be a start at a specific time or could it be start at anytime within the hour, finish within the hour?CBN2:13pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Sounds like a challenge. I am very tempted. Shame about time zones and southern hemisphere complications.JCB2:18pm, 12th Oct 2023
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CumbriAndy - check out ultrarunninghistory.com 1000 miles in 1000 hours2triornot2tri3:08pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I'd definitely be interested. I did the Suffolk one for 10 or so laps a few years ago and it is much harder than it seems. Would be interesting in joining a Bedford based group.Lizzle3:21pm, 12th Oct 2023
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It’s a yes from me!jelly3:40pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Sounds like fun.B.3:40pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I'd be very much up for this!sparklecloud5:47pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I'm intrigued.Bintmcskint
Is the idea to be like a true backyard ultra and keep going until there is only one person left? Thus it could potentially go on for more than 24 hours if folk are still going beyond 100 miles.5:49pm, 12th Oct 2023 -
Indeed it could.fetcheveryone6:06pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Bintmcskint
6:35pm, 12th Oct 2023
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There was a 24 hour race a Wimpole with a 5 mile loop where they reduced the time available to finish by a minute every hour. You started on the hour. Winner was the last one standing if it got down to one, or the first one over the line on the 24th lap.RichHL8:12pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I’ve been contemplating doing a diy one for awhile I have my route of 4.16666 which is out and back and used it last year for a 4x4x48 Goggins challenge.UltraDunc9:29pm, 12th Oct 2023
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I did the Phoenix P24 in 2029 which was 1 mile, on the hour, every hour for 24 hrs. It was harder than it sounds. They also did one when the clocks went back for a 25hr eventGirlie10:09pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Without wishing to fan his flames… a Goggins 4x4x48 could be an alternative whereby it is a 4 mileNDWDave
Run(walk) every 4 hours for 48 hours. Would be 48 miles in 2 days which might be more inclusive (this might have been mentioned above). Could carry on beyond the 48 hours if people wanted to12:44am, 13th Oct 2023 -
Definitely interested although for a shorter run each hour. Like Rosehip I have my 60th in my sights and planning something for that so this could be a build up.CK26:33am, 13th Oct 2023
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I did a half marathon round out local green - laps of about 400m. That inspired a group to do a marathon around it.MsG
GPS tracking wasn't too bad. I changed direction every 4 laps because of the camber.12:04pm, 13th Oct 2023 -
I would be for it....alco5116110:35pm, 13th Oct 2023
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Add me in to those interested. Might have to get advice on a good divorce lawyer when I broach the subject though.57.5 Degrees of Pain7:45am, 14th Oct 2023
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Always wanted to do something like this. Date dependant for me as well. Ideally school summer holidays 😁TBR (TheBeardRunner)11:04am, 14th Oct 2023
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This. I really would like to do this.roberton8:13pm, 16th Oct 2023
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This. I really would like to do this.roberton8:15pm, 16th Oct 2023
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Ok, keen but didn’t mean to post it twice!roberton
How about the longest day of the year?
Start at 4am or whenever is light in the UK.
Every hour you run 5k
If you manage until 11pm you’ve done 100km8:17pm, 16th Oct 2023 -
Sounds insane. I'm interested....maybe.Sombrero6:37pm, 17th Oct 2023
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Maybe, but like JCB, time zones could be an issue. But I guess if you're expecting to actually compete, you'd be up all bloody night anyway.Mark J 🇳🇿4:49am, 18th Oct 2023
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I'm not doing ultras anymore and I always hated Laps. However, in the spirit of fetch, I feel I can help with an aid station in my own garden. Beer and pizza maybe available. Any left (which obviously will be all of it), and I'll happily finish it.flip10:18am, 18th Oct 2023
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After watching the BYU world championship over the past 5 days, I'm in. I want to give that crazy thing a gotipsku8:41pm, 26th Oct 2023
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How'd I miss this!!! I'm in!geordiegirl4:32pm, 28th Nov 2023
If you've been on Fetch since the beginning, you might remember my boy being born, back in 2005. Here he is cleaning his teeth in 2007:
and here at the East Midlands Fetch Mile in 2009:
and handing out medals at the Friends of Mick and Phil Half Marathon in 2012:
having a water fight with me in 2014:
and in his prize winning book day outfit in 2015 (polishes dad halo):
He became the team goalkeeper in 2016:
and modelling Fetch merch in 2017:
And with a bit more growing up, here he is after a run in 2020:
