Red January

[Penoverfifty]

Has anyone else thought about or done Red January, where you run every day? I’m thinking of having a weight loss / fitness push month and wondered how others had found it?? Do you still do 30 minutes or less?

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Hello. I do Red January, as have a few folk Graduates of C25K mainly, because as  Instructor57 says , this forum is for those folk, just on their way to that Graduation programme

Firstly, you don't have to run if that is not your choice. This is so important, and for anyone not yet Graduated, running on consecutive days is not in the C25K plan, ( other activities on their rest days may work )!

You can do any activity you choose and do it for as long as you wish.. I've always taken the marker of at least 10 minutes activity I mixed up my activities too, because of weather conditions but the activity varied from an indoor dance workout to a long 10 K in the Peak District on a glorious morning!

Red January Guidelines state.. (I am putting this here in case any NON Graduates are reading this I quote...

"Your fellow REDers either choose something they already love to do, and commit to doing it more often or for longer, or they pick a totally new activity, often using our activity finder.

Whichever it is, we always encourage everyone to start at a place that’s realistic for them, by opting for accessible and easy to achieve activities.

In most circumstances, physical activity is beneficial for your mental and physical health, and can be helpful as part of a long-term recovery or treatment plan. But there are some situations where you might need to take extra care in case it starts to become a problem for you. If you’re concerned about your level of physical activity, we’d always recommend contacting your GP.

It’s important to be aware that you could be at risk of over-exercising. That’s why RED January encourages setting realistic goals, tailored to YOU. We are all unique and our approach to physical activity should be too.*

I downloaded the Red January Calendar and kept a log of the runs... it was a great spur to keep ,moving and have huge fun !

I bought the T shirt to wear too and I wore it whenever I did the activity !

If you are doing this as a support for your weight loss and extra fitness push you could shake the activities up too... Running, walking and some of the great activity choices on the Strength and Flex Forum. If you feel it is right for you, then, go on, you will love it and such a great cause !

High Peak Trail Derbyshire... Red January Run

[Meanmommab Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Activity finder?

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Meanmommab]

Sorry, what are you asking?

[Meanmommab Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

In the text it mentions an 'activity finder'. I haven't heard of this before and wondered what it was and where to find it.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Meanmommab]

It is on the RED January site... you click on the link;

redjanuary.activityfinder.net/

[Meanmommab Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you!😁

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks, Meanmommab , for asking about that! I had the same question! And thank you, Oldfloss , for all the info and the link!!!

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Hi, I think your question may be better suited to the Bridge to 10k forum .

Although we certainly have graduates and more seasoned runners here we are predominantly here to support new runners embarking on the Couch to 5k program and therefore RED would not be appropriate at that stage .

[Tasha99 Graduate]

I’ve done it a couple of times. First time, I had only graduated a few months prior and I had to give up by day 17. I think it takes a long time to build up to running on consecutive days, let alone doing RED January. The second time I did it, I did manage it but I’d been running for 2 or 3 years by that point. It is quite hard but you can just do one slow mile if you need. I think it’s harder than people imagine.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate]

Until you’ve been running regularly for at least a year, this would be a quick route to getting injured. If you’re a current couch to 5k runner or someone who graduated recently, please don’t attempt this.

I’ve got my reservations anyway. Rest is important and trying to keep up a run streak could push you to run when you’d be better taking a rest day. That’s a recipe for getting injured. Walk every day, yes absolutely but I wouldn’t run.

[Pugwash Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I am living proof of MissUnderstanding 's assertions. Maybe 3 years ago I took on such a challenge and did indeed injure myself and couldn't get 'back at it' for several months as a result; not a mistake I'd ever want to repeat. I've nothing to add to what she writes and endorse every word 100% (or 110% as 'fuballers' are wont to claim 😀).

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Pugwash]

Oh poor you! That sounds miserable. Really hope you’re fully recovered now.

[Pugwash Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thanks, but I am in truth undeserving of any sympathy - it was a folly of the first water, undertaken already knowing of, but ignoring, the importance of rest days.

