Red January Part 1!

We're both big fans of Red January and try to do it every year. Its ethos to Rise Every Day really chimes with our own belief that movement is vital to good mental health, at least it is to ours! This year we thought we'd keep a diary of how we do, we're updating it throughout the month and taking it in turns to write entries, we hope it helps if you're thinking of doing a similar month-long challenge.

Helen

Day 1 was always going to be an easy one as I’ve managed for the last seven years to do a run on the last day of the year and a run on the first day of the year.  I’m a sucker for a badge and tick - thanks Garmin!  It will be the rest of the month that will be tricky.  As I tend to overthink things - do I need to run every day, will my 7 mins exercise be ok (I use the app Seven - not an advert), do I need to log it on Garmin, Strava and my excel file (I’ll share more of my crazy when I set up my excel file for this year’s training).

So, welcome to day 2. Another little present is that I started my period and due to perimenopause or stress or whatever the doctors want to blame it on I have a really irregular cycle so I never know when my visitor is coming.  So today I have managed a 7 min workout and 10 mins of sweaty yoga (using YouTube).

Not sure I’ll make an update every day, but Day 3, the plan was to go for a run while my boy was playing football.  The game got cancelled because of a frozen pitch so here I am at 17:30 still trying to get out of the house.  I have done my seven minutes but really trying to do something on top as I do this normally (well, when I remember). I have also put the Christmas decorations away (not back up in the attic yet but all boxed up), does this count?  I am going for a walk!  I made it out for a quick 10mins and convinced myself I saw a shooting star, so totally worth it

Sunday Run Day, day 4 was an “easy one” bloody cold though!  I went for my run while my boy was at rugby practice. This might become a theme as day 5 I went for a run while he was at football practice - still cold!

Day 6 and today I’m so tired, first day of back to reality for me as yesterday was an inset day (I did work over the 2 week holidays, but from home).  Everything is starting to ache and if it wasn't for the red january challenge I think I would have skipped today.  I dragged myself to my boxercise class and had a really good time.  Just really hoping my kids want to sleep tonight because I could really do with an early night!

Day 7, 8:30pm I still have not ne anything for Red January!  I’m so tired….truth be told this is the where I said I did something as part of the blog and just go to bed (if my kids let me). I’m so lucky to be part of this group though as when I was doom scrolling the first post I see was someone slaying it in our group.  So off I go to do yoga, thank you Badass Mother Runners

A quick reflection on the first 7 days; there were days when I truly didn’t want to do anything, when I over-thought what counted as exercise for Red January but I have not regretted it.  Tonight for example after my yoga I am still tired but no longer exhausted, just relaxed.

Read here for Beth's instalment of the second week where she battles back to school inertia!