Our trip to Brighton was very wet.
I read 'The Handmaid's Tale' for most of the journey. (SPOILER ALERT) I really enjoyed the story, very thought provoking, although I found the writing style was a bit tiring. The occasional pauses to play with words felt like extra hurdles to overcome, and the inconsistent use of quotation marks around speech made it hard to get a flow going. I liked the way that the first mentions of the Aunts leave you picturing a wise old lady, and how that quickly turns into a more sinister view. I liked the way the author turned things around at the 'club' to critique modern society, rather than the dystopia she'd created, and the "who can you trust" aspect was handled brilliantly, right down to the cliffhanger ending. (END OF SPOILERS)
It started raining within a few minutes of us exiting the station, and by the time we'd made the journey to our airbnb we were both fairly wet. I had a jacket with me that I'd been sent as a sample, and when I donned it, I discovered that it had one of those security ink cartridges in its armpit
Luckily I didn't set it off!
It was our first ever attempt at airbnb'ing (exactly where should the capitals go with that?), and we got off to a great start. Our host was lovely, and his house was full of fascinating pictures and artistic bits and bobs. Our room was at the very top of the house, with a sea view - although all we could see of the sea was the occasional white horse in the grey distance.
Our host invited us for a cup of tea, so we could look at a map to find some suitable places to eat and drink, and some activities to keep us busy in the rain. It's great having some in-depth local knowledge to call upon, and we were dispatched in the direction of a local Mexican restaurant called La Choza. It was fabulously decorated, with wrestling masks and Day of the Dead skulls. I particularly liked the skull mugs:
We had some lovely Mexican grub, and a bottle of red wine, which made up for the fact that we were both soaked through to our knickers by this point. Onwards, very sozzled, we wandered on to Snooper's Paradise, a wonderful shop full of an amazingly diverse set of precious things. The sort of shop where you could find a box marked "old race medals", in which I spotted a London Marathon 1988 medal. I could have spent hours in there.
In the evening, still soaked, and a little less sozzled, we made it to the beach, and to dinner overlooking the sea at Riddle and Finn's. We both had some sort of haddock, crispy bacon, colcannon, saucy thing, which was lovely.
An evening back at our room, watching Layer Cake, and reading a bit more of my book. Favourite line was about being caught playing an illicit game of Scrabble - you'd better eat your words
Breakfast with our host, a nice chance to see into someone else's life, which was fascinating, and then another trip into town to get wet through again. We had another wander through some of the indy shops, then fuelled up at a rather lame bistro, before taking a wander around the museum. Favourite bits included the modern furniture design (although Snooper's Paradise was like a far more intricate and free version), and the wildlife photography exhibition, which was very cool and made me want to get my camera out.
Although we'd planned to stay until 5, the weather got the better of us, and we caught the 3pm train back to the mysteriously blue skies of Bedford.
I read 'The Handmaid's Tale' for most of the journey. (SPOILER ALERT) I really enjoyed the story, very thought provoking, although I found the writing style was a bit tiring. The occasional pauses to play with words felt like extra hurdles to overcome, and the inconsistent use of quotation marks around speech made it hard to get a flow going. I liked the way that the first mentions of the Aunts leave you picturing a wise old lady, and how that quickly turns into a more sinister view. I liked the way the author turned things around at the 'club' to critique modern society, rather than the dystopia she'd created, and the "who can you trust" aspect was handled brilliantly, right down to the cliffhanger ending. (END OF SPOILERS)
It started raining within a few minutes of us exiting the station, and by the time we'd made the journey to our airbnb we were both fairly wet. I had a jacket with me that I'd been sent as a sample, and when I donned it, I discovered that it had one of those security ink cartridges in its armpit
Luckily I didn't set it off! It was our first ever attempt at airbnb'ing (exactly where should the capitals go with that?), and we got off to a great start. Our host was lovely, and his house was full of fascinating pictures and artistic bits and bobs. Our room was at the very top of the house, with a sea view - although all we could see of the sea was the occasional white horse in the grey distance.
Our host invited us for a cup of tea, so we could look at a map to find some suitable places to eat and drink, and some activities to keep us busy in the rain. It's great having some in-depth local knowledge to call upon, and we were dispatched in the direction of a local Mexican restaurant called La Choza. It was fabulously decorated, with wrestling masks and Day of the Dead skulls. I particularly liked the skull mugs:
We had some lovely Mexican grub, and a bottle of red wine, which made up for the fact that we were both soaked through to our knickers by this point. Onwards, very sozzled, we wandered on to Snooper's Paradise, a wonderful shop full of an amazingly diverse set of precious things. The sort of shop where you could find a box marked "old race medals", in which I spotted a London Marathon 1988 medal. I could have spent hours in there.
In the evening, still soaked, and a little less sozzled, we made it to the beach, and to dinner overlooking the sea at Riddle and Finn's. We both had some sort of haddock, crispy bacon, colcannon, saucy thing, which was lovely.
An evening back at our room, watching Layer Cake, and reading a bit more of my book. Favourite line was about being caught playing an illicit game of Scrabble - you'd better eat your words
Breakfast with our host, a nice chance to see into someone else's life, which was fascinating, and then another trip into town to get wet through again. We had another wander through some of the indy shops, then fuelled up at a rather lame bistro, before taking a wander around the museum. Favourite bits included the modern furniture design (although Snooper's Paradise was like a far more intricate and free version), and the wildlife photography exhibition, which was very cool and made me want to get my camera out.
Although we'd planned to stay until 5, the weather got the better of us, and we caught the 3pm train back to the mysteriously blue skies of Bedford.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Whatever your opinion on the beardy-sandals guy, you've got to have some respect for a back catalogue of songs that are almost in the same league as Lennon and McCartney. For the last few days now, I've been humming "One more step along the world I go" - and what an apt song to accompany the hitching of two lovely Fetchie runners.
For us, our progress along the M6 was fairly sluggish, but we got to our hotel with enough time to get sluiced off and into our finery before setting off with the Jigs' to attend our first ever Fetch wedding ceremony
The Fetch contingent filled a couple of pews, and we took selfies and chattered away until the big moment. The vicar stole the show though, telling us in no uncertain terms that if any of our phones went off, we'd wish we were dead. There was also a reserve vicar at the back of the church, looking more CIA than CoE with dark glasses and folded arms. I wondered if he was a sort of third umpire.
Grid was wonderful, mad4purple was gorgeous, and the church was full of smiles and chattering children. The mother of the groom did a reading with a twin in each hand, never breaking the hold at any point, and (to their enormous credit) never once being yanked down to hip level to answer enquiries about being nearly there yet.
Ceremony over, hosannas! sung, the happy couple did a victory lap of all the pews.
We tottered back to the reception venue, and Mr Jigs kindly bought us all some mini scotch eggs and a packet of hobnobs, neither of which lasted long on the Fetch table. In a move that Katie and I have vowed to steal, should we ever get married again (do they let you go round again, if you're enjoying it as much as we are?), the food was a fabulous hog roast, followed by all the cake you could eat. The guests had all brought cake from home, so there was a truly fabulous selection, all overseen by a "cayke" banner in Fetch colours
For me, the speech from the groom really set the tone for the whole day. I have seen speeches packed with jokes, and intricate stories, but I have never seen any speech express as much love as Mr Grid did for his lovely wife, and I suddenly discovered that my sun cream had run into my eyes.
The post-match entertainment was also fabulous - a ceilidh (or country dancing, if you're getting technical). I last went to a ceilidh about 10 years ago, and refused to leave my seat. Whether it's the act of becoming a dad, or whether it's the sheer amount of love in the room, I can't say - but my hand was grabbed (thanks Sioux), and dance I did. And I loved it! I've never been the most co-ordinated person, and I totally snapped the willow (sorry Mikuro), but I have never enjoyed dancing so much since for ever (the only exception being my first dance with Katie, but we mainly just held tight and whispered to each other).
Thank you Grid and mad4purple for letting us share your beautiful day!
The following morning, we woke at about 8am, and after a bit of soul-searching, we decided to make it to parkrun - and I'm glad we did. It's reminiscent of my student days - a healthier alternative to the fried breakfast debrief of the night before.
St Helens parkrun is a compact affair - multiple laps and perturbations of a small park (all in one corner of a Conquercise zone), and just over a year old. It's an extremely friendly event though, with free brews at the bandstand afterwards (we were temporarily confused by the idea of collecting a bruise, and wondered if it was some novel method of lap-counting). After the briefing, everyone is encouraged to introduce themselves to someone they don't know. Every Parkrun should do this - there was an explosion of noise as the greetings turned into chats, and my new friend Steve told me all about the run.
My outing was pretty good - an easy first mile, and then gradual acceleration, starting towards the back, and picking people off until I found the runners I could not beat. Mrs Jigs trashed the age category record by over a minute, and we all came home smiling, including Katie who recorded her longest time running since her injury.
My plump pork-lager-cake-flavoured shins were a feast for the bugs in the wet grass as we stood around chatting with the Jigs's and Max and Meglet, but then it was time to go get our fried breakfast (but hey, at least I'd dealt with the guilt in advance), and return to home.
We are now on a train heading to Brighton for an overnight stay, and some unplanned wandering. Can the south match the north for fun? It's gonna have to go some.
