We came, we saw, we introduced ourselves.
How was it for you Fetchites, please put your stage reports here, and any other thoughts on the Highs, the Lows, and what you would recommend for next year!
STAGE REPORTS
Stage 2:
This is 14 miles with 11 off road. No hills but lots of crinkly bits through dunes (mainly on boardwalk). Route finding on race day is simple due to the incredible work of the course markers (although much harder if you go and recce when the arrows aren't there). Terrain is a mixture of soft sand (not more than about 400m in total on the stage), mud/dirt footpaths, unmettled roads, boardwalk, railway sleepers and road. I found it surprisingly hard on the feet, which were aching at the end. The main problems are the wind - the route is completely exposed - and the isolation (no support bike/car, unlikely to be many other runners this early in the event). It's difficult to evaluate the relative difficulty of the run. I found it hugely hard work, getting very very hot, then getting completely knackered. Lack of proper sleep and food for the previous day or so, plus the stress of team organisation were probably the reason. I may also have got a bit dehydrated and should have removed my fetch shirt (which was completely soaked in sweat within a couple of miles). I also went off like my shorts were on fire with the excitement of it all, without properly warming up. Don't try and run this at your Half-Marathon pace, try 20 mile pace and speed up after half way if you're feeling good. Also remember, just because someone sticks a baton in your hand you don't need to run at 100m or 400m pace LOL
Stage 3:
My report.
Gently warming up waiting for Slow to turn up when a blur comes flying around the corner (I need to wear my glasses more often), get into postion ready for the off.
Slow hands me the sweaty sticky baton and I'm going. Playing dodge the walker/tourist/dog/wildlife photographer for the first mile and almost came a cropper when a jack russell decided to position itself where my foot was going to land! Managed not to squash the mangy mutt or fall over. 7.40 for the first mile - going well.
Then I hit the dunes, this really took it out of me and dropped to a 9.14 mile. Looking for tracks in the sand to make sure I'm going the right way must have added time as well, felt like an Aborigine.
Back on the gravel path and still feel heavy legged after the dunes but nearly at half way point (Great these short stages), just a case of digging in and keeping a steady pace. Managed to keep the next 3 under 9 mins - 8.27 8.39 8.36.
A great finish to this stage, leave the woods into the car park and can see and hear the Fetch team on the sea front, a quick burst of speed up the sea wall and a slick handover to TT.
Total time 46.25, beaten by LovelyLegs by 1 second!
A great experience and one which I would like to repeat next year.
Stage 5:
On the day i arrived in good time for a gentle warm up, jogging the first 600 yards of the course to see what the terrain was like, as it had been under 3 feet of water the previous week. there were avoidable puddles, bits of mud, stretches of shingle and a very surprised lady runner taking a pee behind a bush. back to the start to await two towels and have a cheery chat with slow going, lumsdoni, john c and hobbes. we saw TT from over a mile away, if nothing else the fetch vests are visible, and he made a brave finish up the lane into a stiff sea breeze with Gobi breathing fire and brimstone on the bike behind him. i set off a little quickly, winding my way around the puddles, doing about 7 min miles on the grass and 10 min miles on the shingle - does that count as intervals? the first two miles are fairly flat, although the 50 yard stretches of shingle are fairly sapping and there are a couple of 30 foot climbs. At Weybourne i had a cheering shout from Gobi and i think Slow Going, although i was more concentrating on the horrible shingle and route finding. A sharp 60' climb led to a nice stretch of 2miles of mainly grassy track with half a dozen little testers of maybe 20 to 30 foot mounds, before a steeper climb up to the costguard lookout point. i was pleased that i had maintained a good pace, maybe about 7.30's. i wasn't sure because i realised that i hadn't started my watch in the takeover with worrying about getting the baton and putting the details of my leg inside it (as opposed to my inside leg i suppose) so that i didn't get lost. So with 4 miles gone and starting to breath heavily, i followed the pleasant downhill section into Sherringham and dropped down onto the promenade. The signposting was good, and i played an exciting game of avoid the dog leads as i weaved between the strollers on the prom prom prom who totally ignored me.I knew that at about 5 miles i had to take some stairs up to my right, and after a short excursion up to someone's front door i found the right ones. Everything up to this point was going according to plan, the achilles were fairly quiet, the knees ok, and apart from breathing like a bulldog on heat i had gained a few minutes on my predicted time