Fetcheveryone Member of the Month

pedroscalls asks: Congratulations Baroness, my question is if time and money were no object what race or route would you love to do.

BaronessBL says: Thank you Pedroscalls. That's a great question. The race/route that I have always wanted to do - and it would certainly take a lot of time to get fit enough to do it - time would have to be no object certainly and if money were no object then I'd make sure I stayed somewhere really nice at the end of each day of the race too rather than in a caravan which I think is the official race accommodation - would be the Jurassic Coast Challenge, which is three marathons in three days along the Dorset Coast path. I first read about this race in Runners World magazine (yes the actual paper magazine) many years ago and I tore the page about it out and kept it for ages vowing to one day do it. But as yet I haven't done although I have talked about it a lot. Never say never though. Perhaps one day when I do have more time to prepare for it properly I will actually do it.

Mushroom asks: Congratulations. Is there a sporting event or person that inspired you to get outside and have a go?

BaronessBL says: Thank you Mushroom. The event that inspired me to start running was watching a very early London Marathon (probably the first one I think) on TV. I didn't immediately put on a pair of trainers and run round the block but I remember watching it with my Dad and saying how much I would love to have a go at that one day. My father's reply was 'Don't be so stupid, don't you realise that would be like running from here to Harlow (which was about 15 miles away from where we lived) and back again.' I didn't do anything about it for a few years but then a friend of mine's partner got a place in the London marathon at which point I was tempted to apply and I got a place in 1990. My friend also told me that her partner had trained for the marathon by running a couple of laps of the local common three times a week - which to me sounded extremely do-able. I have done several marathons since then and have a better understanding of the kind of training that's needed.

Winniefree asks: Congratulations! Imagine you have to choose living out your days with mostly dogs, horses or people, which would it be?

BaronessBL says: Thank you Winniefree and what a great question. I've thought about this a lot because I know many lovely dogs, quite a lot of lovely horses and a fair few lovely people as well. If I had to go and live on an island somewhere with no other people I'd think I'd probably manage OK so I can probably rule people out. If I then had to choose between only ever having dogs or horses for company, much as I do love horses I think I'd probably choose dogs as dogs probably have a bit more personality than horses. And dogs do seem to like human company whereas I am not sure horses are really that bothered half the time.

RRR-CAZ 🇬🇧 asks: Congratulations: If you won 2 golden tickets to any sporting event what would you choose to attend ?

BaronessBL says: Thank you RRR-CAZ. This is a really tough question. The sporting events I mostly would like to go and watch would tend to involve horses. I would have loved to have seen some of the Olympic Equestrian events in London 2012 for example. But as that's in the past I think something like the big horse show at Olympia in London just before Christmas would always be something I would love to go to again having not been for many years. Likewise some of the big horseracing events - I've never been to the Cheltenham Festival for example. But if it's a chance to book a ticket for a sporting event that isn't actually in the diary yet but we can't rule out happening perhaps one day then I guess it would have to be the Champions League Final if Luton Town were one of the teams. I won't hold my breath on that one just yet though

westmoors asks: Congratulations Baroness. If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

BaronessBL says: Thank you westmoors. Every time I've started writing an answer I've ended up with a list that gets longer and longer. Narrowing it down to one person is really difficult but if I really do have to narrow it down then I think it would be Eric Morecambe. There are lots of 'funny' people who don't always come across as very funny in real life when they are not 'performing' but I suspect he probably would. And he is Luton Town's most famous fan. I'd love to be able to chat to him about football and the story of Luton over the last 30 years or so. And if he could also teach me how to do that thing with the paper bag - that would just be the icing on the cake!

Helegant asks: Congratulations. Which Fetchie - human or dog - would you most like to meet and why? And a sneaky second question... do you have a bucket list of things you would still like to achieve?