For us, our progress along the M6 was fairly sluggish, but we got to our hotel with enough time to get sluiced off and into our finery before setting off with the Jigs' to attend our first ever Fetch wedding ceremony
The Fetch contingent filled a couple of pews, and we took selfies and chattered away until the big moment. The vicar stole the show though, telling us in no uncertain terms that if any of our phones went off, we'd wish we were dead. There was also a reserve vicar at the back of the church, looking more CIA than CoE with dark glasses and folded arms. I wondered if he was a sort of third umpire.
Grid was wonderful, mad4purple was gorgeous, and the church was full of smiles and chattering children. The mother of the groom did a reading with a twin in each hand, never breaking the hold at any point, and (to their enormous credit) never once being yanked down to hip level to answer enquiries about being nearly there yet.
Ceremony over, hosannas! sung, the happy couple did a victory lap of all the pews.
We tottered back to the reception venue, and Mr Jigs kindly bought us all some mini scotch eggs and a packet of hobnobs, neither of which lasted long on the Fetch table. In a move that Katie and I have vowed to steal, should we ever get married again (do they let you go round again, if you're enjoying it as much as we are?), the food was a fabulous hog roast, followed by all the cake you could eat. The guests had all brought cake from home, so there was a truly fabulous selection, all overseen by a "cayke" banner in Fetch colours
For me, the speech from the groom really set the tone for the whole day. I have seen speeches packed with jokes, and intricate stories, but I have never seen any speech express as much love as Mr Grid did for his lovely wife, and I suddenly discovered that my sun cream had run into my eyes.
The post-match entertainment was also fabulous - a ceilidh (or country dancing, if you're getting technical). I last went to a ceilidh about 10 years ago, and refused to leave my seat. Whether it's the act of becoming a dad, or whether it's the sheer amount of love in the room, I can't say - but my hand was grabbed (thanks Sioux), and dance I did. And I loved it! I've never been the most co-ordinated person, and I totally snapped the willow (sorry Mikuro), but I have never enjoyed dancing so much since for ever (the only exception being my first dance with Katie, but we mainly just held tight and whispered to each other).
Thank you Grid and mad4purple for letting us share your beautiful day!
The following morning, we woke at about 8am, and after a bit of soul-searching, we decided to make it to parkrun - and I'm glad we did. It's reminiscent of my student days - a healthier alternative to the fried breakfast debrief of the night before.
St Helens parkrun is a compact affair - multiple laps and perturbations of a small park (all in one corner of a Conquercise zone), and just over a year old. It's an extremely friendly event though, with free brews at the bandstand afterwards (we were temporarily confused by the idea of collecting a bruise, and wondered if it was some novel method of lap-counting). After the briefing, everyone is encouraged to introduce themselves to someone they don't know. Every Parkrun should do this - there was an explosion of noise as the greetings turned into chats, and my new friend Steve told me all about the run.
My outing was pretty good - an easy first mile, and then gradual acceleration, starting towards the back, and picking people off until I found the runners I could not beat. Mrs Jigs trashed the age category record by over a minute, and we all came home smiling, including Katie who recorded her longest time running since her injury.
My plump pork-lager-cake-flavoured shins were a feast for the bugs in the wet grass as we stood around chatting with the Jigs's and Max and Meglet, but then it was time to go get our fried breakfast (but hey, at least I'd dealt with the guilt in advance), and return to home.
We are now on a train heading to Brighton for an overnight stay, and some unplanned wandering. Can the south match the north for fun? It's gonna have to go some.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Brilliant blog. I love that idea about everyone at parkrun introducing themselves to someone they don't know - as you say, every parkrun should do that. Also a fantastic idea that all the guests bring cake to a wedding. So glad M4P and Grid (and all the little Purp-grids) had a wonderful dayBaronessBL12:42pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Mrs Jigs omitted the perfect accompaniment to scotch eggs.Watford Wobble
What'a mistaka!1:06pm, 25th Aug 2015 -
Surely your second fetch wedding ceremony. Was your presence at your own wedding not the first?*Anj*1:08pm, 25th Aug 2015
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I was going to say what *Anj* saidDiogenes1:16pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Glad you enjoyed the day and it was lovely to see you there. XPinks2:09pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Scottish dancing isn't really dancing, it's more like breathless sort of jumping on the spot, getting everything wrong and laughing a lot about itfleecy Sounds like a fab wedding, and that idea about introducing yourself to a stranger is brilliant 2:22pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Lovely blogndellar CIA-reserve Vicar was telling me all about his retinal detachment (hence the shades) in a very witty manner when we were ushering. I'm liking the sense of humour of the clergy up there!2:49pm, 25th Aug 2015
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I leaked a bit at Grids speech tooplodding hippo3:45pm, 25th Aug 2015
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in short NO Fetch - (N vs S ;-P)Jono.4:06pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Sounds perfect!D24:06pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Cool blog. Not the greatest fan of weddings but that sounded like a cracking day. Congratulations.JustTony6:58pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Corrah 9:47pm, 25th Aug 2015
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PerfectNess10:13pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Difficult to beat a great hymn belted out with great gusto!Angus Clydesdale
If I ever get round to organising a Parkrun it will cover the corners of 4 Conquercize zones;-)10:31pm, 25th Aug 2015 -
Lovely blog about a lovely wedding.Meglet
I must have been in the north too long as I knew exactly what 'brews' was!10:35pm, 25th Aug 2015 -
I have checked on this because I really liked getting married to MrsHL. They tend to frown on you getting married again even if it's to the same person. If you're a Godly sort, then you can have your marriage blessed again but the registrar just looked at me and said "No" when I asked if it was something we could do again at the Shire Hall.RichHL11:58pm, 25th Aug 2015
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Sounds like a wonderful outngHelegant You can have a renewal of vows if you want to. I do about one a year.10:43pm, 30th Aug 2015
(Wedding blog to follow, later today hopefully).
We had an idea over breakfast yesterday morning. We pick a place that does coffee and cake (I'm suggesting Harrold Country Park in Bedfordshire), and a time and date (tbc), and then all the interested Fetchies can run or ride (or even drive) there, timing it so that we all arrive at the same time. For us it'd probably be a cycle ride at the moment.
Or in simpler terms, let's all get together and eat stuff. It's not so revolutionary when you put it like that.
I thought it might be fun though, to make our journeys part of the event.
What say you?
We had an idea over breakfast yesterday morning. We pick a place that does coffee and cake (I'm suggesting Harrold Country Park in Bedfordshire), and a time and date (tbc), and then all the interested Fetchies can run or ride (or even drive) there, timing it so that we all arrive at the same time. For us it'd probably be a cycle ride at the moment.
Or in simpler terms, let's all get together and eat stuff. It's not so revolutionary when you put it like that.
I thought it might be fun though, to make our journeys part of the event.
What say you?
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Rosehip - off to plot a route ....9:47am, 23rd Aug 2015
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Perhaps a place a little more central? Might get more uptake*Anj*9:48am, 23rd Aug 2015
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Bargoed?fetcheveryone9:51am, 23rd Aug 2015
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I'd go for that.*Anj*9:58am, 23rd Aug 2015
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That would be quite a journey for usVelociraptor (Yes, if it's at all feasible.)10:01am, 23rd Aug 2015
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Harrold is just fine for me!icemaiden But best warn the caterers that we're coming?10:24am, 23rd Aug 2015
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I am sure we could make it over. Useless fact though apparently some field in Leicestershire is the centre of England and sonewhere on Lancashire or Derbyshire is centre of Great Britain. Google is great.*Anj*10:28am, 23rd Aug 2015
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Is it near Bedford? I could bring me bike and ride there, Thameslink willingMcGoohan11:07am, 23rd Aug 2015
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Shall I bring the 'cayke' bunting. 😄😄😄Sushi.12:16pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Yep, probably get a lift part way and run the rest.Elsie Too1:48pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Sounds most excellent - there are some most splendid cafes that seem to exist specifically for runners and cyclists in Essex who I'm sure would love to be part of such a thingBaronessBL2:02pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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I hadn't heard of Harrold Park so it's introducing me to a new locaton. I think it's a great ideaHelegant2:16pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Just found it Harrold-Odell MK43 7DS- 13.something miles from our new home-to-beHelegant Do they welcome dogs?2:28pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Sounds a grand ideaMrs Jigs (Luverlylegs)3:30pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Excellent plan!SarahWoo6:49pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Sounds great...just say when!Garfield8:42pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Should be ok for me, same as McG except I'd try to bus and run.ChrisHB12:30am, 24th Aug 2015
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Let's DOOOOOOOO IIIIIIIIT!!!Wine Legs9:49am, 24th Aug 2015
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40 miles on the bike from mine. Pick a nice day.RichHL10:50am, 24th Aug 2015
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Sounds goodbecca711:32am, 24th Aug 2015
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Oh, 52 mins drive for me. This is a possibilitymacapple1:00pm, 24th Aug 2015
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I vote now and Haltwhistle as I'm here already lol....Mikuro3:37pm, 24th Aug 2015
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How about this: you start the ball rolling by setting a date for Harrold (which by the way you have to say in a Steptoe and Son kind of way, or is that just my family?), then of the people that turn up to Harrold the one that lives the furthest away (as the crow flies) gets to chose the next venue and date, in the hope that it will gradually move around the country.Elsie Too6:14pm, 24th Aug 2015
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Great idea and agree with Elsie TooLindsD7:48pm, 24th Aug 2015
Over the last 11 years, I have learned plenty about running from this website. Notwithstanding the graphs about graphs, and the endless chaotic detail hidden behind 'go from here, to there, as quick as you can', I've learned plenty just by listening (or by not listening). Perhaps the one rule that sticks out is that to get faster, you don't (and shouldn't) do everything fast. The prophet Bueller would approve.
