A Fetch Mile

I’m a bit behind in this week’s updates; the Badger was away all last week so since his return on Saturday we’ve been enjoying the limited time we have together after our respective busy working days. Before he got back however, I had the opportunity to participate in my first Fetch Mile!

So – Fetch. I’m trying to figure out how to describe it succinctly, but it’s a little tricky. First of all it’s a website; a UK running website, which is on the surface, a *little* like facebook for runners. When you sign up you have a profile you can complete which features a biography space, sections for your racing experience and personal bests, a picture gallery, a blog, and other running stats like your personal WAVA% and your running clubs, shoes and a training log. There is a huge forum to chat to other runners about everything under the sun, a race directory, a route map database, injury information, and plenty of articles to read. The owner also writes a newsletter every week with some serious statistical analysis based on the training that members input into the site. Such as – the typical effects on member’s 10k personal best times when they’ve been doing interval training.

Primarily of course, it’s a great resource to meet other runners local to you. Fetch Miles are when people in a certain area get together at a local track and race a timed mile and socialise. It’s a chance to meet newer members and put faces to usernames – and work on your Mile PB!

There were about 16 runners and various other partners/children/friends. Traditionally it would seem that everyone wears their Fetch gear – looks like I need to get me a Fetch vest! Wear one of those in any race across the UK and there’s a 99% chance you’ll either a) see another ‘Fetchie’ running or b) hear shouts of ‘Go Fetchieeeee!!!’ coming from the crowds. In bigger races of course, there is the Fetchpoint – as recently featured locally in the Stonehaven Half Marathon.

The morning kicked off at 10am at Aberdeen Sports Village – the big University/city run sports complex which luckily I have a free membership to due to my job at the University. It has a huge gym, full-size indoor football pitch, basketball courts, squash courts, indoor 100m track and indoor athletics facilities such as pole vault and long jump as well. In the next year construction will start on the huge aquatics centre as well, which will be the biggest swimming facility North of Stirling.

Anyway, we split ourselves in to three groups – 8 minute plus, 7 – 8minutes and sub-7minute miles. I correctly opted for the middle ground.

The 8 minute plus group headed out first. Each runner was assigned a timer person with a garmin who was responsible for tracking their time.

The speedster sub-7s went next. You can spot Mike second from left – he was the one who initially introduced me to the cult of Fetch.

So fast! The fastest run of the day was ran by The Duckinator (seen on the right above) in a time of 05m 41s.

Mike crossed the line in his predicted time of 5m51s.

Us middle of the road lot came last.

I had never run a mile before, and the last time I was anywhere near an athletic track was school sports day 11 years ago and the memories still make my stomach turn. You see, everyone had to run the 100m on sports day, and then had to pick a minimum of one track event out of the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m events. I have terrible memories of being amongst the slowest and being placed in the last heat on sports day, alongside girls who rather liked their pies too much and had other varying excuses and reasons for their lack of speed. I have a memory of trying so hard one year, that I tripped over myself and landed arse over tit in front of a stadium stand of parents. Ritual humiliation – at the heart of every British school education.

I was unsure of how to approach it – I figured if I tried to keep my speed under 8:00m/mile then that would be a good start, and then sprint all out on the last 200 meters. As it happened it was very windy – the 200 and 300m sections of the track were tough to run hard in to…but you got blown away across the finish line!

This is commencing the final lap – I was bringing up the rear of the pack – you can see the chap who won our heat to the right of my shoulder.

Wheeee! Flying over the finish line! I then thought I was going to throw up – I’m told this is a good sign when racing a mile! My official time? 7 minutes 40 seconds I thought it might be something like that. I look forward to the next opportunity I have to beat my time!

I had so much fun; everyone from Fetch is so lovely and it’s great to talk about local running and know that you’ll recognise faces at each race. It’s such a friendly and inclusive site and I love how anywhere you go in the UK with a Fetch top on, there’ll be someone that knows what you’re about – it’s like a secret club

After the mile I went to the gym and ran another 4 on the treadmill – my first treadmill run in months! I didn’t like it – treadmills are so boring, but it was more miles in the legs and that’s all that counts. The next day however I tackled my biggest run yet…17 miles! SEVENTEEN?!? I mapped out a ridiculous route around Aberdeen and I found that running on the pavements actually kept me entertained – I didn’t get bored and lonely at all, not like my last long slow run of 15 miles where I found my mojo flagging. I took a camelbak and two gels and experienced no leg or knee pain – I was so chuffed. My feet took a real battering however, and one of my nails is entirely lifted off my nail bed with a blister. Nice!

This weekend heralds another race – the Ballater 10 mile race, which is quite hilly. I’m looking forward to this distance – I think it will be perfect for me and am hoping for between 1hr 30m and 1hr 40m.

All photos used with thanks to Liam Hare (Mr Nywanda)