BaronessBL says: Thank you Helegant. The first part of your question is a real 'who is your favourite child' question isn't it? I've never actually met a Fetchie and wished I hadn't though. In fact the Fetchie day out to Ambridge was one of the best days out I've ever had and most of us there had never met each other before but it was like we'd known each other for ages. I'm sure you know that you and Jet are on the list of Fetchies I'd like to meet - in fact it's occurred to me that over the last few years our paths may have had an opportunity to cross because I spend a day supporting a friend of mine once a year at a big dog agility show in Ipswich that she competes in and I wonder now whether I might have even walked past you on the showground and not known (there are quite a lot of spaniels there!) But actually it's always great if I am at a race or a parkrun wearing my Fetch shirt or buff and I meet another Fetchie - it's one of the best things about this site and I hope that continues to happen.

As to your second question I don't have a bucket list as such but I do have my sights set on something I would really like to do and if possible before I am 60 which doesn't give me a lot of time. There is a horse race called the Newmarket Town Plate which is for real amateurs - it's one of those eccentric things that still happens even though there's no real purpose for it. I'd love to ride in that - perhaps as a challenge for charity. I did once speak to a trainer who told me he'd find me a horse if I wanted to do it but I should really make the effort to find out what I actually need to do. But Matt Hancock took part in it a few years back (he's Newmarket's MP) so if he can manage it I am sure I could. And now I have actually written it down then perhaps I should do something about it!

anomis66 asks: Well done on member of the month. My question is "If you could be a super-hero or villian, who would you be and why?"

BaronessBL says: Thank you anomis66. This was a tricky question as I don't really know all that many superheros. I am not sure if Gromit out of Wallace and Gromit counts but he always seems pretty resourceful and I think I'd like to have his presence of mind in a difficult situation. But if Gromit doesn't count then it would have to be Spiderman - although I wouldn't like to have to be bitten by a radioactive spider in order to get his powers. But the web spinning skills could be useful and I'd love to be able to run up walls etc like he does. However, Wanda our dog is an expert spider slayer so if I was Spiderman I'd never be able to go home in case I got eaten!

Pothunter asks: Congratulations! What would you have for your “death row” meal? Starter, main, dessert plus something to wash it down.

BaronessBL says: Thank you Pothunter. I have given a lot of thought to this question. It would partly depend on how close to the actual 'death' bit of the death row I was having this meal. Since I was very young probably in my teens I have developed an intolerance or allergy to shellfish and prawns in particular. I can vaguely remember having eaten prawns before this happened and absolutely loving them - but I am really severely ill if I eat them now - usually about four to six hours later. Also some other kinds of shellfish do this to me to a slightly lesser extent - mussels for example. So my starter would be a massive seafood platter with extra prawns and mussels. The outcome of this would be that a) it would kill me anyway b) the firing squad (or whatever) would turn up before the ill effects started or c) I would be so so ill that being shot at dawn would be a blessed relief. I think that's probably the only circumstances I could contemplate eating such a thing really.

Assuming I survived the starter to enjoy eating anything else I'd probably go for some sort of cheeseboard. But a proper one with loads of cheeses, crackers, apple, chutney, celery, grapes, maybe some bread too. And pickled onions, loads of pickled onions - I love pickled onions so I'd definitely have them alongside the nicest and artisan-ist (is that a word) cheese as you can get - none of your cheddar, stilton and brie from the catering suppliers. I once had a cheeseboard after a meal severed on a massive plate, it was like a cart wheel. It was amazing but when I went back to the place and ordered it again a few years later it was sadly much diminished. So I'd have that cheeseboard again as my main course.

Dessert - well I think it would have to be a bread and butter pudding, but not one of these fancy ones that is kind of like a solid custard thing with no discernable bread or indeed butter. A proper one with sliced white bread, raisins, maybe some whiskey and perhaps a bit of marmalade (after all it's my last meal) and lots of custard, with extra custard on the side.

To wash it down - hmm that's a tricky one. I can't really think of a drink that would go well with that menu combo (strangely enough!). I think it would probably be a beer. Hopback Summer Lightning is a contender, or perhaps Sarah Hughes Ruby Mild - or a really nice chocolately milk stout - yes probably that actually. I had a really nice one at the Great British Beer Festival two years ago but I can't remember the name off the top of my head - possibly the brewery was called Blue Monkey (or similar). Perhaps I'd be able to have more than one - after all if I had one too many and became unwell I could always just blame the seafood....

