RED FEB - How hard can it be?

[Shake-and-run]

Run every day for the month of February seemed like a reasonable challenge to me. It was something I had never attempted before and February is, after all, the shortest month. Pancreatic Cancer UK offered me a T-shirt for some sponsorship if I would do 28 miles in February and I also found a medal for doing a minimum of a km every day. So I was soon set up with a pledge to run every day for a month and some incentive not to give up. I was also fortunate to have TailChaser to run with me one night a week and Parkrun for the weekend, so I didn’t feel alone.

I seldom run consecutive days so there were practical things to organise, like having enough kit and organising the washing machine. Then there was the shouty calf muscle, would daily short runs strengthen it and perhaps help, or just make it worse?

I had no plan but my runs were usually 2-3 kms, sometimes 5km and occasionally 1km (particularly if it was a busy day and I was short of time). I ran in two countries (England and France) and at different times of the day, including before sunrise and after sunset.

The first week was not too bad as I re-discovered my circuits close to home. The second was harder, as I started to find fatigue setting in (some days I was also doing a couple of hours cycling as well). Week 3 I started feeling stronger, my pace was consistently faster (not by huge numbers but still faster) and I was getting PBs on some of the segments. By Tuesday of the third week I had completed the 28 miles for Pancreatic Cancer UK but the weather was now adding to the challenge. Various named storms (Dudley, Eunice and Franklin) kept delivering strong winds, making it difficult to run in a straight line or even draw breath but I kept going out, trying to pick a time when it was the most convivial. In the final week, I switched locations and welcomed the calmer weather of SW France. The terrain is a little more hilly and in the last two days I seem to have no strength. But as the sun was setting on the 28th February I trotted through the vineyards and finished the challenge. 24 hours later I had a temperature and the snuffles, may be that is why the last few days were so hard. I hope so as I don’t want to lose the strength that I have gained, and I really don’t want to do it all again!

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

Very well done with your RED FEB 👍👏👏👏Especially with battling the 3 storms as well .

Interesting how you started getting the PB's after a couple of weeks 😁👍

[TailChaser Graduate10]

Super proud of you Shakes, well done 👍🥳👏👏👏 Hope you feel better very soon 🤗x

[Beatlesforever Graduate10]

Very well done!! I'm always in awe of anyone who does RED 💪 👏👏👏 lovely piccies too, well done again 😀

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

Huge well done to you Shakes, that’s an awesome achievement!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Huge well done you... ! I did Red January this year, but that was not confined to runs... Hope you are feeling better now xx

[Cmoi Graduate10]

Fantastic achievement Shake-and-run , congratulations!

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Very well done shake-and-run. Running every day in February is amazing . I only got out twice a week in that weather! Well done for raising money for pancreatic cancer too. Enjoy France 🇫🇷

[Mormor1 Graduate10]

Very impressed by your red Feb, good going.

[Cowladyrunning Graduate10]

Well done! That was a tough month with all those storms!

[Lizcanrun Graduate10]

Wow! That's such a great story! Well done!!!

[Katnap Graduate10]

Great stuff Shakes! If you are still able to get some walking and cycling in, you will still keep that new fitness.Good luck with your recovery!

🐱 Katnap 🐱