And finally, here he is just a couple of months ago, celebrating as Notts County were on their way to promotion back to the EFL:
On the weekend, he turned 18! It's become a tradition for me to make him a cake. Over the last couple of years I've done a couple of Breaking Bad cakes - but this year it's a survival shelter from Alone USA, which we've been watching a lot of:
So he's officially a man now, all 6ft4 of him - but he'll always be The Boy to me
and here at the East Midlands Fetch Mile in 2009:
and handing out medals at the Friends of Mick and Phil Half Marathon in 2012:
having a water fight with me in 2014:
and in his prize winning book day outfit in 2015 (polishes dad halo):
He became the team goalkeeper in 2016:
and modelling Fetch merch in 2017:
And with a bit more growing up, here he is after a run in 2020:
And finally, here he is just a couple of months ago, celebrating as Notts County were on their way to promotion back to the EFL:
On the weekend, he turned 18! It's become a tradition for me to make him a cake. Over the last couple of years I've done a couple of Breaking Bad cakes - but this year it's a survival shelter from Alone USA, which we've been watching a lot of:
So he's officially a man now, all 6ft4 of him - but he'll always be The Boy to me
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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*feels old*RooA
Happy Birthday to The Boy! That's some cake.1:33pm, 11th Oct 2023 -
6'4"? wowser. I bet he has one helluva fan club looking like that! Grey on a cake never looks appetising Hope it tasted good. Happy birthday to the no longer Boyminardi1:37pm, 11th Oct 2023
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That’s a fantastic looking cake. Happy birthday to the Boy!!cathrobinson
(Also feeling old by this post…!)1:39pm, 11th Oct 2023 -
Oh wow. We’re all so old now. Handsome young potato isn’t he ….runnerbean1:50pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Congratulations, a fine-looking young man. Is he still a goalkeeper?Diogenes1:50pm, 11th Oct 2023
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@Diogenes - yes he isfetcheveryone1:50pm, 11th Oct 2023
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I don't think I realised before that he is the same school year as my lad.Diogenes1:55pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Wow! Feeling very old. Happy birthday!1step2far1:56pm, 11th Oct 2023
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💕 Happy birthdayMandymoo2:00pm, 11th Oct 2023
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I think he’ll always be The Boy to us too! Happy birthday to him xjennywren2:10pm, 11th Oct 2023
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No refuse to believe this!EvilPixie
Happy birthday 🎂2:11pm, 11th Oct 2023 -
You made his birthday cake with plasticine?jacdaw2:12pm, 11th Oct 2023
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I remember meeting him, Eb loved him!! Happy Birthday.D22:24pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy Birthday to The Boy (I also possess a recently turned 18 year old. DaughterDragon is not 6 foot 4 though!)IdristheDragon2:24pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy Birthday to The Boy 😀phal2:26pm, 11th Oct 2023
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It's distressing. Some time ago, I asked my dad how it felt to have a fifty year old son. He said, "Not as bad as being fifty."RichHL2:44pm, 11th Oct 2023
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I totally get that, my baby is also 6ft4, he might have sons of his own but he’s still my baby!Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)2:49pm, 11th Oct 2023
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oh my word I remember your boy being a boy and now we know him as the man(boy) happy 18th to your big lad! Loving the cake btw!! Bake off fetch style....geordiegirl3:05pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy 18th & enjoy that cake !RRR-CAZ 🇬🇧3:31pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to The Boy. 🎉 That cake looks fantastic. 🎂johnsy3:34pm, 11th Oct 2023
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My 18 year old is also 6'4, still waiting for him to take up running though! Happy birthday to himfleecy3:36pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Phew, thought my boys were tall at 6'2". Happy birthday to your boy.poppyH3:37pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy Birthday to The Boy - top class cakeageHellsBells4:45pm, 11th Oct 2023
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That cake is classSpanners994:53pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Congratulations to him! A very aging experience for parentals, always!3M5:22pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Wonderful! My daughter turned 18 two weeks agosallykate5:42pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Brilliant cake. And so weird when your kids become adults. In a lovely way but still weird.LindsD6:00pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Congratulations! you should submit the cake photo to the Bake off Extra slice programme...MH6:14pm, 11th Oct 2023