Ness asks: Congratulations! My question is.... .... Where in the world would you most like to run for fun? Why?

BaronessBL says: Thank you Ness. Great Question. It's stumped me a bit this one actually as there are so many fantastic places to choose from. I've already mentioned in a previous answer the Jurassic Coast and the three marathons in three days thing - which I really would love to do but you've said run for fun and great though it sounds, I'm not sure I'd find it so much fun once I was two and a half days into it (or even two and a half hours into it!). I'd also love to run the Paris marathon - it would be 'for fun' as I could never see myself taking part in a marathon 'seriously' ever again. But if it was absolutely for fun and not a race or anything like that then actually it would probably be somewhere in the UK, probably in woodland and finishing at a nice pub. The New Forest would tick all those boxes and I'd get to see ponies and maybe donks too while I was dong this fun run. So New Forest just nicks it from Paris I think.

LindsD asks: Absolutely deserved. Congratulations. How did you get involved in the RDA? Did you always ride horses?

BaronessBL says: Thank you Linds. I've been lucky enough to ride from quite an early age at various local riding schools. Then when I was a teenager I started helping at local stables in return for being able to ride from time to time. My parents weren't particularly horsey but my mum had been a volunteer at a local RDA centre some years earlier and I also volunteered there for a while when I was about 15 or 16. Once I had demonstrated the keeness to help at the stables on an almost daily basis I was fortunate in that some friends of my parents were moving away (abroad possibly I think) and their daughter, who was a similar age to me had a pony. The pony could not go with them and she ended up as mine.

Horses became a big part of my teens then adult life but all things come to an end and after owning or loaning/sharing one for many years I moved to a new area and looked around for something horsey to get involved with. The local riding stables had an RDA group so I started volunteering and have been there for the last ten or more years now. I then got involved with a full time RDA centre which is a little further away but not too far and I was able to train to be a coach there. I've also become one of their riding volunteers - because it's a full time RDA centre the horses don't really do very interesting work, it's mainly all walk or perhaps a little trot just in the arena, so the riding volunteers get to take them out for rides locally or work them in the arena doing more than the riders with disabilities usually do, like cantering or working over poles etc.

Although I love horses anyway - I find it so rewarding to see what the riders are able to achieve. I've seen non-verbal children whisper the name of their pony, children in floods of tears refusing to get on a pony but once on so excited and thrilled to be riding and as a coach trying to think up activities for our adult riders with more complex needs to allow them to participate in games etc. It's fantastic to see the riders benefit but it's amazing to be part of it as a helper too.

Ocelot Spleens asks: Well done, very well deserved. I feel shame at not nominating you myself. Three part question. What was Luton town's greatest ever victory? What was your favourite ever beer festival? Lastly, the best bet you ever laid?

