Fetcheveryone Member of the Month

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

Gobi says: I laughed when I read this. I'm not an exciting food man so my last
meal is the same as my favourite post race meal.

Garlic Bread with cheese,
Margarita Pizza,
Vanilla ice cream,

Full fat coke

Happiness!

I did have to consider if as it's the last one would I have pepperoni
which quite often appears on a proper dirty post race pizza.

Weighted up, I realised when the push comes in I just like a good

dirty Pizza hut deep pan Margarita:-)

geordiegirl asks: And the legend is recognised. So what I’d like to know (as someone trying to take on longer runs)…. What is your favourite/most proud moment in your running career? What can us mere mortals learn from your vast experience? Oh and congratulations Gobi

Gobi says: This took a long time to answer, as strange as it sounds my running
career is full of disappointment, frustration and missed

opportunities. There have been the marathon and ultra wins but
actually being selected for and then running for Wales was the

moment. They say a picture says 1000 words



I didn't have a great run but the look on my face says how I felt as i
ran to the line.
I remember how proud of me my mother was and what can possibly

be more important than making your mother proud?

What can you learn from me. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY !! Seriously,
the body is an amazing tool and tells you when it needs a rest.

Enjoy running, if you don't want to run and hate training then step
back and evaluate. I saw the 30 mile long run as a nice way to pass
4 or 5 hours, if this is a chore then you are doing it wrong!!

_andy asks: Congrats, loud one! Let's go for inspirations... who or what has inspired you most in terms of your running career? And/or life in general?

Gobi says: Im not great on this side of things. I've always pushed myself

and been driven by my own will but digging into my head I

realise I was shaped by 3 things:

1. The guidance teacher at school telling my mother that I had no
hope and was heading for prison.
2. Sebastian Coe 1980 Moscow - I'm 52 this year and still want to

Run 800/1500 metres like him. Not just the winning , being a favourite

and not winning, picking himself up and going again.
3. Being told at 31 I'd never be a great runner based off 1 breathing

test on a course. I can still see the guys face now.

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

Gobi says: Assuming my body was fit enough to do the training.

Obviously I've done the Comrades and would give up everything

to be able to race this incredible race again however, the one race I

never got to do was Spartathlon, it was on my list just before the
body said no.

spartathlon.gr

RRR-CAZ 🇬🇧 asks: Congratulations- Given a golden ticket to any sporting event what would you watch ?

Gobi says: 1980 Moscow Seb Coe 1500 final , assuming time travel

Otherwise Stanley Cup Finals

Mushroom asks: Congratulations. Is there a market for a combined sachet of ketchup and mayo, and what would you call it?

Gobi says: No , no and no

Ketchup is all you should ever need !!!

Alice the Camel asks: Congratulations Gobi! Best donut? And why the love of orange?

Gobi says: Mmm donuts - ironically and for reasons I don't fully understand the
donut I'd take over all others is a Greg's Caramel Custard closely

followed by a good old fashioned Jam donut preferably from the

local farm shop.

The orange issue was caused by a car. 2010 I was cycling more and
decided it was time for a small MPV type vehicle. The Fiat Qubo(ugly
thing) was chosen and so I decided if I was having one I was getting
a bad colour. They had putrid green and orange so I asked my daughter.
She said green so I ordered the orange one. On questioning I told her
if you want green then green is cool, I am your father and am not cool.
From there it just snowballed with tyre lever, buffs then arm

warmers, then a jersey and suddenly it was everywhere. These days
it is part of who I am and a long way from the black and white man

Of my 20s.

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

Gobi says: God, I have questions

chunkywizard asks: Well done! My question is, what are 3 things do most Fetchies not know about you?

Gobi says: Wow, this is dangerous and really puts me on the spot of what I

own up to.

I was suspended from school after dying my hair electric blue and
yellow. It was 1985 and hair dye was normal
I've been arrested.
I was a schoolboy soprano soloist with some potential who stopped
singing after my voice broke. I just didn't like the new sound.

Solo asks: Congratulations Gobi! I thought you had already won this so very much deserved. If you could choose only one, running or cycling? And why?

Gobi says: I believe I won in 2005 or 2006 before it was really a thing and when

Fetch was a much smaller site.

Running, I can't stop even though I was told to way back in 2012. Why?
Seb Coe Moscow 1980. Still makes me want to run fast just thinking

about it.

Ocelot Spleens asks: Tell us all about Donuts and how they fit into training?

Gobi says: Donuts are one of gods creations for happiness along with pizza

, ice cream and coca cola.

They fit carefully and in moments of extreme bad days or really good
days or when you need carbs or when you want one or when.....

They just fit:-)

Nicholls595 asks: If water was bright orange, would you swim more?

Gobi says: No ! 😀

Sombrero asks: Congratulations. Its known that you have a love of orange, but do you like the fruit?

Gobi says: I do , although I prefer satsumas through choice especially easy
peelers .

Ness asks: Congratulations! If money and time were no object, where would your ideal holiday be? What sort of things would you do on that holiday? Why would you choose it?

Gobi says: You would find me in the alps with a few bikes and my running
shoes. Happiness is doing what you enjoy and I like climbing
mountains on a bike or in trainers.

The only difference to now is with money I'd buy a big house to
live in while there and stay longer

FlyingScotsman asks: Congratulations! If you were a professional athlete in any sport, what song would you want playing as you walked out onto the pitch?