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My "wee" boy is 27 this month, 6'3 with a wee boy of his own. Gotta love 'em. Happy man birthday to your boy. GHappyG(rrr)6:24pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to the boy!Ness6:46pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to the boy!Stevewjj6:53pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Omg 6'4" and 18, he was a young gaming teen when I met him for the Boston marathon.Fenland Flier7:50pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy 18th to the boy, creeps up doesn't itrichmac7:52pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy 18th. I reckon he enjoyed the bottle of Sol more than the cake !Bazoaxe7:54pm, 11th Oct 2023
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You’ve grown a guddun! Happy birthday to your lad xAlice the Camel8:07pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to your boy 😊 I remember him from 2007..Siouxsie8:23pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Birthday wishes to your boy 😊DIY Diva8:28pm, 11th Oct 2023
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He is an 'ansome dude - obvs got your genesSeratonin9:10pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Wow, how can that be. I feel old. Happy birthday to him. 🎉🎂Corrah10:34pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy Birthday to your boy. Our kids are amazing (and tall), aren’t they?!Angus Clydesdale10:34pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to him - and that's a great cake!BaronessBL11:45pm, 11th Oct 2023
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That's nuts! I don't think I ever met him in person, but certainly remember seeing you post photos of him when he was very young. My son is 6 already and I joined Fetch 12 years before he was even born! Happy birthday to your boy.Blister12:03am, 12th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday Kid Fetch.Dvorak12:14am, 12th Oct 2023
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❤️ishep 🇪🇺5:25am, 12th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to the boylaterunner7:02am, 12th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to your Boy! 6’ 4”! 😳SarahWoo7:17am, 12th Oct 2023
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Many happy birthday wishes. Hope you enjoy the cake (it looks fab)!JCB2:08pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Oh wow, belated birthday wishes x.B.3:42pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Many Happy Returns to The Boy!RunnyBunny8:56pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Happy birthday to the boy . Oh Notts County . Wasn’t last season fun 🤩wrexhamrob9:41pm, 12th Oct 2023
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Serendippily
10:54am, 13th Oct 2023
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Wow! Happy belated birthday!alpenrose8:12am, 14th Oct 2023
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6 ft 4 !!?? How tall are you ? Will he from now on be referred to as the man ?…runningmumof3boys8:05am, 5th Nov 2023
Last week I started collecting the prizes for this December's FFC It'll be the 10th competition, and so far I've had 10 prizes promised, so that's a good start. Usually I get up into the 20s by mid-November, then there's a bit of scrabbling around and arm twisting to get the final doors sorted out. The average value of prizes last year was about £100 each I think, so hopefully I can do that again. It's always a bit of a lottery, although (touch wood) I haven't had any "email delivery failed" messages back this time. That's tricky, because I then need to find a new person at that company, and forge a relationship with them.
Anyway... two things you can help with:
1) name some snazzy things you'd like to win To give you some guidance, I am most likely to pursue it if it's something that has a broad appeal and isn't gender-specific; and I am most likely to get a positive response when I ask if it's somewhere in the £50-£200 range - but I am not shy of asking anyone for anything
2) suggest some challenges! Over the course of the year, I've been making little notes any time I think "ooh, that'd make a good Christmas challenge" so I have a few new ones to put in the mix. It would be good to hear your ideas. Ideally they are things that are able to be verified via the site e.g. by uploading a picture, or writing a blog, or entering a suitable training entry, or finding something out. And it should be something that a wide variety of people are capable of - so no suggesting that people go out and run a sub-4 minute mile - that kind of thing. Be creative - and I might use your challenge in this year's calendar.
Thanks ratfans!
Anyway... two things you can help with:
1) name some snazzy things you'd like to win To give you some guidance, I am most likely to pursue it if it's something that has a broad appeal and isn't gender-specific; and I am most likely to get a positive response when I ask if it's somewhere in the £50-£200 range - but I am not shy of asking anyone for anything
2) suggest some challenges! Over the course of the year, I've been making little notes any time I think "ooh, that'd make a good Christmas challenge" so I have a few new ones to put in the mix. It would be good to hear your ideas. Ideally they are things that are able to be verified via the site e.g. by uploading a picture, or writing a blog, or entering a suitable training entry, or finding something out. And it should be something that a wide variety of people are capable of - so no suggesting that people go out and run a sub-4 minute mile - that kind of thing. Be creative - and I might use your challenge in this year's calendar.
Thanks ratfans!
