Fetcheveryone Member of the Month

Hills of Death (HOD) asks: Well done mate well deserved can you give me advice on how to grow a proper grown up moustache ?

Nellers says: Just do the best you can, mate, and one day if you're really lucky you'll manage to emulate my outstanding efforts.;-)

GregP asks: You never close your eyes. Anymore. When I kiss. Your leeeee-eeeeeyips.

Discuss.

Nellers says: If you don't know me by now you are never ever gonna know me at aaa-aaaaa-aaaaaaall!

Nick Cook asks: Do you look anything like Brian Blessed? Is he your hero? (I think he's great!)

Nellers says: He is my hero in an awful lot of ways. I've tried to follow the example he set in the way I've lived my life. I often find myself asking "What woudl Brian Do?" And yes, I look exactly like Brian the Blessed (except for my height, weight, hair colour, eye colour and lack of a beard or wings).

Mushroom asks: Do you think the time is right for a Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd-Webber collaboration to create 'Flash Gordon The Musical'?

Nellers says: I'm not geenerally a big fan of musical theatre but I would pay real money to see "FlashGordon The Musical".

Legless asks: Buffy or Willow????

Nellers says: That's easy. Willow every time. You see, there was this one time at band camp.......

emdee asks: Is Gordon alive?

Nellers says: Yes, and he is having a successful second career in the Gin Distilling business.

RichHL asks: How long did it take you to become so awesome?

Nellers says: It's a work in progress. 43 years so far but every day in every way I'm getting better and better.*twitch*

HappyG(rrr) asks: Oh, very well done indeed. What is more fun/rewarding - supporting others, a la Fetchpoint or coaching, one to one support etc. in their race goals or getting a PB oneself? Discuss! Many congrats again. Hope you're feeling very well. :-)G

Nellers says: The sense of achievement when a race goes really well is huge. The feeling that you've taken it on and delivered, that all that training has paid off and has got you to that point, that the planning and effort and all has not been for nothing. I don't know anything that gives you that apart from running.

And having said that I've loved sharing a little of the joy that other Fetchies have got from performing well when I've been able to help in some way. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on Oceanspirit's face at the Southend Fetch Mile back in 2009 when she ran her first sub-9 minute mile with me. That was rather special.

I don't think I could choose one over the other. I'm greedy. I want both.

BigChiefRunningBore asks: What is your ideal number of sausages for:-
a) sausages sandwich
b) toad in the whole
c) bangers and mash
d) The Great Sausage Festival

e) generally

Nellers says: 4

Stepford Wife asks: If someone got cramp in the first mile of a marathon, what would you advise?

Nellers says: Suck it up, Buttercup.;-)

No seriously it depends on what the race means in terms of what you've invested and what you need to get out of it. There's no point in doing permanent or serious damage to yourself but sometimes you just need to tough it out and get through it. I don't think I'm the man to advise people on this matter, though.

KOG asks: which is better recovery from severe death or winning MOTM? (congratulations on both by the way ;))

Nellers says: Rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. It was only a mild case of death. Winning MOTM, however, ranks up there with the birth of my children and learning to ride a 2 wheeler.

Angus Clydesdale asks: Congratulations!
So you've only got 14 hours to save the Earth. Where would you start?

Nellers says: Slough. It looks like it really needs saving.

MaT.T asks: Congrats Sir! Which Game of Thrones character do you think would get the best marathon time and why?

Nellers says: Honour, Jaime Lannister's horse because.......well, he's a horse!

Ted asks: Buffy and Willow????

Nellers says: At a push, but I'm only human.

MissChappo asks: If you could go round again, what job would you do? (PS nice one, well done )

Nellers says: Either the sweat-effect applicator on the set of Baywatch or captain of the Millenium Falcon.;-)

WobblyBob asks: GFA.... will you do it?

Nellers says: Honestly I have no idea. I hope so and I think it's within my ability (given the right training and build-up) but it's a long way from where I am now and you never know what will happen. I expected to be a bit closer to it by now than I am to be honest so if I was putting numbers on it right now I'd say I'm 40/60 that I'll get there eventually. Either way, though, it'll be a fun and interesting journey.

Johnny Blaze asks: HTJI. Are you a subscriber to Ice Age 2 being the death of narrative cinema?