by pushing myself hard. With a clear conscience i proceeded to walk up the stairs, reckoning that i would lose little time compared to running up them and allow my heart rate to get back under 200. Pleased with my plan i decided to then walk up the nasty steep path that followed the steps for another 50 yards, before turning sharp left. Unfortunately the next part of the path was not so steep, so i returned to running at a rather reduced rate until mercifully reaching some rather awkward earth and plank steps that thankfully looked of sufficient steepness as to be taken at a more sedate pace, or walking as it is known. To look good i raised a shuffle towards the top, passing the trig point that is about 180 feet above the promenade. I didn't feel totally knackered, but the legs were tiring, the chest pains were indicating oxygen debt and i knew that my lack of running in the previous 2 months was catching up with me. Still i knew that i only had 3 and a bit miles to go. A steepish grassy descent is followed by a stretch slightly uphill through 2 caravan parks, along the cliff edge, before a well marked arrow leads to a footpath and a zig zag onto the road. I could see bikes and cars waiting there,and i was getting to the seriously hot, sweaty and knackered state. there had been a pleasant sea breeze and intermittant sun, and my decision not to carry water because of the baton was being slightly regretted. however Gobi and Slow were going to be there with some cool clear water, and all my energies were focussed on getting there. As i got to the road i couldn't see Gobi, but he was there behind another team's camper van and support vehicle. i suppose i was not expected yet as he wasn't ready, but i didn't mind that . Have you got some water i croaked. No he replied, but i've some isotonicsugarryhypersuperenergygiver or something similar. I need some water i probably shouted rudely at him, and spying hobbes and slow i repeated the request. we've got some in the car they said and i stopped for a couple of seconds whilst they got it.Pouring it over my head and swollowing a couple of mouthfuls, i then set off for the mile and threequarters up the road with Gobi in hot pursuit, carrying the waterbottle that i had dropped. The road climbs gentlyl uphill, not too much but i was in "tunnel vision get there" mode, and although the speed wasn't great i knew that i couldn't go any faster. We passed a caravan park and East Runton. how far i asked Gobi? no idea he replied, but it's less than 2 miles. Fortunately i reckoned correctly that it was nearer one, and pushed myself harder. How are you feeling? asked Gobi. Absolutely f*ckedl i replied Good answer said the soul collector. I knew the turnoff was just before the Cromer sign, and finally spied it. Next to the 500 metres to go sign. Turning into the field i couldn't see the finish, but a collection of cars and caravans diagonally across the field looked promising. i sought advice. where's the f**king finish i enquired politely. in the corner replied Gobi. there was no path , and the uneven grass went uphill as i swore at everything nearby, making my way towards a dirt road, which i then noticed led to a locked gate. b*llocs shouted someone who looked a little like the man who started the stage but was somewhat redder and sweatier. as i approached the corner i saw a path on a raised bank, climbed the mountainous 3 feet onto it, turned right to run into an old couple meandering along the narrow top. excuse me i yelled but before they even reacted i had dropped down off the bank , passed them and climbed back up again. through a fence where i spied a runner warming up. where's the finish i asked oh, about 300 yards he replied. i am now breathing that a horror film slasher and slalom between cars and caravans, turning a corner to see that the finish is only 50 yards away, and there is a rather surprised prop forward waiting. i'm raspping like a horror film bulldog slasher on heat as i pass the baton on and drop on all fours, doing a remarkable impression of the dog. Fortunately nobody mounts me, and i eventually recover enough to accept the very kind and welcome congratulations of the wonderful Slow Going and Hobbes team, Two Towels and Lumsdoni. Although i had nearly gone wrong a couple of times, the direction arrows were good and i hadn't needed my instructions which were now speeding away with Prop Forward, inside the baton he carried. It is just as well because they travelled to the finish some 140 miles later,accompanied by someones toilet paper, and when i tried to get them out at the end it proved to be impossible. I was extremely pleased with my run, and i couldn't have done any better. The time of 1.10.17 or 8.09 min miles was all i could have hoped for, as the testing course was at least 10% harder than road running. some vet managed to do it in 50.25 which absolutely amazes me, until i learned that he holds the records for several legs of the relay. i was 23rd of the 45 runners on the leg, with an age related grade of 61.7%, which was the third highest for the Fetch team.