BaronessBL says: Thank you OS. What a great question. I'm going to answer the third part about the bet first because that's the easiest. Well in fact there are two. The most financially rewarding was earlier this year. I am in a small share syndicate/racing club style ownership scheme of a horse called Gilbert. He's a lovely boy and was running at Windsor a few months back. Although he set off at something like 22/1 I had got a price of 45/1 on him. And he won! It was only a small bet but even so at 45/1 (each way!) it was worth it. But for the most memorable it was on a horse called Desperate Dex. We had treated ourselves to a day at Huntingdon in the restaurant on Boxing Day some years ago. The horses lined up at the start and this one wasn't anywhere near the rest of the field and was facing the wrong way so was way behind them all as they set off. He started to pick his way through the field until he was eventually in second place but still a fair few lengths off the leader. The leader (who was the favourite) made a mistake at the final fence and fell. Desperate Dex surged ahead and beat the rest of the field by a mile (well maybe about 20 lengths.) I think I'd backed him at something like 10/1 and probably each way. It was a great day.
Favourite ever beer festival - crikey that's a hard one. I tend to like the more quirky festivals and I think the one I like best although it's not as good now as it used to be is the Chappel Beer Festival at the Chappel and Wakes Colne railway museum on the Essex Suffolk border. They used to have lots of old carriages and cattle trucks and so on that you could sit in - all very 'Brief Encounter' - the food stalls were always really good and getting the last train out of there back to Ipswich at the end of the evening was something of an experience. They always have interesting beers too from all around the UK rather than just a selection of relatively local breweries. Covid has changed things a bit now but especially if it's a sunny day it's a lovely little beer festival still.
Finally - the most important part of the question. Luton Town's greatest ever victory. I'm surprised you've even asked as surely you know what I am going to say! It's obviously the 1988 League Cup Final. For anyone reading this who is unaware of the match Luton beat Arsenal 3 -2. Arsenal missed a penalty and Brian Stein scored the winner for Luton in the 90th minute. I appreciate that as an Arsenal fan you may not agree with me but anyway - it is! Although running it a close second has to be the Championship play off final at Wembley in 2023. It wasn't the most exciting of matches and was eventually won on penalties but for the financial benefits to the club that being in the Premier League entails it was certainly a great victory. Also I was at that game and I wasn't there in 1988 (wasn't even really a football fan in those days) so greatest ever victory that I was at would have to be that play off final.

Tom Tom asks: Very well deserved! My question is what has been the best and worst aspects of laying on a trail race?

BaronessBL says: Thank you Tom Tom. I love running in the countryside so working out the route for a trail race is always good fun. What might look great on the map can be very different once you actually get out there so it's always a great sense of achievement coming up with a route and finding things that you think other runners will love about it (perhaps a great view or a little known path bringing them out somewhere a bit unexpected). Our runs nearly always start and finish at a pub and I've discovered some great pubs as a result - we did a Royal themed trail series when it was the Queen's jubilee and as a result found a pub called the Queen's Head that I would never have known about otherwise had I not 'needed' a pub with a royal name with lots of footpaths near it! The camaraderie at the events is great too - so those are some of the best things.

Worst - well they can be a lot of work - checking and re-checking the route, especially if I'm struggling with running - checking say a 9 or 10 mile course when I can't really run more than 5k easily can be hard. And I always get quite stressed once everyone is out on the course - in case someone gets lost or injured for example. But the actual worst thing - I'm sad to say - is the (fortunately fairly few) occasions when a runner comes back having gone wrong and starts having a go at me. One time in particular a runner who had either not been concentrating on their written instructions or had inadvertently jumped a line got lost, got back to the pub and really started having a go about what a terrible event it was, how my instructions were rubbish etc etc. I was trying to establish where on the course they had gone wrong and why when another participant waded in, told the runner in question that there was nothing wrong with the instructions and if they had gone wrong it was entirely their fault and not mine and that someone who give up a lot of time to put on event like that does not need to be spoken to in that way. It was so nice of that participant to stand up for me in that way but I am glad that issues like that are pretty rare (but if 49 out of 50 participants don't have any problem with the course then the chances are if one does it is unlikely to be my fault!!)

Qwerty asks: Yay 😊 congratulations! Tunnocks Teacakes or Jaffa Cakes? And what's your biggest motivation to get going on those days when you might not quite feel like it?

BaronessBL says: Thank you It's got to be Jaffa Cakes every time. I could probably eat a boxful (or several) in one go given half a chance. My experience of Tunnocks Teacakes is that I believe they are going to be nicer than they are and am always a little disappointed. I think it's the biscuity bit at the bottom of them mainly - it's too soft. The bigger question is though - are either of them actually cakes or should they really be classified as biscuits?

As to the motiviation - I'm not very good with motivation so if I don't feel like going out for a run - well I just don't do it. If it's something that I'm already committed to doing though, like a race I've entered perhaps, then I give myself a bit of a talking to, tell myself to get on with it and just do it.