But it's nothing compared to the things I've learned about the diverse set of people who use the site. It's a joy to see a part of people's lives, and just like the running, it doesn't have to be rushed in order to be satisfying. Ultimately running is the thing that unites us all, but it's just one part of our fascinating lives. This weekend I have the enormous privilege of attending the wedding of two people who met via the website. There will undoubtedly be a bit of running, and even more running talk; but more than that, there'll be a celebration of everything we run for.
Thank you for sharing, Fetchies.
But it's nothing compared to the things I've learned about the diverse set of people who use the site. It's a joy to see a part of people's lives, and just like the running, it doesn't have to be rushed in order to be satisfying. Ultimately running is the thing that unites us all, but it's just one part of our fascinating lives. This weekend I have the enormous privilege of attending the wedding of two people who met via the website. There will undoubtedly be a bit of running, and even more running talk; but more than that, there'll be a celebration of everything we run for.
Thank you for sharing, Fetchies.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Well said! Enjoy running this weekend and enjoy every other aspect of it tooAlice the Camel8:56am, 20th Aug 2015
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"He's not wrong, you know."swittle8:57am, 20th Aug 2015
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I think I know why you wrote this blog and I completely agree. This is a great place to be, whoever you are and whatever you can do.jennywren8:58am, 20th Aug 2015
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McGoohan9:02am, 20th Aug 2015
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Elsie Too Have a great weekend.9:02am, 20th Aug 2015
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What everyone else said ^^^^LindsD9:05am, 20th Aug 2015
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*like* Enjoy the weekendSilvershadow9:06am, 20th Aug 2015
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This is the clubhouse isn't it? People might choose to talk about the training session they've just done, or the race they're doing next week, but they are just as likely to talk about their vegetable patch with other people who are interested in that sort of thing. You just hang about with people who you find interesting or entertaining and you just give a polite nod to people you might not want to spend as much time with. It's a fairly simple idea, but I for one am very thankful that Mr. Fetch had it.HowFar?9:07am, 20th Aug 2015
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Yes indeed sir, yes indeed xxHendo9:08am, 20th Aug 2015
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HowFar puts it really well - but when you stop and think about how many friendships have been made as a result of Fetch's idea it's really quite inspiring!!Autumnleaves9:09am, 20th Aug 2015
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I'm glad you wrote thissnogard9:16am, 20th Aug 2015
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❤️ Many of my friends are fetchies. You've all seen me through the best and worst of times. I wouldn't be without it.katypie9:17am, 20th Aug 2015
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And it will be a great privilege to final meet you and the mrs!Mikuro 9:19am, 20th Aug 2015
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*finallyMikuro9:19am, 20th Aug 2015
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I *like* this blog. Congratulations to the happy couple (actually I have no idea who they are, but that doesn't matter I wish them well)Helegant9:28am, 20th Aug 2015
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Top blog boss. Should make that your adverising pitch. (also oblivious about the wedding couple but very nosey now)Old Croc9:46am, 20th Aug 2015
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people actually meet each other through FETCH!!!Jono.9:52am, 20th Aug 2015
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I love HowFar?'s comment, and I love this blog. No idea who's getting married but I hope you all have a fabulous dayminardi9:56am, 20th Aug 2015
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I know! And as well as being excited to see the happy couple I'm also looking forward to meeting Mr and Mrs Fetch.Meglet10:09am, 20th Aug 2015
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And to save having to explain the whole 'someone I met on the internet' to non-Fetchies I tend to refer to Fetchies as 'running friends'.Meglet10:10am, 20th Aug 2015
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Excellent blog, and excellent news :-). Congratulations to them, and thank you to you!3M10:20am, 20th Aug 2015
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I also suspect I know the sub reasoning for this blog , I'm a relative new fetchie but I'd already be lost without it , I've learnt so much from this fab place .... And not all of it running related , long may it continueGromit10:35am, 20th Aug 2015
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As one half of as 'fetchie married couple' how many Fetchie weddings have there been?phal
Fetch for SO many reasons.... Thank YOU Mr Fetch x10:47am, 20th Aug 2015 -
Adorescience11:27am, 20th Aug 2015
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Lemon10 and congrats to the happy Fetchie couple!11:41am, 20th Aug 2015
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bigleggy12:01pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Yes.Duchess
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Nothing to add except it's fab to be part of this community - thank you Mr FetchWinniefree12:51pm, 20th Aug 2015
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No, thank YOU Fetch. Like many other communities/organisations the whole tone is set by the person in charge.Dibble1:08pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Can we have some sort of wedding graph?McGoohan1:18pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Guaranteed cake and with tiers I presume.Watford Wobble3:07pm, 20th Aug 2015
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A wedding graph and a breakdown of fetch babies.katypie3:10pm, 20th Aug 2015
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...incoming!Hendo
3:11pm, 20th Aug 2015 -
Good blog !Doctor K3:22pm, 20th Aug 2015
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*smile*chunkywizard3:25pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Thank you and fellow Fetchies. I don't know about the wedding, but any gathering of Fetch folk is guaranteed to be friendly and fun. Because of this site I have met friends I never would have known about and people I hope will always be in my life, whether we continue to run or not.TheScribbler3:41pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. I don't really run any more but still seem to hang around here...Yorkshire Pie3:42pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Nicely said, sir!♪♫ Synge ♪♫3:59pm, 20th Aug 2015
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No, thank YOU Mr Fetch for giving me my husbandGymfreak x4:32pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Well said Sir! I am running junkie, but am proud of my other interests and love following other people's, running or not.This iste has given me a greatdeal of wisdon, support, insight and laughs over the years, even if Ive not been around much. See you tomorrow xxplodding hippo5:51pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Like. I have made so many friends through this site including the bride and groom so see you tomorrow!ndellar6:13pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Like Howfars wording - spot onMandymoo7:50pm, 20th Aug 2015
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I love my fetchie friends and have had many adventures because of them!Star8:46pm, 20th Aug 2015
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And we need to see a wedding graph 🙌Star8:47pm, 20th Aug 2015
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I love knowing people through Fetch, I've met some cracking friends here but I also feel I have met several whom I haven't in real life because of how we use Fetch to connect.Carpathius9:26pm, 20th Aug 2015
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And thank younorthernslowcoach9:40pm, 20th Aug 2015
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HowFar nailed it. As someone who has had an on/off relationship with running/cycling/swimming I'd hate to think that any of us would be considered less a part of this big family because we have nothing to contribute on those topics. This site has so much more to offer and that can only be a good thing.halfpint9:42pm, 20th Aug 2015
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I have made loads of great friends through this site, and wouldn't have survived the fire brigade saga without the advice of a select group of Fetchies. I also love the fact that there is almost a guarantee there will be another Fetchie at the start line of the majority of running events. Thank youFreshStart9:52pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Yep, might have met the odd person though here. Many of them in the cupboard in days of yonder green fields. Thank you.flanker10:15pm, 20th Aug 2015
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WOW another wedding - nice one FetchGobi10:20pm, 20th Aug 2015
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General awesomeness all round. This is a top, top site & it's made a real difference to loads of people. All the best for the weekendMr. White10:34pm, 20th Aug 2015
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I remember joining Fetch when the registered users was something like 17000 or so, way back in 2007, I can honestly say hand on heart that, I have probably visited the Fetch site everyday since my very 1st day, be it just to log my training or just lurk and view, the activities or bloggs of like minded people, the Fetch site has helped me trough many different moments/periods of my life so far, I as others have said/mentioned thank you Lord FetchWicked D10:34pm, 20th Aug 2015
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This makes me feel very warm and fuzzy. Met so many wonderful people it's a credit to it's creator. Also want to add my vote for a wedding graphCorrah 10:44pm, 20th Aug 2015
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Do we have a *wedding* icon? I completely agree with Dibble, you set the tone here. And that tone is relaxed, jolly and occasionally sportyfleecy7:36am, 21st Aug 2015
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Lovely blog and congratulations on another Fetch wedding... looking forward to the graph tooBaronessBL8:22am, 21st Aug 2015
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A privilege to have you along for the ride. The best way I can explain it, if limiting my single sentence, is that having everyone along (including all our Fetch friends) isn't the icing on the cake, it *is* the cake. Thank-you and everyone commenting here for all your well wishes. I'm so happy that I have such a lovely Fetch story to tell, and even happier that there are so many different Fetch stories out there too.Grid9:59am, 22nd Aug 2015
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I agreeSarahWoo It's a very special place and Fetchies are even more special. I know I'm a very sentimental woman of a certain age but, I'd be very, very, very, sad indeed if I had to do without the support and friendship I get from being here. xx1:31pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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love this placeTeeBee8:55pm, 23rd Aug 2015
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Bonkers, friendly, interesting and generally just really decent people from all walks of life. What fine bunchCStar Well done Fetch and all the best to the happy couple.8:13am, 24th Aug 2015
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Bit late to this but echo all the above. It all stems from and continues to have the tone set by the lovely Mr F. I've gone from lots of running talk to lots of baby talk and now back to running and triathling talk. Via all sorts along the way including some incredible humans. Thanks Fetch xxjude4:19pm, 26th Aug 2015
When I was in Wales a couple of weeks ago, I took myself off for a little run, initially with the aim of collecting a few extra Conquercise zones. The valleys are, as you might expect, A Bit Hilly, but taking a walk through my mental images of the places I grew up, I thought I'd picked out a relatively flat route. Lol. I won't bore you with numbers, but I was amazed at how inaccurate my recollections of flatness were.