Stage 7:
This is a great stage, it starts with a long downhill stretch, around mid afternoon, then eases into a medium sized downhill stretch with som edownhill bits to follow. Seriously though this is the fastest stage of the race, if measured on avge, pace over 45 teams. The first 2 miles is basically down hill and there are only 2 turns to make which are clearly signposted both by the RNR team and the normal road signs.
Added to this is the fact that it is all on road as well. Look out for the Power plant and the Sewerage works, personal highlights of miner, and the Fish and Chip shop at mile 5 is a bit hard to run past. There isn't too much to say about this stage, unlike the others as it is either flat or downhill, relatively straight, and I was close to passing out for most of it so that's all I recall. Would do it again in a flash. even the last half a mile is on a slight downhill I think - cannot think of a bad point all
Stage 9:
This year stage 9 started at Horsey Mill at sunset...the most beautiful start to a race I have ever experienced. I had driven to the stage start with Mudskipper having seen Mrb head off on his stage and left an ever so slightly tired Lums recovering. Not quite knowing when your start is, is very strange, I really didn't know how fast Rubble would run, and hadn't really taken note of his exact start time. Mudskipper was a very calm and sweet companion, who gently told me that "you'll only regret it when you get a 100 yards down the road¨ when I was talking myself into not going for yet another wee. When Mrb appeared I got myself ready next to change over to get the baton, and with only a quick "well done¨ to him, I was off. I knew that behind me the guys were getting the bike onto the car and were going to catch me up. Even knowing that a car is going to drive behind you doesn't really prepare you for the feeling it gives when it rolls up. It was like being wrapped in a big, soft blanket and having my forehead gently stroked. I was running along a road, no other runners in sight, darkness falling and a low lying mist swirling around me, and yet I was completely safe and looked after. It was all very surreal and that feeling was only heightened when the Rubble-in-laws drove past not once but 3 times. The first part of the route was very gently undulating countryside, through few small villages, a real life broad Norfolk gent quietly encouraged me "Go on my dear¨ in one of them and after a couple of miles I stopped to tie my shoe lace.some positive words from Gobi helped me to get back on my way again. Pace was comfortably hard, and I felt I could have gone a bit faster, but I tried to stick with my planned pace of 8.20mm. Just after mile 3 a lady runner stormed past with her bike support (who told me "well done¨ as he passed). I managed to catch up to and pass a male runner at 5.5 miles which gave me a boost and also the incentive to stay ahead of him. My car companions shouted directions whenever they were needed and Gobi offered drinks and kindly told me they were looking at my bottom. It all made me smile. Almost stopped at a red traffic light in Caister , before I realized I really didn't need to, I think that came with feeling so connected to the support car or maybe it was the usual brain freeze that accompanies racing. Before I knew it we were at the A149 and heading past the sign announcing Great Yarmouth, at this point the British Airways team flew past(cheats
) and I realized the end was close. Getting towards the final mile, and the bridge took the last energy right out of my legs, I had just overtaken a lady runner and again the thought of her catching me spurred me on. Turning right onto the sea front of great Yarmouth felt good because I knew that was my last turn and I was on the last bit. Slow shouted that it was under a mile to go, although Gobi added "we've been wrong before¨, I know the sea was to my right but it was too dark to see it and I finally got that leaden feeling in my legs, as the road seemed to be all uphill and I couldn't see where the end was. The 500m to go sign boosted me, but my legs only managed a few strides at faster pace before I realized the sign must be lying, still couldn't see the finish. Pushed on and finally the familiar traffic cones and crowds of expectant runners and supporters loomed out of the dark. Handed the baton to Mudsipper and moved out of the way towards a familiar Rubbly person. Nanna Rubble gave me a big hug as did Grandad Rubble. And then it was done...pretty much bang on time. The best experience of my life in running so far. Thankyou a thousand times to Slow and Gobi. They made it perfect, kept me safe and I'm very grateful. Thanks also to Hobbes who was so very sweet for a very long time(27+ hours) and who made me feel very special at the end of my stage. KatieBStage 11
My report
Arrived loudly with Vomit and TMW, well what else would Gobi do
Tried to pass myself off as Two Towels and nobody believed me
Ate food and chatted LOUDLY for a while
Slept like a baby in my hotel.