To answer your query - it led on to a protracted period of regular Achilles flare-ups (and £100's of treatment). In more cheery news I have, in just the last two weeks, been managing 5kms and yesterday did my first PR since February 2020 - and it's great to be back!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Pugwash]

Wow-no fun at all but I’m so glad you’re back again. I bet that 5km and PR felt absolutely brilliant. Here’s hoping next year is a great one with no more injury!

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Pugwash]

I think you deserve masses of credit for acknowledging that you made a bad decisionPugwash . Your post might just help others avoid the same thing.

It's all very well my coming onto this and the other HU running forums and advising runners to take rest days, but past experience tells me that some people will decide I'm just being a patronising old bat and will respond accordingly, more or less politely.

While I wouldn't wish your experience on anyone, if your telling people about it stops someone else from making the same mistake, that's a positive.

I'm delighted that you're back running and wish you many more happy miles!

[Pugwash Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

I appreciate your generous take on my Grade A folly Cmoi ! Indeed, if those 'lost' couple of years of run>pain>treatment>repeat help just one person take onboard the importance of rest days it'll be worth my shameful confession.

BTW - your inputs here are most welcome and I'll take issue with anyone calling you patronising or a bat 😉.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Totally agree and even graduates who graduated a while ago, need to think hard and as my reply says, check out the Red January guidelines first.. they are very clear. x

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

It sounds like a badly named initiative-I wonder how many people (like me!!) just assume it’s Run Every Day rather than Exercise Every Day. I guess EED January isn’t as catch at RED January!! Ten minutes of exercise a day is a great idea. Xx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

True..I just read everything before I commit..🤣

[Cmoi Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

If only more people took that approach Oldfloss ...

[Cmoi Graduate]

What's your current running experience Penoverfifty ? I definitely wouldn't advise running every day unless and until you've got a year or so of regular running under your belt.

Personally I find attempting run or exercise streaks a very negative experience as they push me into "all or nothing" mode, and place me under too much pressure. Given that RED January is described as "a nationwide movement for mental wellbeing, led by the community, for the community" that's pretty ironic. (Oh look, I'm automatically excluded since I live in France! 😉)

However if you'd find RED January motivating, have a look at the post from Oldfloss . That makes it very clear you don't have to run and that you could simply do ten minutes of other daily exercise instead.

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate in reply to Cmoi]

🤔 maybe it's time for MED January? Move every day... the new worldwide movement for mental wellbeing... 😉 This could even be in the sense of "have you taken your meds today?"

Or we just redefine the R - Rest every day... 🙃 that is, build in some form of resting into every day inspired by Tricia Hersey's book "Rest is Resistance"... She lists things like a 20 minute nap or a 10 minute meditation as examples.

And, yea, living in Germany, I, too, feel excluded 😎

[ChannelRunner2 Graduate]

Looks like it's more MED... MED = Move Every Day

(from their Instagram account...)

RED January logo with various movement suggestions like run, walk, cycle, yoga, swim...

[nowster Graduate]

I didn't contemplate doing RED January until I'd been running regularly for 18 months.

The key is variety. You don't want to be doing the same level of intensity every day. And there's no requirement to actually run every single day, just to do some activity.

My minimum length run was 2.25km (about 10 minutes of actual running) and my longest was 21.1km (a bit over 2 hours).

And to re-emphasise what others have said, running on consecutive days is not something anyone should consider until they've been running regularly at that level for a minimum of six to nine months.

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate]

This thread is a bit old but…

If you dig around online there are plenty of free short exercise sessions available. I’ve done a few, MadFit being the current one but there are others. Obviously the saintly Adrienne yoga too.

So if you wanted to create a programme for yourself that balances running 3 times a week with strength/core/relaxation etc you could very easily work something out.

I like to draw up a chart for myself and then fill it in with details of what I have done to keep my focus and resolve.

A SEED Jan , Some Exercise Every Day, combined with a SVED Jan , Some Veg Every Day, could be the way to go…!

[220866]

I’m gonna be running g 2 miles daily in February fit cancer UK .. on week 6 starting today so I’m looking forward to February and raising some funds too 👍