My route took me past lots of places that are ingrained in my upbringing. The 'Memorial Hall', where my parents got married back in 1969, but for me a place of kids clubs and amateur pantos; enormous dulled steel kettles, weak squash, Opal Fruits, and intimidating bigger boys. Onwards to the community centre, where I once won a Shaking Stevens dancing competition at a birthday party; where my parents delivered countless buffets for valleys weddings - now with sad and faceless intruder fence; where in later times I took delight in getting served, compared trainers and Walkmans, on stackable chairs on sticky floors.
On to the cross-roads, to the village chip shop named after the village nickname. Past the newer estate where my friend moved, where we watched Metal Mickey, now itself engulfed by a new estate. Up through more forgotten slopes to the village where I first sat on park benches with friends and talked about girls, and Red Dragon FM, and SPX trainers and British Knights. Past the bit of green where a boy threw a rock that hit me in the forehead - I still have a bump there. Past forgotten friends houses and the mum that patched me up, before taking us all on a day trip to the aunty in Porthcawl - which house was it? What are they doing now?
A spectacular view. A view I never noticed as a lad. A view that seemed unimportant when I was sharing mix tapes, and writing dating software.
Down the hill I trundled to Hengoed (I forgot the downhill just as much as the up), and to the viaduct. I'd put one of Anj's pictures on the home page a couple of weeks back, as I instantly recognised one of the little white buildings in the background as one of the pubs I'd learned to drink at. Here's that very same viaduct from ground level:
All I really know about it is that apparently one of my relatives bought the last ever train ticket for the last ever train to cross it; and that it was once for sale for a single pound, because the upkeep was too much.
From the viaduct I ran north again, along what used to be called the new road, but which we now call the old new road, since they built the new road. As an older teen, I remember driving way too fast along here. As a younger kid, my predominant memories surrounded car numberplates (see http://www.fetcheveryone.com/cms-80 ), and runners. I saw my first ever road race on this road - the Rhymney Valley Half Marathon - it used to go past the back of my house. I've no idea how many times I saw it (could even have been once as far as I know), but the memories have stayed with me. It seemed like such a spartan activity at the time, it was hard not to look up to these runners. It must have been a really fast race, with a drop of about 200 metres between Rhymney and Caerphilly - I'd love to run it one day.
Before I got to my old house, I ran past my old junior school:
this is the boys entrance (bechgyn), and I remember piling out of this door to play cricket, and the time when I got to be the scorer for the local netball tournament. Good times I've never ever noticed the sign above the door: "Gwell dysg na golud" - it means "Better knowledge than riches". Awesome! The school bus didn't turn up one day, so my dad stuck half the school in the back of his transit van and delivered us all. I'm amazed I didn't get beaten up.
I also went past the home town of snooker's Doug Mountjoy - which one commentator referred to as 'the pretty little village of Tir-y-berth'. I'll let you decide for yourself, but there's a certain harmony to it:
I ran along the first street I can remember, in the little village of Glan-y-nant. It has about 103 houses, and I know every inch of it. Here's my infant school:
one of my abiding memories is my mam collecting me at the gate, because the window on the house a few doors down was entirely covered in bees. There's a lane where I lost a few teeth when I fell off my bike, and the spot where I had my first fight, and the skid marks where my friend got knocked off his bike, and the school yard we used to play cricket in, much to the annoyance of the caretaker. And so many other memories.
Here's our street - we used to run down the hill after school:
to get a jam doughnut from the bakehouse at the bottom of the hill:
The comprehensive school was also right here, and we used to buy half a loaf of bread from the same bakehouse, scoop out the inside, and fill it full of crisps, or chips if you could be bothered to wait for half your lunch break.
And here's the penis-headed statue in the park I used to play in as a kid:
except when I used to go there, it was all concrete and dangerous playground toys like 'The Jigger', and grit that would get in your knees, and no bizarre statues. Out of shot is the bus stop, that used to function as our wicket keeper; and the phonebox that we misused at least once, and used to signal home on a regular basis.
I set off to find some new Conquercise zones, and ended up with a lot more.
My route took me past lots of places that are ingrained in my upbringing. The 'Memorial Hall', where my parents got married back in 1969, but for me a place of kids clubs and amateur pantos; enormous dulled steel kettles, weak squash, Opal Fruits, and intimidating bigger boys. Onwards to the community centre, where I once won a Shaking Stevens dancing competition at a birthday party; where my parents delivered countless buffets for valleys weddings - now with sad and faceless intruder fence; where in later times I took delight in getting served, compared trainers and Walkmans, on stackable chairs on sticky floors.
On to the cross-roads, to the village chip shop named after the village nickname. Past the newer estate where my friend moved, where we watched Metal Mickey, now itself engulfed by a new estate. Up through more forgotten slopes to the village where I first sat on park benches with friends and talked about girls, and Red Dragon FM, and SPX trainers and British Knights. Past the bit of green where a boy threw a rock that hit me in the forehead - I still have a bump there. Past forgotten friends houses and the mum that patched me up, before taking us all on a day trip to the aunty in Porthcawl - which house was it? What are they doing now?
A spectacular view. A view I never noticed as a lad. A view that seemed unimportant when I was sharing mix tapes, and writing dating software.
Down the hill I trundled to Hengoed (I forgot the downhill just as much as the up), and to the viaduct. I'd put one of Anj's pictures on the home page a couple of weeks back, as I instantly recognised one of the little white buildings in the background as one of the pubs I'd learned to drink at. Here's that very same viaduct from ground level:
All I really know about it is that apparently one of my relatives bought the last ever train ticket for the last ever train to cross it; and that it was once for sale for a single pound, because the upkeep was too much.
From the viaduct I ran north again, along what used to be called the new road, but which we now call the old new road, since they built the new road. As an older teen, I remember driving way too fast along here. As a younger kid, my predominant memories surrounded car numberplates (see http://www.fetcheveryone.com/cms-80 ), and runners. I saw my first ever road race on this road - the Rhymney Valley Half Marathon - it used to go past the back of my house. I've no idea how many times I saw it (could even have been once as far as I know), but the memories have stayed with me. It seemed like such a spartan activity at the time, it was hard not to look up to these runners. It must have been a really fast race, with a drop of about 200 metres between Rhymney and Caerphilly - I'd love to run it one day.
Before I got to my old house, I ran past my old junior school:
this is the boys entrance (bechgyn), and I remember piling out of this door to play cricket, and the time when I got to be the scorer for the local netball tournament. Good times
I've never ever noticed the sign above the door: "Gwell dysg na golud" - it means "Better knowledge than riches". Awesome! The school bus didn't turn up one day, so my dad stuck half the school in the back of his transit van and delivered us all. I'm amazed I didn't get beaten up. I also went past the home town of snooker's Doug Mountjoy - which one commentator referred to as 'the pretty little village of Tir-y-berth'. I'll let you decide for yourself, but there's a certain harmony to it:
I ran along the first street I can remember, in the little village of Glan-y-nant. It has about 103 houses, and I know every inch of it. Here's my infant school:
one of my abiding memories is my mam collecting me at the gate, because the window on the house a few doors down was entirely covered in bees. There's a lane where I lost a few teeth when I fell off my bike, and the spot where I had my first fight, and the skid marks where my friend got knocked off his bike, and the school yard we used to play cricket in, much to the annoyance of the caretaker. And so many other memories.
Here's our street - we used to run down the hill after school:
to get a jam doughnut from the bakehouse at the bottom of the hill:
The comprehensive school was also right here, and we used to buy half a loaf of bread from the same bakehouse, scoop out the inside, and fill it full of crisps, or chips if you could be bothered to wait for half your lunch break.
And here's the penis-headed statue in the park I used to play in as a kid:
except when I used to go there, it was all concrete and dangerous playground toys like 'The Jigger', and grit that would get in your knees, and no bizarre statues. Out of shot is the bus stop, that used to function as our wicket keeper; and the phonebox that we misused at least once, and used to signal home on a regular basis.