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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You're so fab at this! Electronic gizmos - watch, headphones, shoes, jacket, even socks, hats, buffs. A particular one for me - coaching e.g. 6 months (£300 value so quite high?) It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! GHappyG(rrr)10:48am, 10th Oct 2023
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Coaching would be great. Magazine subscription. Books.Ultracat10:56am, 10th Oct 2023
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A campervan - I want to win a campervan - not helping much am I ??? But if I do have any sensible suggestions I'll let ya knowbigleggy10:57am, 10th Oct 2023
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Well done sir!Mushroom
Some challenge ideas - photos required:
1. Run passed a famous landmark
2. Run across a bridge
3. Run a net uphill / downhill route11:03am, 10th Oct 2023 -
Have you tried www.werunbright.co.uk ?Fragile Do Not Bend11:05am, 10th Oct 2023
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Or icegripper.co.uk ?Fragile Do Not Bend11:06am, 10th Oct 2023
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Give these guys a shout, runners who make fab coffee exhalecoffee.comLorraine11:25am, 10th Oct 2023
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Thanks again for all your work on this excellent site feature, Fetch Judging by what seems to have been the most sought-after prize recently, I'd suggest food. Pies? yorkshirehandmadepies.co.uk Speciality coffee? A cheese subscription, or this iamnutok.com for the vegans? Or a voucher for one of the chain restaurants that's fairly well represented nationally?Velociraptor
Coaching's a good shout. An assessment in a sports lab is probably within the right price range and would be of interest to quite a lot of people.11:32am, 10th Oct 2023 -
And some of the "family-run" sports nutrition companies like Chia Charge and The Kendal Mint Co. might be willing to offer a package.Velociraptor11:37am, 10th Oct 2023
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Piglets Pantry piesBob!11:42am, 10th Oct 2023
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Second chia charge and KendalEvilPixie
Don’t forget your own fetch merc!11:48am, 10th Oct 2023 -
Entry to a museum or gallery would be lovely.runnerbean12:15pm, 10th Oct 2023
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I enjoyed the Street sign challenge of a few years back but I can’t remember exactly what we had to do other than it involved taking photographs of street name signs. (Or maybe that wasn’t a FFC challenge 🤷♂️)Eynsham Red1:00pm, 10th Oct 2023
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Cheese thank you againLindsD1:45pm, 10th Oct 2023
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Thanks for your hard work with the festive calendar. It's always great and a lot of fun!Ness
I recall that a while ago, you did a review of a selection box of energy gels from a sports nutrition company. Quick search of your blog and I found it was back in 2021! The selection of gels etc look very interesting.
Xmiles. Is the person who owns that still a fetchie?1:55pm, 10th Oct 2023 -
Run with a newbie? Do a litter pick run? Volunteer at an event/race/parkrun? Prizes ... map reading training? First aid training? Orienteering training? 🙂stilldreaming1:58pm, 10th Oct 2023
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I’d like some new socks, just saying.Winniefree
Draw a reindeer or similar with your training route, walk/run a route that features a number of Christmas trees and take a photo of them, do a selfie in a Christmas yoga pose, write a poem about your worst ever Christmas present.2:34pm, 10th Oct 2023 -
I love socks too! I love a community based challenge....maybe in the spirit of christmas, performing a small and anonymous act of kindness like bringing in the neighbours bin or deliverying a mince pie to an elderly neighbour.DocM3:56pm, 10th Oct 2023
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Trig Challenge? Bag as many trig points as possible in the 12 days of Christmas. Bonus points for tying it to the day, e.g. Seven Swanbrdge Trigs a Swimming.Chicken 🐔 Legs4:09pm, 10th Oct 2023
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I know flanci have supported in past & see a suggestion for We Run Bright, Harrier UK stuff is brilliant too. Like books/magazine subscription idea - what about a race entry if you can find a race series that is fairly accessible.geordiegirl
Challenge ideas Harrier did one recently around trig points, various categories should make it fairly accessible?
Love DocM’s idea of random act of kindness4:46pm, 10th Oct 2023 -
I know they are a charity, but I wonder if National Trust might donate a membership for a year (about £80). Shokz headphones (around £150 for the dearer ones, I think).HowFar?
I assume the Fetch Independance Day film photo challenge is still going to be on (otherwise I'd better start looking for someone to rehome a small, scruffy dog and try and get a refund on some ruby slippers)5:49pm, 10th Oct 2023 -
Tribe might be worth a try.Little Miss Happy6:59pm, 10th Oct 2023
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A box of Pump St Bakery Eccles Cakes pumpstreetchocolate.comMsG
Albion Burner (packable insulation) albioncycling.com
Fingers Crossed (independent, woman designer) e.g. merino beanie fingerscrossed.design7:33pm, 10th Oct 2023 -
A Lego campervan? 😀♪♫ Synge ♪♫7:43pm, 10th Oct 2023
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Challenge - Draw a Christmas relatedSnail
stravashape8:07pm, 10th Oct 2023 -
Ooh love this. Never win anything but it’s a fab thing. Reminds me to visit site every day too! 😂Eawoman45
Subscription to energy bars/protein shakes etc be good prize. Veleforte are nice 😉 or a physio session/assessment. I could do with one!