3 miles with Team Fetch on Saturday morning far more chatting than running going on.
John and I drove out to stage 4
Hey John is this the right way
John replies I think so
should we check the map
Nah!!!!!!
Drive on
John I think I'll check the map
Ok said I
Turned out we had seen no signs as we were miles away.
Arrived and Lums called Slow to discover we were late
Lums "I couldn't here him for the wind but we are running late as he is still running ."
the first 2 stages I only rode a little way but I did see some very gutsy running.
Then
Stage 6
trying to ride up and down to the see front and the looks on the poor publics faces
climbing the hill up to the light house and prop saying
Do you want to ride up first? I laughed and walked up some way behind him.
The mobile camerman taking 8 shot sequences (I look forward to seeing these)
My GPS going AWOL at the Large Golf Ball!!!!!!!!!!!!
Props Finish I would not like to have tried to stop this guy!!!!!!!
Stage 7
What can I add that has not been said about Lums running. THE MAN HAS BALLS
I WANT FISH AND CHIPS
I WANT AN ICE CREAM
Do flalling arms make you sprint faster????
Other Comments
Katies BUM makes car support easier (sorry rubble)
Slow has good taste in cheesy dance music
My Stage
I was hyper very hyper
I went off well
It seemed to be up hill for 19 miles
We were nearly invovled in a car crash
My guts hurt
I ran poor very poor
Other comments
Maybe the Milkshake and apple pie at Macdonalds at 10pm were a bad idea
Maybe 26 miles of cycling during the day were a bad idea
Comments from my coach
you should not have done Wednesdays session on Thursday
you should have run at a controlled pace during your Friday interval session
Stomach problems and bad eating are not a good combination for fast running.
YOU WILL LEARN
The next 3 hrs for me are a blurr of gut pain and fatigue as I moved with Vomit and TMW to her stage.
360 saysDont worry McG will be ages yet just as he comes over the hill
Vomit shouts SO MUCH FOR WARM UP
Vomit Averages 9:06 pace on her leg and makes me very happy
The Green mondeo incident NUFF said
The finish
slow staring at the fence willing the end to come.
everyone being there
I'm sure I could go on and on and on
off course I can I'm Gobi
but it has all been said
What a great weekend and YES I would love to do it again
Stage 12:
Got the baton from Gobi at about 2am. I was very nervous before the start, but was continually reassured by Ultra Vomit that I would be fine. The first mile was downhill so a great chance to run quick but without tiring myself. I just charged down the hill and never lost that 'running like a man possessed' momentum. Hit mile 1 in 7 minutes dead so I knew I had gone too fast against predicted pace of 7:54! Decided to roll with it, and to run as hard as I could. It worked, and I kept clocking off the miles at low 7s. As the course gently rolled it was easy to rest on the downhill and work on the uphills and keep my pace constant. At 11 miles I realised I could see support vehicles ahead and shouted to my support car that we'd haul the runners in. I was delighted, I had something to focus on when the pain started kicking in. Zoomed past the three runners at 15, suffered from 16-17 with a knotted stomach, as I got passed by a seriously quick guy. Shortly after I got my second wind for the final mile and a bit to hand over to 360. This was the running performance I'm most proud of ever, and it couldn't have been achieved without the efforts of Slow Going and Hobbes, and KatieB in the support car shouting out mile splits, and giving me navigational instructions, water and gels. Thanks so much for everything guys.