I set off to find some new Conquercise zones, and ended up with a lot more.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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That's a lovely blog,I like your school's motto. I have a fondness for that area as my school had a field study centre in the Brecon Beacons. In my 1st year at college I shared a room with a boy from Hengoed who was studying to be an optician.Diogenes6:28am, 18th Aug 2015
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Wow. Loved that. Thanks for sharing.:-)Nellers6:30am, 18th Aug 2015
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Shaking Stevens?!!!minardi6:45am, 18th Aug 2015
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What a lovely blog. Makes me think I should go for a run from my mum's house.LazyDaisy7:12am, 18th Aug 2015
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What a lovely blog,pedroscalls7:59am, 18th Aug 2015
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Wtf with the bees? Great blog though fetchfleecy8:26am, 18th Aug 2015
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Fantastic blog. A Shaking Stevens dancing competition is fab - is that why your dog is called Stephen?BaronessBL8:39am, 18th Aug 2015
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Brilliant blog.Totoro9:12am, 18th Aug 2015
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Lovely.B.9:47am, 18th Aug 2015
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Dangerous playground toys and signalling home from the phoneboxDvorak Great stuff.10:05am, 18th Aug 2015
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Proverbs 16:16?3M
Lovely story - there's nothing quite like going "home" and running around the places that you grew up with all their memories. Also an excellent opportunity for Conquercise, and for those of us who migrated to flat places, a bit of hill training!10:25am, 18th Aug 2015 -
What a lovely blog. It's good to go 'home' sometimes.McGoohan10:34am, 18th Aug 2015
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BrillMikuro12:38pm, 18th Aug 2015
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Very important memories, lovely story. ThxD212:50pm, 18th Aug 2015
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Good that you can look back with fond memories and no sadness. I don't think I could do that.Northern Exile4:30pm, 18th Aug 2015
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Lovely blog.alpenrose
I run round where I grew up all the time as I moved back to just around the corner.8:29pm, 18th Aug 2015 -
LovelyCorrah7:59am, 19th Aug 2015
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NiceNess3:34pm, 19th Aug 2015
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Wow, that brought back a lot of memories of living in a Welsh Valley. Remind me to do the same, my old school will be torn down soonTazsedai9:53am, 20th Aug 2015
The nice folks at Fitbit have sent me a Fitbit Surge, so I thought I'd write a quick blog about my experiences.
I'm guilty of having spent a long time thinking about Fitbits as just pedometers, not much different to the sort of thing you can get with a token from a cornflakes packet to 'Get Active'. But with a price tag of around £170, this must be something more, right? Yes.
For a start, this is a proper watch, with a nice comfy soft rubber strap that you can wear all day. Which is kind of useful, because you're supposed to. I read a few things about getting a sweaty wrist when wearing this watch, and it's true that an occasional break is nice - but given that it's not waterproof, you have to take it off for showers, swimming and the like. You also have to charge for a couple of hours every few days (it can go about five days if you don't use the GPS - I'll come to that in a minute). There's a little USB slot on the back of the watch - my only request for an improvement in this area is to make it a standard USB size (like the micro-USB format) so I don't have to root around to find the special lead. But plenty of watches have this failing.
It's nice to look at - the time display is pretty huge, and you can customise it by choosing from a few different designs. My boy's favourite is the one where the hour is displayed in the middle, and the number of minutes orbits the hours like a little planet; but I prefer the one that combines the time and date. There are three buttons, and the display is touch-sensitive - but even one month on, I still have that momentary pause to think about which button does what. I struggle with the microwave sometimes
In everyday use, the watch counts your steps, keeps track of your heart rate, your total distance covered, calories burned, and the number of times you've climbed the stairs. You can reach all of these figures just by swiping the screen to the left, so it's fabulously easy to check how you're doing. Any gadget that attaches to your arm is never going to be 100% accurate in calculating how much your legs are moving, and the Fitbit is no different. When we walk about, our arms swing in time with our legs - but it can also be fooled by various activities. I found that it credited me with steps when I was doing the washing up; and my boy was extremely quick to realise that if he shook my arm about, he could increase my count. If you make allowances for some over-estimating, it's still a very good indicator of days when you were more active. And it's nice when it does a little celebration if you reach 10,000 steps for the day.
With the caveats mentioned for step measurement, walking distance must also be taken with a little bit of salt - but one of the big advances that this watch offers over more basic models is the heart rate data. I'm a huge fan of optical HRMs, and find them to be very reliable with only the occasional blip. The back of the watch has the telltale green laser beams that check your pulse regularly - so it figures that the watch can get a much better handle on your calorie usage.
Being a runner, I was keen to see how this watch would cope, so I took it out a few times. Obviously the battery takes a bit more of a hit, but you can still get a couple of days constant use, and a couple of runs out of it before it starts emailing you requests to be plugged in. Accuracy-wise, one of it's earlier efforts rounded off quite a few corners, giving me 5.8 miles rather than the 6.0 that my regular watch gave me. For some bizarre reason, I often find that this happens when I first run with a watch - perhaps they are a bit freaked out by me. Subsequent runs with the watch have been MUCH better - usually within a few hundredths of a mile of what I'd deem to be 'about right', which I think is reasonable for a GPS. When you run, you get distance and time, with swipe-ables for pace, average pace, heart rate, calories, steps and time of day - so the features are decent for regular running - but if you're looking for anything more advanced than that (like interval settings etc), you'd be better off with something a bit more running-specific.
The thing I was most keen on trying out was the sleep tracker. In our house I am legendary for my ability to go to sleep - I'm like one of those dolls with eyes that shut when you lie it down. The watch keeps an eye on your movements overnight, as a way of establishing how restless you are. And it tells me that I tend to move about 8-10 times during a typical night. Again though, you can fool it - if you're still enough whilst reading your book at bedtime, it can trigger the sleep mode - but you can turn up the sensitivity if this is an issue. With prolonged use, you can look for patterns in your sleep, which might be useful in explaining daytime tiredness. For example, I tend to get less sleep when I'm with my boy. Not only does he get up nice and early, but I often cram in an extra hour of internet or grown-up telly after he's gone to bed. You can't hide from a good graph. Thanks to the HRM, I also discovered that my HR gets as low as 42bpm when I'm fast asleep
Syncing with the Fitbit site and app is really slick. If you've got Bluetooth on your phone, you can install the Fitbit app, and it'll sync every time you open the app, so you can look at all your data. And the watch comes with a little USB noggin that manages the Bluetooth connection - it's low-profile enough that I've even been leaving it plugged into my laptop as I take it around with me - not something you could do with an ANT stick. The Fitbit website is also pretty slick, although there are some features that are behind the premium wall. It does let you export a TCX file for your activities though, so you can just import that to Fetch, which is entirely free, and obviously the best website for runners known to humankind.
The feature-cram continues - you can use the food database via the app or website, to keep track of your calories. There's a large database of foods, with lots of branded and supermarket-own foods, so you can build up an idea of your daily intake quite easily. I did this for a while, but I did have trouble remembering to do it - maybe the watch could detect when you were eating, or opening the biscuit cupboard, and give you an electric shock as a reminder. Along similar lines, you can also track your water intake, and your weight. With the latter, setting a weight goal trickles down into daily calorie allowances, so in theory it can be quite useful, although will power is still required
One of the nicest things to come out of trialling the watch is that my boy is fascinated by it - to the extent that he regularly asks to wear it, and regularly checks his stats. It's inspired more than a few chats about the importance of physical activity, and been really good at providing supporting evidence to give him a token reward for getting active. This is the great lure of the watch - it turns activity into a game, and really appeals to my love of stats and leaderboards and best-besting.
I'm guilty of having spent a long time thinking about Fitbits as just pedometers, not much different to the sort of thing you can get with a token from a cornflakes packet to 'Get Active'. But with a price tag of around £170, this must be something more, right? Yes.
For a start, this is a proper watch, with a nice comfy soft rubber strap that you can wear all day. Which is kind of useful, because you're supposed to. I read a few things about getting a sweaty wrist when wearing this watch, and it's true that an occasional break is nice - but given that it's not waterproof, you have to take it off for showers, swimming and the like. You also have to charge for a couple of hours every few days (it can go about five days if you don't use the GPS - I'll come to that in a minute). There's a little USB slot on the back of the watch - my only request for an improvement in this area is to make it a standard USB size (like the micro-USB format) so I don't have to root around to find the special lead. But plenty of watches have this failing.
It's nice to look at - the time display is pretty huge, and you can customise it by choosing from a few different designs. My boy's favourite is the one where the hour is displayed in the middle, and the number of minutes orbits the hours like a little planet; but I prefer the one that combines the time and date. There are three buttons, and the display is touch-sensitive - but even one month on, I still have that momentary pause to think about which button does what. I struggle with the microwave sometimes
In everyday use, the watch counts your steps, keeps track of your heart rate, your total distance covered, calories burned, and the number of times you've climbed the stairs. You can reach all of these figures just by swiping the screen to the left, so it's fabulously easy to check how you're doing. Any gadget that attaches to your arm is never going to be 100% accurate in calculating how much your legs are moving, and the Fitbit is no different. When we walk about, our arms swing in time with our legs - but it can also be fooled by various activities. I found that it credited me with steps when I was doing the washing up; and my boy was extremely quick to realise that if he shook my arm about, he could increase my count. If you make allowances for some over-estimating, it's still a very good indicator of days when you were more active. And it's nice when it does a little celebration if you reach 10,000 steps for the day.
With the caveats mentioned for step measurement, walking distance must also be taken with a little bit of salt - but one of the big advances that this watch offers over more basic models is the heart rate data. I'm a huge fan of optical HRMs, and find them to be very reliable with only the occasional blip. The back of the watch has the telltale green laser beams that check your pulse regularly - so it figures that the watch can get a much better handle on your calorie usage.