Nellers says: Yes and no. I certainly felt that narative cinema was dealt a huge blow by the episodic sketch-based laugh-free fest taht was Ice-Age 2. However since then I've seen some great films so I'd have to colcude that Narrative Cinema is not quite dead yet.

Which is nice.

Sunbed Athlete asks: What is the one thing that stands out that a school teacher said to you when you were younger? Can you laugh in his/her face with what they said or were they bang on? Congrats on the MOTM !! You follow a long list of strange and wonderful people! Weel done!!

Nellers says: One of my PE teachers put in my report that "Neil is not a natural sportsman and never will be", which I was amused by given that I was rubbish at Football, Cricket and Rugby but was the equivalent of county level at Canoe Marathon racing at the time. In fairness I think they were pretty accurate but it did seem a little ironic.

Tiggia asks: Congrats you lovely man. What's the race performance you're most proud of?

Nellers says: 2011 Southend Half Marathon. Still my PB. It was a perfect storm of quality preparation, good conditions on the day and a couple of people that I knew who were positioned right for me to chase them down when I needed to dig in. I genuinely thought I must have stopped the watch early when I looked after crossing the line. I've never got within 3 minutes of that time since.

BaronessBL asks: Congratulations Nellers.....which is worse running a marathon with an (at the time) undiagnosed condition that felt like cramp or doing the Benfleet 15 when perfectly healthy?

Nellers says: I don't actually think I had an undiagnosed condition when I did Brighton but I probably gave myself some (temporary) problems by running it with cramp. I'd have to say that the marathon in that situation was pretty miserable for quite some time. Probably the most miserable I've been during a race ever. Having said that I'm planning to do more marathons whereas I think I could manage without running the Benfleet 15 ever again. The last time I ran it (on the old course starting and finishing at the school on Canvey) I swear that the mud was so wet on some of those hills that it was flowing down the paths like rivers as we were trying to run up them! it is quite an experience.

FraserFud asks: congratulations. What is your preffered member of the onion family...and why?

Nellers says: Ser Davos Seaworth, obviously. Loyal, brave, principled and a good family man. Everyone loves Davos, right? And he carries his fingerbones in a pouch round his neck.

Hackett asks: Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

Nellers says: Would a fly without wings qualify for the Insectoid Paralympics?

Dirk asks: Congrats.....2 questions:
Why Brian Blessed? and how did you get nominated?

Nellers says: I think the more pertinent question is why more people don't have Brian Blessed as their avatars, although that would get rather confusing. I think I was nominated due to my general awesomeness and the obvious need for the vouchers provided by our lovely sponsors, Simplyrun.co.uk. (Yeah, I can do corporate when I need to.;-))

Crash Hamster asks: Judean People's Front or the People's Front of Judea? How's your calf anyway? Why can't I count to one?

Nellers says: Judean People's Front clearly. The People's Front of Judea are a bunch of splitters. And while we're about it whatever happened to the Popular Front of Judea? My calf is fine now, ta. The swelling has all gone down and it can move about freely again. Is the last bit a philosophical musing along the lines of "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"

the vicious chicken asks: Congratulations, Nellers! What (if anything) do you now know about running that you wish you'd known when you were a running novice?

Nellers says: "You're running too fast" was the single best bit of advice that I was given very soon after I discovered running and Fetch. I can't actually remember who said it to me (maybe Gobi?) but he was right and it seems to be just about the perfect advice for any novice runner because we all think that to be "running" we have to be pushing our limit all the time. Running slower makes it so much more pleasant, so much more likely that you won't get injured and so much more likely that you won't hate it and will carry on running.

That and bodyglide.;-)

RuthB2 asks: If you could change one thing about your running, what would it be?

Nellers says: This is going to sound either really hippy or really conceited but I don't think I'd change anything. Even the mistakes I have made and the injuries I've had have been part of the experience. Without them I wouldn't have got here, to this point, knowing what I know and running as I do. I might be faster than I am if I tweaked something early on in my running but is faster the same as better? Is it more valuable than happier? Running is a challenge for me. I don't have any particular natural ability or talent. That's half the fun, though. Can I make this sow's ear look a bit more like a silk purse? The fun is in the journey. If you're all about the destination then take a flight, right?

Lee Wren asks: rain or wind?

Nellers says: Rain. Once you're moving you can get warm and stay warm when you're soaked. Wind slows you down and makes you cold regardless of what you're wearing.