As for ideas for challenge - something to do with 12 days of Xmas perhaps. Get a picture on your run/walk/cycle/swim or whatever that relates to one of the 12 days. 🤷🏻♀️8:12pm, 10th Oct 2023 -
I always used to look out for the subscription to OS maps although I know it hasn't been there the last couple of years so maybe they have declined but it would be great if they did offer again even if it's one year in every 2 or 3. I like the idea of one of the challenges being volunteering (especially at a parkrun/junior parkrun although other volunteering opportunities are available. Food based prizes are always good too - pies, cake, afternoon tea? I'll try and think of some other challenges too but I like DocMs idea of a small act of kindness.BaronessBL10:23pm, 10th Oct 2023
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A Christmas lights bling run challenge? Go for a run around your local area and post a photo of the best lights you can find? A bit too easy I suppose, but we do this every year anyway! Re prizes - dry robes (other brands are available) always good to have, whether you're a swimmer or a runner. I use XMiles for all my running nutrition stuff and they are great - maybe they might be up for doing a voucher?Schnecke11:41pm, 10th Oct 2023
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Anything edible and socks are always useful!cackleberry9:03am, 11th Oct 2023
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@cackleberry - you have fmailfetcheveryone9:04am, 11th Oct 2023
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I love my big bobble hat that I won last year - I picked out the UCI-linked multi-coloured one and I'd suggest that as a prize.WtnMel
I wear mine for rambling and golf in the winter - and at the North East Skinny Dip each September! It helps me spot my bum from the hundreds of other bums in the photos11:11am, 11th Oct 2023 -
A Blue Plaque / local plaque challenge - passing and photographing interesting plaques?Mushroom1:36pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Yes blue plaque is great idea. Something bit differentSpanners994:54pm, 11th Oct 2023
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Photographing objects that look like letters and spells out merry fetchmas or somesuchSerendippily10:53am, 13th Oct 2023
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I am a bit late to comment but can I suggest Positive Bakes, afternoon tea?? positivebakes.comMrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)7:28am, 16th Oct 2023
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Challenge - bake a cake?Mrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)7:29am, 16th Oct 2023
The Doctor K Cup is our annual challenge where we remember the Fetchies that we have lost. It's named after Doctor K, who passed away in 2017, but we run for all the people on our list. It's happening all day Saturday, and it'd be great if you could join in.
It's a simple challenge that just about everyone can do. You predict a 5k time before the day, and then go out and run or walk *at least* 5k. So if you're planning a longer run, that's fine. The key thing is that you mustn't use your watch for any guidance on pace. Can you accurately predict your time? The closest prediction to the actual outcome wins an actual trophy.
A few technical points
1) most watches give you the option to create a screen with customised information. I have one screen that just shows my accrued distance, so I switch it to that, and then go run until it shows more than 5k. Or you could go run a parkrun course, or a route you know well.
2) if you run more than 5k, that's ok. The challenge will use your 5k benchmark time - i.e. the fastest 5k chunk from your run or walk. So you can go run a marathon if you like, and still take part.
3) if you run less than 5k, you may not get a time! Beware of a watch showing 5.0km, because this can be 4.9999km. If you're going by your watch, please run til 5.01km, or 3.12 miles.
Creative K's - A wee tradition
If you can, please post a picture of you making a K sign. Traditionally you can do this by using one finger to make an upright, and two fingers from your other hand to add the v shape. But that can be very tricky if you're trying to take a selfie - so please feel free to be creative when you make your K. If you're in the picture, all the better.
Please join in here, and spread the word:
fetcheveryone.com/doctorkcup.php
It's a simple challenge that just about everyone can do. You predict a 5k time before the day, and then go out and run or walk *at least* 5k. So if you're planning a longer run, that's fine. The key thing is that you mustn't use your watch for any guidance on pace. Can you accurately predict your time? The closest prediction to the actual outcome wins an actual trophy.
A few technical points
1) most watches give you the option to create a screen with customised information. I have one screen that just shows my accrued distance, so I switch it to that, and then go run until it shows more than 5k. Or you could go run a parkrun course, or a route you know well.