Being a runner, I was keen to see how this watch would cope, so I took it out a few times. Obviously the battery takes a bit more of a hit, but you can still get a couple of days constant use, and a couple of runs out of it before it starts emailing you requests to be plugged in. Accuracy-wise, one of it's earlier efforts rounded off quite a few corners, giving me 5.8 miles rather than the 6.0 that my regular watch gave me. For some bizarre reason, I often find that this happens when I first run with a watch - perhaps they are a bit freaked out by me. Subsequent runs with the watch have been MUCH better - usually within a few hundredths of a mile of what I'd deem to be 'about right', which I think is reasonable for a GPS. When you run, you get distance and time, with swipe-ables for pace, average pace, heart rate, calories, steps and time of day - so the features are decent for regular running - but if you're looking for anything more advanced than that (like interval settings etc), you'd be better off with something a bit more running-specific.
The thing I was most keen on trying out was the sleep tracker. In our house I am legendary for my ability to go to sleep - I'm like one of those dolls with eyes that shut when you lie it down. The watch keeps an eye on your movements overnight, as a way of establishing how restless you are. And it tells me that I tend to move about 8-10 times during a typical night. Again though, you can fool it - if you're still enough whilst reading your book at bedtime, it can trigger the sleep mode - but you can turn up the sensitivity if this is an issue. With prolonged use, you can look for patterns in your sleep, which might be useful in explaining daytime tiredness. For example, I tend to get less sleep when I'm with my boy. Not only does he get up nice and early, but I often cram in an extra hour of internet or grown-up telly after he's gone to bed. You can't hide from a good graph. Thanks to the HRM, I also discovered that my HR gets as low as 42bpm when I'm fast asleep
Syncing with the Fitbit site and app is really slick. If you've got Bluetooth on your phone, you can install the Fitbit app, and it'll sync every time you open the app, so you can look at all your data. And the watch comes with a little USB noggin that manages the Bluetooth connection - it's low-profile enough that I've even been leaving it plugged into my laptop as I take it around with me - not something you could do with an ANT stick. The Fitbit website is also pretty slick, although there are some features that are behind the premium wall. It does let you export a TCX file for your activities though, so you can just import that to Fetch, which is entirely free, and obviously the best website for runners known to humankind.
The feature-cram continues - you can use the food database via the app or website, to keep track of your calories. There's a large database of foods, with lots of branded and supermarket-own foods, so you can build up an idea of your daily intake quite easily. I did this for a while, but I did have trouble remembering to do it - maybe the watch could detect when you were eating, or opening the biscuit cupboard, and give you an electric shock as a reminder. Along similar lines, you can also track your water intake, and your weight. With the latter, setting a weight goal trickles down into daily calorie allowances, so in theory it can be quite useful, although will power is still required
One of the nicest things to come out of trialling the watch is that my boy is fascinated by it - to the extent that he regularly asks to wear it, and regularly checks his stats. It's inspired more than a few chats about the importance of physical activity, and been really good at providing supporting evidence to give him a token reward for getting active. This is the great lure of the watch - it turns activity into a game, and really appeals to my love of stats and leaderboards and best-besting.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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Thanks for the review. I'd have loved to have seen a photo or two of it.paul the builder
""it starts emailing you requests to be plugged in"" - please tell me that's not actually true..?1:46pm, 12th Aug 2015 -
ptb - you can turn it off if it's a bother, but I've found it very useful. I didn't bother with pics, as I didn't think there's much more to see than what you can already see online.fetcheveryone1:49pm, 12th Aug 2015
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Thanks Fetch I've been toying with getting one to replace my fitbit one and your review certainly gives me some confidence that the HRM & GPS are fairly accurate.geordiegirl1:58pm, 12th Aug 2015
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thank you. I've been looking at fitbits recently so this was helpfultulip1:59pm, 12th Aug 2015
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re: the distance thing - perhaps you lean too much into the cornersHeavyweight ... and you have a whole biscuit CUPBOARD?3:05pm, 12th Aug 2015
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Ooh I want one!jennywren3:31pm, 12th Aug 2015
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Sounds excellent much better than the Garmin whatever it is that I've got. Sounds like you might have the boy's Christmas present sorted tooBaronessBL And I was going to ask exactly what your boy did regarding does it add a few more steps by shaking it like the cornflake packet pedometers do
I don't suppose you're thinking of getting any as competition prizes are you??4:26pm, 12th Aug 2015 -
I'll see what Fitbit have to sayfetcheveryone4:37pm, 12th Aug 2015
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That should be a sport.fetcheveryone6:02pm, 12th Aug 2015
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I have changed at least 22,000 nappies in my life. Terry nappies, fastened with nappy pins.Columba10:29pm, 12th Aug 2015
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and if you link it to Bounts you can get money for just moving about. Srsly. (if you want to have a go I can give you a referer's code :)) Plus you can tie it up to MyFitenessPal for better food tracking.flanker10:53pm, 12th Aug 2015
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This is interesting. have looked at fitbits as we sell them in work but wonder if i have a Garmin do i really want something more. I know they monitor sleep and that i dread to think what it will say about meNight-owl1:20pm, 13th Aug 2015
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If anyone wants one and you Parkrun you can get £15 off a Fitbit. See a Parkrun newsletter for info. Thanks for the review Fetch.Fenland Flier3:06pm, 13th Aug 2015
I like to keep a list of the books I've read in the year - because otherwise I forget. About 2.5 years ago I was completely out of the habit of reading, but then Mrs Fetch suggested that I should do more (rather than looking at my phone at bedtime). I read 19 books in 2013, and 26 in 2014. I've made it through 19 so far this year, and would like to get to 30 this year Here's my list (hoping I haven't forgotten any, I had to search through the book thread for a few reminders):
Book [SCORE OUT OF 10]
=================
The Old Curiosity Shop [4]
The Amateurs [8]
Jonathan Livingston Seagull [ZERO]
Casino Royale [5]
The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman [7]
Heart of Darkness [6]
Flowers for Algernon [8]
The Mystic Masseur [4]
Dear Lupin: Letters to a Wayward Son [5]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay [8]
Complicity [Not finished yet, but currently an 8]
Running and Stuff [10, obvs. Hi Binks!]
I, Robot [6]
The Great Gatsby [5]
Ready Player One [7]
Lila [8]
The Third Policeman [5]
Boys and Girls [7]
The God Delusion[9]
Reading TGD has given me a bit of an appetite for reading non-fiction - and maybe science-based stuff in particular - so I'd be interested to hear any recommendations. However, I've just started reading The Vesuvius Club, by Mark Gatiss. It was brought to my attention by a Fetchie (can't remember your name, sorry - do shout if it was you), because there's a villain in it called Mr Fetch It takes a bit of getting used to the style, but it's got the potential to be very good. I've also spent £3 on a second-hand electronics hobby book from eBay - it's published by the people who do Make magazine, so I'm hoping it'll be epic.
In rear-related news, I phoned the repair company today, to see what progress has been made with my car - and they say it's touch and go whether it'll be a total write-off. We've decided to sell it and start over in any case, so we're hoping it's dead, as it'll shortcut the process considerably. Does anyone have any experience of the sort of valuations that insurance companies make? The third party have admitted liability, which was a bit of a weight off my mind, even though you all kindly pointed out that it was highly likely.
Other than that, our trip to Wales was an excellent one. We:
-played rugby (me and my dad against my boy and my nephews - they were all over us);
-went laser shooting - my name was Donkey Kong - my dad thought I was being rude for some reason;
-watched Fantastic Four at the Maxime cinema in Blackwood (risen like a phoenix from the ashes of 20 years of bingo, the cinema where I watched Star Wars as a boy). Tickets for all eight of us came in at £22.50 - unbelievable. The film totally sucked donkeys, but that was no-one's fault. Where am I with my semi-colons? Ah yes;
-shot air rifles at beer cans, and (quite spectacularly) into a shaken up bottle of lemonade - I'll post a video of that soon;
-cooked sausages and burgers, and let the boys play with hatchets and knives;
-ate all we could at an all you can eat buffet in Cardiff Bay
-watched Wales 2nd XV get a bit of a shoeing at the Millenium Stadium. Result aside, it was spine-tinglingly awesome
-ran a bit - I got some new Conquercise zones! Why aren't you playing Conquercise? It's epic.
-got a lovely time-lapse video of sunrise over the Rhymney Valley - I'll upload that soon too.
And now I've got to go sort out tea. Laters Fetchies.
Here's my list (hoping I haven't forgotten any, I had to search through the book thread for a few reminders): Book [SCORE OUT OF 10]
=================
The Old Curiosity Shop [4]
The Amateurs [8]
Jonathan Livingston Seagull [ZERO]
Casino Royale [5]
The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman [7]
Heart of Darkness [6]
Flowers for Algernon [8]
The Mystic Masseur [4]
Dear Lupin: Letters to a Wayward Son [5]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay [8]
Complicity [Not finished yet, but currently an 8]
Running and Stuff [10, obvs. Hi Binks!]
I, Robot [6]
The Great Gatsby [5]
Ready Player One [7]
Lila [8]
The Third Policeman [5]
Boys and Girls [7]
The God Delusion[9]
Reading TGD has given me a bit of an appetite for reading non-fiction - and maybe science-based stuff in particular - so I'd be interested to hear any recommendations. However, I've just started reading The Vesuvius Club, by Mark Gatiss. It was brought to my attention by a Fetchie (can't remember your name, sorry - do shout if it was you), because there's a villain in it called Mr Fetch
It takes a bit of getting used to the style, but it's got the potential to be very good. I've also spent £3 on a second-hand electronics hobby book from eBay - it's published by the people who do Make magazine, so I'm hoping it'll be epic. In rear-related news, I phoned the repair company today, to see what progress has been made with my car - and they say it's touch and go whether it'll be a total write-off. We've decided to sell it and start over in any case, so we're hoping it's dead, as it'll shortcut the process considerably. Does anyone have any experience of the sort of valuations that insurance companies make? The third party have admitted liability, which was a bit of a weight off my mind, even though you all kindly pointed out that it was highly likely.