Stage 13:
TMW handed the baton to me at just about 0400hrs and I was off. I set off out of Thetford at a steady 07:30 pace, a bit quicker than planned. Calves were a bit stiff and I was convinced that I’d cramp up at some point. Got passed by a very speedy runner after less than half a mile, but he took the time to slow and chat for a bit before zooming off into the darkness. It was a steady gentle climb for most of the way out of Thetford, with nothing but the support car for company. No other runners in the distance to target and a strange surreal feeling of loneliness. The first 3 miles went by at a similar pace and then I slowed to around 8:00 mm. Whether this was due to a hillier section or thoughts of the impending woods, I can’t remember. I took a gel for a bit of dutch courage and turned into the woods after 6 miles. I was very glad of the support car lights, this would have been tough with just a head torch or bike support to guide the way. The first mile or so was fine with the makings of a proper road. After that though we turned off onto a very sandy track. This took it out of my legs as I zig-zagged trying to find the easiest route, but I was still managing to keep under 8:00 mm and negotiate the sand and potholes easier than the support car was. Turned out of the woods and back onto a hard surface and celebrated by clocking up a couple of 7:15 mm. It got a bit tough after that though and I couldn’t sustain the pace, dropping to about 7:45. I finally saw the 500m to go marker and a sense of relief. I raised the baton to celebrate, not knowing that just about all these markers were way out. Mine turned out to be 0.7 miles from the end of the leg! Still, I kept going and saw the change over point and McGoohan waiting for the baton. I was a bit disorientated at the end as I tried to find McG’s hand in which to put the baton. After a bit of ‘to you, to me’ faffing about I found it. I had finished and McG set off into his leg. The abiding memories of my leg are going through the woods feeling strangely alone in the darkness, yet with the security of the support car behind me. This was probably the toughest race I’ve ever done. It would have been so much tougher without Slow, Hobbes and Katie and their words of support, encouragement and humour. Thanks guys.
Some lessons from leg 13:
It's more uphill than you might anticipate, particularly through the forest section.
The soft sand in the woods will take a lot out of your legs.
Try and get your pre-race nutrition sorted. Don't under-estimate how difficult it is to run at 4am on nothing but a sports bar.
If you've the energy, chat away with the support car. There may not be any other runners around and it can be mentally tough without any targets to aim for.
The forest isn't that scary.
Stage 15 My highlights
Not having to pull a caravan on a Friday evening on the M25.
Having to explain to Gobi and TMW that LynnSports was actually was in Kings Lynn. The name was a bit of a give away (they hadn’t worked that out).
Frutinas!
Not getting lost except a little hiccup on the way to my stage when I was driving. Gobi getting lost in trying to find the hotel after the social and realising I was right the next day.
Hammerite and his highlighters and maps.
TMW and his new heart rate monitor.
Lums’ finish, the photo I took looks like he is flying.
Having to turn around on my way back to base because Gobi had realised he didn’t have his GPS but then it turned out he didn’t have his Vaseline, head torch, gels or MP3 player.
The night is a bit of a blur, all I remember is TMW and the rustle of his plastic bag and no burger van that was promised!
Sitting and eating a breadroll and some McCoys salt & vinegar chips at 2.30am thinking I am ready to run now!!!
Running my stage on 1 hours sleep and still managing to do better than I expected.
The build-up in waiting for Hammerite to finish and then he didn’t disappoint with his sprint finish. Awesome.
Meeting people for the first time I am always a little shy and quiet but by the end of the weekend I felt like I had known everyone forever.
See you all next year.
HIGHLIGHTS / SPECIAL MENTIONS
THINGS WE LEARNT DURING THE 2006 RUN
1) Rules are pretty relaxed - there is no need to sweat too much over keeping the bike/car with a new runner at changeovers or changing to/from bike support to car support at nighttime/daytime. A few minutes leeway is fine.