2) if you run more than 5k, that's ok. The challenge will use your 5k benchmark time - i.e. the fastest 5k chunk from your run or walk. So you can go run a marathon if you like, and still take part.
3) if you run less than 5k, you may not get a time! Beware of a watch showing 5.0km, because this can be 4.9999km. If you're going by your watch, please run til 5.01km, or 3.12 miles.
Creative K's - A wee tradition
If you can, please post a picture of you making a K sign. Traditionally you can do this by using one finger to make an upright, and two fingers from your other hand to add the v shape. But that can be very tricky if you're trying to take a selfie - so please feel free to be creative when you make your K. If you're in the picture, all the better.
Please join in here, and spread the word:
fetcheveryone.com/doctorkcup.php
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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I ain't running no Marathon this weekend . Thanks.Ocelot Spleens11:20am, 5th Oct 2023
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I'll do a walk with a bit of a run so slow as I am "racing sunday"EvilPixie
Now thinking about my K11:31am, 5th Oct 2023 -
I'll be doing a new-to-me parkrun so hope it will measure correctly! Won't be able to upload until Wednesday though, unless my parkrun result can be used.westmoors11:53am, 5th Oct 2023
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I'm in. Round Rotherham 50 miler, so the 5k will be sloooowChicken 🐔 Legs1:00pm, 5th Oct 2023
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101 participants. #LateFetchiesNotForgottenHappyG(rrr)2:00pm, 5th Oct 2023
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Ok I’m in! I never look at my pace whilst running anyway!jelly3:01pm, 5th Oct 2023
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I don't think AndyS will win. He'd currently predicting 43h0m 😂I'm in with a quick parkrunchunkywizard4:14pm, 5th Oct 2023
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I'm running a marathon on Sunday so Saturday's run will be shorter than 5km I'm afraid.Pegg5:40pm, 5th Oct 2023
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Same here, Munich Marathon Sunday, so no 5k on Sat unfortunately.ptr_runner7:04am, 6th Oct 2023
I keep seeing signs that tell me not to do things I hadn't even considered doing.
There's this one on a window in the village:
I suppose I could bang the window on the right instead.
And then there's this one, on one of my regular running routes:
It had never even occurred to me that people threw dog poo over gates, and I'm still not sure why I might wish to do so. And yet I now feel compelled.
There's a thread for sharing your favourite signs here: fetcheveryone.com/forum/signs-post-them-here-59955
There's this one on a window in the village:
I suppose I could bang the window on the right instead.
And then there's this one, on one of my regular running routes:
It had never even occurred to me that people threw dog poo over gates, and I'm still not sure why I might wish to do so. And yet I now feel compelled.
There's a thread for sharing your favourite signs here: fetcheveryone.com/forum/signs-post-them-here-59955
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Now I feel silly. When you posted this on the signs thread I thought it said "dog food" so I made a comment that probably didn't make much sense.Diogenes2:28pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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It made total sensefetcheveryone2:29pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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Do not press this buttonLindsD2:31pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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Hot. Don't touch.flanker
Wet paint.2:56pm, 2nd Oct 2023 -
No, I don't know why you'd do that either. But, I never really understood why people go to the trouble of bagging up dog poo and then hanging it from a tree branch like a Christmas bauble either.theOtherRichard3:06pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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my parents green bin. garden waste. has a do not climb in sign on it. seems odd as climbing in would be hard and it hums too. but the world is a strange place i guessSpanners993:14pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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Do throw dog poo under the gate?ZenTaoPlurp3:15pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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were you not tempted Mr Fetch to tap on the windowSpanners993:15pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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I read it as 'dog food' at first. It still doesn't make sense! 🤔😉😂Ness4:11pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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I wonder if the sign owners actually get the opposite response to the one they hoped for.cathrobinson8:20pm, 2nd Oct 2023
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I like signs that say ‘Don’t even think about….’ It’s too late isn’t it?Son of a Pronator Man2:12pm, 3rd Oct 2023
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Timeless advice from SombreroITG 🇮🇸
2:15pm, 9th Oct 2023
About Me
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!Blog Archive
Expand All
2024 (112)
November (1)
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
Comments
The flooding during Hurricane Ivan came in through the vent bricks around the bottom of the house and the service pipe for the aircon (though that's probably not an issue in the UK).
Perhaps club together and build a seawall with watertight gates around your neighbourhood.
Down by the river in Chepstow they had duck board fittings around the doors, so you could bolt on a plywood board with rubber seals and stop the water up to a point.