Other than that, our trip to Wales was an excellent one. We:
-played rugby (me and my dad against my boy and my nephews - they were all over us);
-went laser shooting - my name was Donkey Kong - my dad thought I was being rude for some reason;
-watched Fantastic Four at the Maxime cinema in Blackwood (risen like a phoenix from the ashes of 20 years of bingo, the cinema where I watched Star Wars as a boy). Tickets for all eight of us came in at £22.50 - unbelievable. The film totally sucked donkeys, but that was no-one's fault. Where am I with my semi-colons? Ah yes;
-shot air rifles at beer cans, and (quite spectacularly) into a shaken up bottle of lemonade - I'll post a video of that soon;
-cooked sausages and burgers, and let the boys play with hatchets and knives;
-ate all we could at an all you can eat buffet in Cardiff Bay
-watched Wales 2nd XV get a bit of a shoeing at the Millenium Stadium. Result aside, it was spine-tinglingly awesome
-ran a bit - I got some new Conquercise zones! Why aren't you playing Conquercise? It's epic.
-got a lovely time-lapse video of sunrise over the Rhymney Valley - I'll upload that soon too.
And now I've got to go sort out tea. Laters Fetchies.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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"The film totally sucked donkeys" - possibly the best review of this I've readJamieKai *chameleon*7:57pm, 11th Aug 2015
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Search car mags for similar models and mileage and when they short change you on their initial offer quote the ones you have found. Just remember that the excess will be deducted from it.kstuart8:05pm, 11th Aug 2015
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That film sucked donkeys, said the man called donkey kong.... You WERE being rude!MazH8:17pm, 11th Aug 2015
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The Blind Watchmaker by Dawkins is well written and an excellent explanation of evolution, and of the Feynman books for physics, I'm enjoying dipping into The Hidden Landscape by Richard Fortey too (a geological history of the British Isles) plus any number of books on climate change, Klein's this changes everything is supposed to be good (it's on my to read list) I also enjoyed How Bad are Bananas (by Burners-Lee)Squares
Sorry I don't know anything about cars though...8:22pm, 11th Aug 2015 -
I liked Ben Miller's book - It's not rocket science. There's a bit about cake.JustCommando!8:23pm, 11th Aug 2015
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I've read the Vesuvius Club. I wonder if it was me?McGoohan
I think lots of people are to blame for the Fantastic Four. Lots. And they all need to pay.8:45pm, 11th Aug 2015 -
PS - have you still not finished Complicity? Get your finger out!McGoohan8:47pm, 11th Aug 2015
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I thought much the same about that Seagull book - my hairdresser lent it to me saying it was the best book he'd ever read....BaronessBL I have a blog to write similar to your last one... exactly the same thing happened to me today... I thought of you and wondered if I should ask the other driver what happened and secretly film her but that's not my style.....8:54pm, 11th Aug 2015
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What about that book that ElsieToo lent you? I can't remember the name of it...Wine Legs9:38pm, 11th Aug 2015
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HelloBinks
I have read all of Dawkins and found the God Delusion a bit ranty. He has a brilliant mind and I think it should be put to better use that saying religious people are stupid.
My favourite RD book is definitely The Ancestors Tale.
If you want to read a really good and sciencey view of why we believe in religions/politics then have a read of The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. It is a really good explanation as to why religion persists and different politics too, by Labour party voters things Conservatives are a load of dicks and why Conservatives think Labour are a load of dicks.
It's possible that they are both right.10:12pm, 11th Aug 2015 -
Heart of darkness only 6! The Third Policeman 5!!!!jacdaw10:41pm, 11th Aug 2015
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The Third Policeman was a great favourite of mine back in the dim and distant days before reading books was supplanted by the internet.57.5 Days of Pain11:33pm, 11th Aug 2015
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Non-fiction with a bit of a science bent ? It's got to be Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything". Granted it's a bit of a door-stop and I picked it up never for a minute thinking I'd finish it but hey, a fortnight later, I'm so much more knowledgeable about, well ... nearly everything.z1000jeff8:45am, 12th Aug 2015
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Read itfetcheveryone My favourite BB has to be 'Notes from a Big Country' - a collection of articles he wrote for a newspaper about his return to his native country after time spent in Britain. I found NfaSI to be a bit 'listy' when I read it.
'The Righteous Mind' has gone straight in my basket but that doesn't mean I'll get round to buying it for a while, I use it as a reminder.8:57am, 12th Aug 2015 -
Nice hols.HappyG(rrr) G9:03am, 12th Aug 2015
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Bad Science by Ben Goldacre. And Whoops by John Lanchester about the financial crisis is one of the best non-fiction books I have read.LindsD9:09am, 12th Aug 2015
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"Surely you're joking Mr Feynman" is a slightly rambling, unstructured series of post-meal anecdotes, but all the better for the style. Richard Feynman is a Nobel Prize winning physisisisisisist but has some great science- and non-science stories to tell.GordonG9:23am, 12th Aug 2015
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Was. Feynmann's dead. Has been for a long time. The Bryson History of Everything is an excellent general science primer. Space Race by Deborah Cadbury is fascinating and reads like a Cold War thriller at times. Atom by Piers Bizony and Big Bang by Simon Singh are good too.The Teaboy11:08am, 12th Aug 2015
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The Right Stuff by Tom Wolff too. Got made into a film with a very good cast.The Teaboy11:12am, 12th Aug 2015
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Moondust (dunno who its by) - the stories of all the men who walked on the moon(at least those still alive) . Also, Make magazine have a really good youtube channel - Recommend it toobigleggy12:01pm, 12th Aug 2015
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Sounds like a splendid time one the crashy bits were over. My booky recommendation is "Out Of Control: The New Biology Of Machines, Social Systems And The Economic World" by Kevin Kelly. No, come back, its not as heavy as the full title makes it sound (well, the printed book is quite a sturdy tome). Available for free in a new improved (more pictures) edition as a PDF here kk.orgDvorak1:59pm, 12th Aug 2015
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I leant you Ready Player One. You leant me Catch 22, which I must return to you when I next see you.Elsie Too5:43pm, 17th Aug 2015
That *was* going to be the title of a blog about my first experiences on my new road bike - but it's now become a more appropriate title for our recent experience on our journey to Wales. If there's a government department that secretly monitors levels of innuendo and suggestion, that first sentence has probably made one of their computers start beeping.
I've brought the boy down to see his grandparents, and more importantly, to take him for his first visit to the Millennium Stadium to see Wales vs Ireland this weekend. It's a RWC warm up game, so he's already reeled off a list of players that I've had to admit will not be playing - but it should still be quite a spectacle. We're catching the train down the valley en masse, so it should be a good experience for him.
We were about 15 miles from my parents house, and driving along the 'Heads of the Valley' road. I'd just come off a little roundabout, so I'd slowed right down, and was accelerating up a short (fairly gentle) incline, when it felt like the car lost power. I pushed the accelerator (it's an automatic, there's nothing else to do), but rather than speeding up, the car came to a sudden stop. I can only assume that it got its gears mixed up. The car behind us didn't stop in time, and as a result, me and the boy and the dog got a bit of a shoeing from behind.
My first reaction, after checking that the boy was ok, was to go to the car behind us and see how the driver was. Angry was how he was. As were his three friends. It's been a long time since I last had an accident [it was about 2001, and a young lad came skidding round the corner like Geoff Duke, on my side of the road and ploughed right into the front of me). The one thing that's changed it seems is that everybody is videoing everything. One of the guys said to me (in a friendly tone): "so what happened mate?" - and I relayed my thoughts about the car losing power, and coming to a sudden stop. "Thanks", he said, with a smile - and I realised that he'd been filming me.
On the face of it, the bumpers seem to have taken most of the impact (necks not withstanding) - but my boot won't open now, and the exhaust is making a lot of noise - so potentially there could be a bigger story. We crawled it back to my parents' house where (after holding it together in front of my boy on the way) I had that post-shock moment where it all comes pouring out. There was lots of sugary tea, and sympathy, and reassurance about the fact that even if I'd stopped on purpose, the guy behind me should still have left enough room to stop too. Katie was lovely, but then (a) she always is, and (b) you knew that anyway - and gave me yet more reminders of why she's the one for me
The call to the insurance company was also strangely reassuring - I told the man at the end of the call that I knew he must get sick of reading out scripts and following the same process repeatedly, it was actually helpful to knock everything into shape. They've towed my car off to be mended (or written off hopefully - that'd be the best outcome, now that we've retrieved the Tangfastics from the glove box), and (after a massive kerfuffle over proof of ID) the hire car company have delivered a car for us to get home in.
All that remains now is to make sure that we've not suffered any significant whiplash. The boy mentioned his neck a few times yesterday, but then I was asking him about it fairly regularly, and he was certainly in good enough spirits to run across a room to attempt to deposit a fart near Grampy's face. Mine feels a bit stiff this morning, but I'm being optimistic about it. The insurance company seemed keen to get me to include a personal injury claim, but I don't want to do that unless absolutely necessary.
