Extremely Useful Threads
Training tip truffles from the Fetch forum

I take a light-hearted approach to the Fetch forum. I know that plenty of our visitors are just trying to avoid getting on with their day, so I try not to get in the way too much. And even though running is the one thing that unites us all, there's only so much time you can spend talking about it before people start to back away. Going off-topic is positively encouraged - we've got threads about gardening, books, football, knitting, and even a long-running thread devoted to trying to understand why people vote UKIP.
But despite the obvious appeal of discussing your favourite eighties bands and whether it's acceptable to wear sunglasses indoors, most new users come to the site for information about running!
Our forum is a big place, with three million postings, from over 5000 contributors - it can be a daunting prospect to pick your way through the verbal detritus to find those training tip truffles. So I thought I'd offer up some useful starting points, for those of you who still prioritise training over determining the world's best biscuit.
Getting Started
Joining in with a running community can be quite a hurdle. If you're new to running, you're guaranteed a friendly welcome and some useful advice on our Beginners thread. If you're worried that you might be slower than everyone else - who gives a fig? Be Slow and Proud - you're out there getting it done! If you're concerned that you're surrounded by young whippersnappers, try our over 50's club for some reassurance that age means NOTHING to us. And if you've been busy making babies, get yourself match fit by following our Getting fit after pregnumpcy thread. Yes, I did say pregnumpcy.
Mastering 5k
With the proliferation of parkrun and the Couch To 5k programme, most new runners will cut their teeth on 5k. For some, this is a stepping stone to longer distances, but for others, sharpening a 5k time can be a continuous process. We have several well-established threads to help runners achieve Sub-18, Sub-20, and the self-proclaimed no-man's land between 20 and 25 mins.
Marathon Training
At the other end of the scale, we have a burgeoning marathon community, with established threads to pace you to sub-2:45, sub-3:00, Sub-3:15, sub-3:30, sub-3:45, and sub-4:00. If that's not enough of a challenge for you, try chipping in with our 100 marathon club discussion.
Training Methodologies
It's all very well having goal times, but if you want to understand how to build a training plan to help you break through those barriers, there are lots of fascinating and compelling methodologies on offer. We've got well-established groups of runners willing to extol the virtues of heart rate training, the Furman Institute, polarized training, Hadd's approach, strength and core work and Pfitzinger & Douglas' training plans
Other Distances
If you've not found anything appealing yet, there are plenty of other options, including our sub-1:30 half and sub-40 10k threads. Going longer, we have an ultra marathons discussion, with a corresponding ultra training for beginners practice area. And if nothing matches your needs, feel free to create your own thread to fill those gaps. All the threads listed here have been started by Fetchies - so get stuck in.
Mudbloods Welcome
Not content with wanting to know how was your run today, we're just as happy to hear about how your bike and swim went too. Heck, if you do all three, you're still welcome to tell us all about it. But you'd better be prepared to state your biscuit preferences if you want to be taken seriously.


Annual Distance Targets
Set your run, bike, swim and walk goals and monitor your progress against your friends. Set your targets

Benchmarks
See the fastest portions from all your training runs. Filter by time to give you recent bests to aim at. Every distance from 400m to marathon. View my benchmarks

Open Water Swimming
Help us build a database of open water swimming locations (wild and commercial), by adding your local venues. See the map

Monthly Summary
A new shareable infographic showing a colourful breakdown of the intensity that you train at. Check your month

Training Feed
Catch up with who's been training today. Categorised by distance so you can compare like with like. And filterable to just people you follow, or members of your club See Today's Feed

Learn New Tricks
If you're a new or returning user, and want to find out how to get the most out of Fetcheveryone, try our growing library of short YouTube videos. See the video list
Leave a comment...
however, we were once all ( running beginners ) , and in life itself, once young and in need of support - which i always understood this and RW to be - but sadly it is not always the case
in the past, altogether too many negative comments, bullies who think their clever - a lot have left, sadly hounded out - they were good people some of them - just needing abit of understanding
when one young person left, my life was made hell off one or two for helping the youngster
i'm one of the ( expereinced old hands ) been running on and off 43 years now - over the years i've been abused and hounded by e mails, texts etc - so much so it made me feel quite unwell on fetch and RW -
running is a funny old game, its all on training and preparation - and the run its self, always on the day - actually on the moment - and knowing how to deal with it
i do not really know everyone on fetch now - but it is only a chatroom, with an excellant director and owner in Ian
but i can tell you all - with all my problems in life - ( and anyone who'd like to spend some time in my life is most welcome ) running has saved my life - phsycologically , mentally & phyiscally
but i think i will send her this link as it is great for newbies to the site and relatively new to runnning