2) Timekeeper can be in the support car all the time - (s)he doesn't need to actually be standing at the changeovers, but can take the time whilst following in the car.
3) Thetford forest is perfectly driveable when it's dry. May not be so easy in the wet due to the sand.
4) Bike support is easy + fun to do, but MUCH better if you've already run
5) Stage 1-5 and 13 all have hard off-road elements. Your legs will suffer.
6) Stages 1, 5 and 6 have BIG hills
7) Stage 17 has stiles.
8) Bike sharing is a good idea
9) Nutrition is crucial, people won't sleep - even if they are not doing anything, but they need to eat the right food at the right time for their runs or they will explode on the road. Also the support car team should attempt to eat real food at some point in the proceedings.
10) People will want to be involved the whole way round, so give them stuff to do.
11) Try to get runners' partners involved, otherwise they will feel very left out when the team come back raving about the event. These people are perfect for bike support. It also means that the household gets a memento, so they don't lose out.
12) 2 Timekeepers might not be a bad idea
13) 3 stopwatches (preferably with locks)
14) People will probably need SOME sleep before driving home.
15) Potato supper isn't brilliant, but it does the job and is available over a 2 hour period, so it's much easier to coordinate than a meal out somewhere.
16) You have plenty of time at changeovers (usually waiting for a good hour for the next runner to come in)
17) Course is very well marked, so route-finding isn't a big issue. There is the odd moment (particularly on the first 5 stages), so do carry the description. It is, however, surprisingly mentally wearing to not be confident of the route and it can niggle that you've taken a wrong turn when you're on your own and can't see any signs/runners/people/roads
18) You can do it with a support car the size of a Renault Modus, but bigger is better - it will get full of empty water bottles, food, clothes etc.
19) You should have LOTS of water in the support car + on the support bike, so that runners always have some if they need it. We had 8 litres as well as 18 half litres for each runner at the end of their stage and it all got used.
21) Support car has time and should go to ALL the access points on the early stages, just to lend what help they can to the solo runners.
22) If you are at an access point have water ready for the runner just in case they need it.
23) Stages 10, 11 and 12 are long old drags.
24) Runners go off like nutters when you give them a baton - slow them down.
25) If your team have never met before bring a big flag/banner to designate a meeting point.
26) Most stages will feel harder than you would expect. In general you are running by yourself (support, but no other runners), while tired, without proper pre race prep, at a strange time of the day, quite often on difficult surfaces.
27) If you plan on sleeping at the campsite, bring earplugs (seriously). And be prepared for lots of crane flies.
28) You probably need a minimum of 20 people available to run the relay. People will get injured before the race and have to pull out.
29) Make sure that the whole team is there for the start and the finish. You'll regret it if you miss out on the emotion and euphoria.
30) Don't think you can kill time in King's Lynn whilst waiting for your leg. You won't. There's nothing there.
31) Bring insect-repellant and anti-histamine cream - I got eaten alive at lynnsport and a few of the changeovers.
32) The bar at Lynnsports shuts early (9/10 pm). Bring your own booze if you want to drink after that. Of course, as elite afleetes, that wasn't a problem for team fetch '06.
33) Consider designating someone as official photographer. We missed lots of the changeover points as we were too wrapped up in the event.
34) Reset the tacho on the car at the start of each stage when you are following a runner, then you always know how far it is to go. Consider another stopwatch to time individual stages, so you get some idea of pace.
35) Bring safety ropes for stage 7, not so much down hill as a 9 mile abseil.
PLANNING AND LOGISTICS FOR 2007
One thing we could definitely use for next year before people start planning 2 teams is dedicated bike and vehicle support / runner transit. We did it this year with the absolute minimum of personnel (18 - 17 runners plus a timekeeper) and non-running bike support would have meant fresher legs for the people who had later stages. A lot of the other teams had this and it makes a huge difference, especially for those who had been out on the course assisting other for up to twelve hours before beginning their own stages. There are plenty of people on this forum who are keen cyclists / triathletes who could clock up a weekend long bike run whilst helping people out.