Jubear asks: Well done Nellers you seem like a decent sort. What have you found harder a) to train for and b) to race - a tough DW or a tough marathon?

Nellers says: Logistically training for a DW is more complicated and needs more planning. Physically, though, I think marathon training is harder. The actual race, though? Nothing I've ever done compares to the DW. It is the most extreme endurance event I've ever attempted and 15 years later I still carry the scars.

Bru-Bru asks: Congrats on MOM! What is your favourite film? Just one, now....

Nellers says: Just one is the tricky bit. I could list off a dozen films that are really excellent, or that I have really fond memories of, or that have elements that have stayed with me years later. If I had to narrow it down to just one film I think it would have to be The Life Of Brian. It's such a brilliantly funny but thoughtful film. Silly, irreverent, thought-provoking and profound. It caused such a huge reaction when first released that it has to have a lot going for it, doesn't it. I've seen it dozens of times and it still makes me laugh.

Longwayround [LWR] asks: Do you prefer crunchy or smooth peanut butter?

Nellers says: Smooth. I think that suits my personallity.

Fat Dave asks: Hello sir. Well deserved, obviously.

Looking back now, what is your BEST memory of this year's Brighton Marathon?

Nellers says: The last mile or so. When Kazza caught me up and told me she was going for a PB I at last had something to work for so I dug in a bit and we ran in together. It was great seeing Kaz get that time. She's really earned that. And PBing in your 102 marathon says a lot for the need for patience and consistency in this game, I think. She's a real athlete and I admire her achievements an awful lot.

JamieKai *chameleon* asks: A very well deserved MOTM Now then, what plans do you have in place for the Zombie Apocalypse?

Nellers says: Aerodic exercise, obviously, and always having escape routes and a well fuelled moter vehicle. That and a chainsaw.

SarahWoo asks: Congratulations! Very well deserved. Why do you think there aren't more male hugathonners?

Nellers says: A lot of men aren't as secure in their masculinity as others and shy away from such things. That's fine by me. I'm quite comfortable with the situation. I also have no problem with manhugs, so if any blokes do want to join us there's always room.

That sounds very wrong, doesn't it? Oh well.

Mrs Winkle asks: Jolly well done Nellers! If you decided to become a woman, what would your name be and what "look" would you favour?

Nellers says: I would want to be called Loretta and I would dress in the style of Florence Nightingale.

SouthendAl asks: Yay! Well done Nellers, thoroughly well deserved. So, who should sit on the Iron Throne, and why. No spoilers please.

Nellers says: As it's an incredibly sharp and uncomfortable throne to sit on I think Stander would be perfect.;-)

Dick! asks: Gordons alive ?

Nellers says: Gordon's Gin, I think you'll find.

Night-owl asks: Congrats Nellers Have you ever met Brian Blessed if so how did you meet if not how do you think you would react. Do you think he's ever heard of you and do you follow him on Twitter

Nellers says: I've never actually met Lord Brian the Blessed but I do follow him on twitter. I would imagine he has heard of me. I'm kind of a big deal, right?

neems asks: Well done Nellers! What's your favourite race distance and why?

Nellers says: Much as I love parkrun and really enjoy 5ks I'd have to say that I get most satisfaction from a Half Marathon. It's long enough to be a real endurance event (I can hear all you Ultra runners curling your toes in your Hokas but you know what I mean) but you have to hit at a decent speed too. You have to really race it, and if you get your pacing wrong you're risking a blow-up and a decent distance of struggling, so it takes a bit of bottle to really attack it. Sometimes it goes wrong and you end up with egg on your face but that's the risk and the joy, isn't it. If it was a safe result then what would be the point.

ChrisHB asks: Where do you write all the intelligent, thoughtful and challenging stuff nowadays?

Nellers says: The sad truth is, Chris, that I've not been writing much at all recently. I've done my usual occasional blogs about my running or my health or whatever but nothing serious. You asking this, though, has got me thinking. Maybe I should do a thoughtful, thought=provoking blog or 2 and see what happens. Maybe I will. Thanks for asking the question.

Hendo asks: Well done old boy. What question do you wish you'd been asked and haven't?

Nellers says: I wish someone had asked something truly obscure and trivial but that I knew so I could show off how knowledgeable and interesting I am. But they didn't. So my genius will remain hidden.