Gobi says: Many years ago I played in a five aside league and we always used
to get in the oppositions head by playing Things can only get better
by D:Ream . They were good times and we played well. So this is
my song when I need to lift myself.

Welshpoppy asks: Congratulations! If you could offer three words of wisdom to runners what would it be?

Gobi says: Enjoy every run

Hills of Death (HOD) asks: Congratulations lord I thought you already won 😜. I know you’re a quiet shy chap what’s your favourite subject to talk on … also what the best running shoe EVER and why.

Gobi says: Previous winner , see above .

Obviously I love to talk about training, be it methods , shoes, clothing.

Nike Jasari - the perfect upper on the perfect sole. I miss this shoe.

Big_G asks: Congrats! What’s the number one thing you’d recommend to an experienced long distance runner hoping to get quicker (at running)?

Gobi says: Don't be afraid of real speedwork. Seriously, hit the track and do
100s

200s
400s

800s

Run full gas , experience the pure excitement of running fast.

Remember, fast is relative to yourself only. 5k pace feels fast if you
never run faster.

RFJ asks: At last, but thought you had won before,I have learnt so much from you over the years and value your friendship too, as we know you run on coffee.... what is your favorite brand and strength (other than strong without milk.... :-))

Gobi says: 05 or 06 after a Comrades mate. We go back a lot of years you and
I, we have experienced many good and bad running days as friends
sharing many a laugh over a pizza or a coffee.

So coffee, I like it strong

Black Donkey Devil roast is my go to bean.

Taylors Hot Lava Java is what I put in my cafetiere

I find both to be very enjoyable.

I did buy a few other brands of strong coffee but they either were

not strong or just didn't have a good taste.

When you drink coffee Black and without Sugar taste really matters

Night-owl asks: Congratulations Gobi. You've given out lots of good advice over the years. What's the best advice you've received

Gobi says: It's really the extended version of Enjoy Every Run

There are no short cuts so train hard when you need to, train

smart because you have to but only run if you want to. Running
should not be a chore, if it is you are doing something wrong.

Angus Clydesdale asks: Congratulations Coach PoD. I really enjoyed your house of pain last year and hope to be back soon. Question: if I was buying you a motorcycle, which one would you like (and why)?

Gobi says: Hey chap, you know where we are and you are always welcome.

I own a 2003 Kawasaki z1000 which is the bike of my dreams.

However, as the fates have it I'd like a Bimota SB6

motorcyclespecs.co.za

I owned one for a period and it was hard to ride but my god was
it pretty to look at. I miss this bike

minardi asks: Many congratulations Gobi. What is the worse bit of advice you've ever heard?

Gobi says: Oh blimey I could write pages on bad advice but the worst advice

I ever heard was that someone with minimal experience could run

a marathon off 4 weeks training having just recovered from a bad

injury.

The actual phrase used was of course you can run getting through

a marathon is more mental than physical!!!

I appreciate that complete and compete are very different but

sometimes the phrase no that is silly should be used.

Sadly if there is one negative thing that Fetcheveryone is scary for

it is bad/dangerously optimisitc training advice.

GregP asks: Congratulations Coach. We have this conversation a lot off-line, but do you want to share your advice for people that may have started to feel that exercise is all a bit hard and that the sofa is lovely and soft?

Gobi says: Nice question Greppers and one that was harder to answer than it should have been. I think the reason for that is that the answer is STEP BACK and sit on the sofa. Find something you enjoy. If you don't want to do something don't force it. We all fall in and out of love with things. Seriously, none of us NEED to do this but we generally want to be healthier. Whatever it is, find something you enjoy and do that. Sometimes , the sport changes as you change.

Velociraptor asks: Congratulations, Gobi. You've got decades of experience of coaching athletes of all abilities. Would you ever refuse to take on someone who approached you for coaching, and what factors would make you decide that you wouldn't be able to work with that person?

Gobi says: Hey Velo , I will reject someone and have done so on more than one
occasion. As part of the build up to working with someone I do a

sort of screening with questions around what they do currently,

available time, training restrictions, the end goal, Personality. I am
quite old school and say things how they are and this doesn't work

for everyone.

The big blocker usually is restrictions. Closely followed by
personality mismatch

I want to train hard for x race but I must do club every Tuesday,

Thursday and Saturday. So basically make me faster but have

no impact on my current failing routine. Even I cannot perform
Miracles!!

Mandymoo asks: V'rap has asked what I was going to ask so my question is what is your go to food after a race to refuel

Gobi says: Pizza , it is part of the circle of life.

EvilPixie asks: Well done coach So you said yoga was a No but after trialling it are an advocate You said Zwift was a NO NEVER but now love it.
What other training techniques do you currently rule out but would like the time to test out and why

Gobi says: Hi Pix - for the record I still hate Yoga , however there is no doubt I am
a firm advocate of it as a part of training. This and weight training
are crucial and more so as we age.

Zwift, this is a hard one. I don't love it however, it gave me a focus

during lockdown and my training has certainly benefitted from the
competitive edge it gave me. Post covid I race much less, use Zwift

much less but the group intervals and social aspect still give me

more than I expected. So love it ? No, but I am an advocate of using
it SOCIALLY and for RACING.

Funny enough, I train with power on the bike and recently had the

chance to use a Stryd power meter for running. Given that power
is absolute I thought it may bring something to my training.
However, i was left totally unconvinced by the random numbers.
The fact they basically confirmed my heart rate zones were good

just left me not seeing the point. Ruled out for now but I can see

this item getting another chance at some point .