Right then.
I've brought the boy down to see his grandparents, and more importantly, to take him for his first visit to the Millennium Stadium to see Wales vs Ireland this weekend. It's a RWC warm up game, so he's already reeled off a list of players that I've had to admit will not be playing - but it should still be quite a spectacle. We're catching the train down the valley en masse, so it should be a good experience for him.
We were about 15 miles from my parents house, and driving along the 'Heads of the Valley' road. I'd just come off a little roundabout, so I'd slowed right down, and was accelerating up a short (fairly gentle) incline, when it felt like the car lost power. I pushed the accelerator (it's an automatic, there's nothing else to do), but rather than speeding up, the car came to a sudden stop. I can only assume that it got its gears mixed up. The car behind us didn't stop in time, and as a result, me and the boy and the dog got a bit of a shoeing from behind.
My first reaction, after checking that the boy was ok, was to go to the car behind us and see how the driver was. Angry was how he was. As were his three friends. It's been a long time since I last had an accident [it was about 2001, and a young lad came skidding round the corner like Geoff Duke, on my side of the road and ploughed right into the front of me). The one thing that's changed it seems is that everybody is videoing everything. One of the guys said to me (in a friendly tone): "so what happened mate?" - and I relayed my thoughts about the car losing power, and coming to a sudden stop. "Thanks", he said, with a smile - and I realised that he'd been filming me.
On the face of it, the bumpers seem to have taken most of the impact (necks not withstanding) - but my boot won't open now, and the exhaust is making a lot of noise - so potentially there could be a bigger story. We crawled it back to my parents' house where (after holding it together in front of my boy on the way) I had that post-shock moment where it all comes pouring out. There was lots of sugary tea, and sympathy, and reassurance about the fact that even if I'd stopped on purpose, the guy behind me should still have left enough room to stop too. Katie was lovely, but then (a) she always is, and (b) you knew that anyway - and gave me yet more reminders of why she's the one for me
The call to the insurance company was also strangely reassuring - I told the man at the end of the call that I knew he must get sick of reading out scripts and following the same process repeatedly, it was actually helpful to knock everything into shape. They've towed my car off to be mended (or written off hopefully - that'd be the best outcome, now that we've retrieved the Tangfastics from the glove box), and (after a massive kerfuffle over proof of ID) the hire car company have delivered a car for us to get home in.
All that remains now is to make sure that we've not suffered any significant whiplash. The boy mentioned his neck a few times yesterday, but then I was asking him about it fairly regularly, and he was certainly in good enough spirits to run across a room to attempt to deposit a fart near Grampy's face. Mine feels a bit stiff this morning, but I'm being optimistic about it. The insurance company seemed keen to get me to include a personal injury claim, but I don't want to do that unless absolutely necessary.
Right then.
Click here to suggest fetcheveryone's blog for today's highlights.
Comments
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What a mess. Hope all remain well and things get sorted quicklysnogard9:13am, 6th Aug 2015
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He drove into you, its his fault. There is no way around it for him, he was either too close, too fast or both.lammo9:13am, 6th Aug 2015
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Video or not, he rear-ended you. He should have allowed sufficient braking distance. His liability.McGoohan9:13am, 6th Aug 2015
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I agree with the previous posts, you could have stopped abruptly for many reasons, he was just driving too close.Limpet9:28am, 6th Aug 2015
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Get Katie to show you how to mobilise your neck properly and safely make sure you do it at the recommended intervals (with pain relief first if you need it). Srsly. It works - physio I mean, not doing as Katie says, although I'm sure a fair amount of that helps too.leaguefreak9:33am, 6th Aug 2015
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No 'ifs or buts' about it, his fault, not yours. Glad that you are keeping KatieMrs Jigs (Luverlylegs) also pleased to hear that you all seem to be fairly ok.9:38am, 6th Aug 2015
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Glad to here you are ok, even the smallest of bumps is upsetting. Looks like relatively minor damage so maybe just knock for knock.Diogenes9:40am, 6th Aug 2015
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you where rear ended, video or not, yes Re claim, you need a medic/hosp check up as even now I have vertebra damage and get neck ache after 3 or 4yrs since I was rear ended also the insurance company will be looking at whether this a crash for cash claim, by way of you was set up especially as they where filming you and lead you on with leading questions then they smiled and said thank you, its easy for any innocent to get stung and your innocent and possibly the engine management system will highlight a fault, and as others have said the other driver was too close and that's reckless driving in legal terms, hope ur ok Fetch just dont roll over and have ur belly rubbed as in the end its not funny, take care mateyWicked D9:40am, 6th Aug 2015
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Glad to here you are ok, even the smallest of bumps is upsetting. Looks like relatively minor damage so maybe just knock for knock.Diogenes9:40am, 6th Aug 2015
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Definitely his fault. But very glad you all ok that's what matters and the rescuing of the tangtastics obv !!!runnerbean9:47am, 6th Aug 2015
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Hope you both are OK, and insurance is straight forward (as it normally is).paul the builder
I wonder if everyone above always leaves sufficient space, all of the time, and is fully aware, all of the time, to avoid colliding with a car that comes to a sudden stop in front of them. I reckon if you'd been driving the second car and blogged about it, you'd be getting more of a sympathetic hearing than the guy behind you is now.9:58am, 6th Aug 2015 -
Rear ended is always the other person's fault and I think it's worth starting the claim process, so if you do need any work later, at least it's started. Hopefully not though. Always a bit scary, any kind of accident. Take care (and hope boy enjoys the rugby. My lad to Murrayfield age about 6 was a memory that will stay with me a long time!)HappyG(rrr) G9:59am, 6th Aug 2015
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You're safe liability wise, and nice to see that not everybody is in for the personal injury claim. When i got rear-ended a couple of years ago the insurance company almost insisted I took a personal injury claim. I think they like to do it immediately for a small amount, as that closes the claim, rather than leaving it open for a potentially far larger amount in the future if it becomes apparent you have a debilitating injury.flanker10:03am, 6th Aug 2015
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Hope you're both ok. Enjoy the rugby!.B.10:03am, 6th Aug 2015
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Thanks everybodyfetcheveryone Ptb - I totally get your point - one look out of the window and that stopping distance gets hairy very quickly. I have a lot of sympathy for the other driver, and I hope it makes me more considerate and respectful.10:07am, 6th Aug 2015
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Glad to hear you're all okay.. that's the most important thing. Hope the boy enjoys his first trip to the Milennium Stadium - I'm English and live in Twickenham but love the atmosphere at the Millennium, Bread of Heaven brings tears to my eyes every time...Yazoo10:54am, 6th Aug 2015
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Unlucky. Hope you're OK for whiplash. And that the car gets written off, frankly, because you don't want it pulling that sudden random stop on you again.Badger
PTB makes a good point, but they went into the back of you, there is no way that it can be argued it's all your liability, video or no.11:28am, 6th Aug 2015 -
it is really upsetting - keep on drinking sugary tea.ChrisHB12:07pm, 6th Aug 2015
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Pretty much what all of them ^ have said. It's their fault - they were too close/not paying attention/going too fast perhaps all 3. Hope you are all OK and enjoy the MilenniumBaronessBL12:47pm, 6th Aug 2015
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Your OK, 'the boy' is OK...but what about Stephen? Hope he is running around and is fit as a fiddle.The Ant Hill Mob1:35pm, 6th Aug 2015
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Glad you're both ok. It's never a good experience but hopefully it will get sorted quickly.GimmeMedals3:45pm, 6th Aug 2015
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Heads of valleys is nightmare fir accidents and speeding drivers anyway. Glad you're all ok. Wave when you come through ystrad on the train. B*Anj*5:08pm, 6th Aug 2015
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I feel for you, I had something similar happen a few years ago, I was turning left at a roundabout and had just pulled away, my car slowed slightly as I changed up into 2nd gear and the guy behind rear ended my car. He had the gall to suggest I had reversed into him!! Then he said I must have at least stopped and was really aggressive. I was on my own with my son who was about 5 or 6. It was awful. In the end he was liable, I got my excess back.Pikelet7:35pm, 6th Aug 2015
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Second what *Anj* says about the HoV. I hate it. Hope your necks are all fine and the rugby is great fun.LazyDaisy8:01pm, 6th Aug 2015
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I got rear-ended on my way to RNR last year. All done and dusted and nobody hurt or anything. The other bloke's claim handler said to me at one point, "Now about your personal injury claim..." and was shocked when I said I was fine. They'd already put a couple of grand aside for it. I said any pain in my neck the next day was probably down to the four or five hours I spent riding round Norfolk on my bike on escort duties for the runners.RichHL
Glad you're all okay too.10:02pm, 6th Aug 2015 -
I guess it's all in the pipeline now but you definitely need to have the insurance bit started, which it sounds like it is from your blog. You're ok is main thing.Nightjar2:04pm, 10th Aug 2015
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I hope the second half was worth it! The first certainly wasn't.flanker4:42pm, 10th Aug 2015
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Sorry to read this just catching up glad you are all ok. Always thought the onus was on the car following to leave sufficient space. Hope things work out for the best.Night-owl4:45pm, 13th Aug 2015
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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
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