RED January is almost over…

That’s it final weekend guys! We’ve made it to the end.

Running every day January has been exactly what I’ve needed to get through the worse month of the year. I needed to start 2018 with a goal and something to feel positive about. I’ve ran in the mornings, on my lunch break and in the evenings. In the rain, snow and sunshine (although still freezing!). I’ve ran whilst hungover, sleepy, hungry, happy, sad, injured and yet I always found time for a quick run and I’ve honestly enjoyed it! 

The whole point of this was to help raise awareness for Mind charity and to demonstrate that even if you only have time for a ten minute jog then thats fine and it will still help massively. Ten minutes to go out, clear your head and sort through your thoughts. You can go either solo, with a partner or with a group – it doesn’t matter. Mind charity focus on helping people suffering from mental health – for more information please have a quick read of my previous post. 

Not only does it help clear your head but it makes you feel physically great. Someone told me that “it’s not getting easier but you’re getting stronger” and I couldn’t agree more. I started January having not ran for over 8 months and I’ve noticed a huge difference. I’ve also shifted all the Christmas weight so if that’s not a reason enough then I don’t know what is! 

Although January is over it doesn’t mean running has to be. For all the Reders make sure you continue to run, and for everyone else get yourself out there! Whether it be once a week or 5 times a week, it will make you feel better I promise! Plus Spring is just round the corner and there is nothing better than a jog round the park with the spring sun warming your face. 

I’m getting myself ready for my final Saturday run in January and I’m going to go exploring. Always remember your speed and distance does not matter – forward is forward! 
Over and out lovers,

G. 

Ps. You can still donate as much or as little as possible here. Every little bit helps makes a huge difference! 

What’s on your MIND?

What’s on you mind? Let’s discuss! 

There is still a big stigma around the topic of mental health, and people feel like they can not openly talk about it for fear of ridicule or disbelief. But let’s talk and I’m sure you’ll be soon surprised to find out that it is a lot more common than originally thought! 

I am going to give you a few stats that back this up but firstly I would like to talk honestly, personally, on real relatable level. Hi, my name is Gabrielle and I suffer with anxiety. Am I happy? Yes. Do I live a good life? Yes. Do I talk to all my friends and family about my anxiety? No. 

I remember my first panic attack as clear as day, I was 10 years old and was playing in the living room with my sister. Then ‘thought’ happened and panic set in. My chest tightened, and being a child I panicked. I didn’t know what was happening, how to cope and subsequently how to breathe. Before I knew it I was hyperventilating for over an hour and my now panicked mother took me to a&e. An hour and a couple of faints later I was back home with a brown bag, fancy new hospital wristband and a story to tell. 

I suffered panic attacks throughout my childhood, usually relating to an event that had happened which I couldn’t control or solve. I mostly had the attacks under control and even when I would suffer at uni as an adult (kinda) I simply shrugged it off as something I had just always suffered with, no further thought into it.

Over the last two years mental health has been widely advertised and it was then I realised what I had been suffering with all those years was anxiety. It still effects me and I’ve started to learn better ways to deal with it. One that has proven most affective is to talk about it, as simple as that. Discuss your worries and thoughts, after all a problem shared is a problem halved no? 

I am fortunate enough where my anxiety doesn’t effect me living my life, or enjoying it. But that is not the same for everyone (now here comes the stats).
Stats I know in my life:

* 3 out of my 10 closest friends have suffered with mental illness

* 2 out of 2 sisters suffer/suffered with mental illness

* 1/2 parents suffers with serious mental illness 

That’s 6/14 people in my life (and that’s only the ones I know about and have discussed with) suffer with mental illness.
Here are the stats for the UK from April 2017:

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. 

In England, 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (such as anxiety and depression) in any given week. 

The overall number of people with mental health problems has not changed significantly in recent years, but worries about things like money, jobs and benefits can make it harder for people to cope. 
It appears that how people cope with mental health problems is getting worse as the number of people who self-harm or have suicidal thoughts is increasing.

Men listen up! Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK. The most probable explanation of this is that there is still a stigma surrounding mental health that men feel they can not talk about it to friends and family. Apparently it is seen as emasculating to have feelings and to express these such emotions. It is not. Talk about your thoughts and feelings. Talk to a friend, or family, a neighbour or a stranger, just make sure you are talking! 

Men and women listen up! If you don’t have someone you feel you can confide in, then this is where Mind comes in. They are there to listen to you, talk to you and help you. Use them! 

Wow well this has been a deep, heart-on-sleeve post and yet probably one of my most important ones. I am running every day in January (R.E.D. January) for Mind charity for various reasons. Firstly it’s a great way to clear your head (seriously, give it a go), secondly and most importantly to raise money and awareness for the wonderful work Mind do. 
Sorry for being preachy, and whether one person reads this and it makes a difference or 100 people read it and it makes a difference to one person, I will be happy. 
(I promise the next post will be an easy read).
G.

Hello lovers, I’m back! (New year, new me and all)

Hey lovers, I’m back!

Happy new year girls and boys, and in the wake of “new year, new me” I’ve decided to get back into the ol’ blogging. 2017 was a whirlwind year for me. I started it off well. I trained hard and religiously for my half marathon, and although I suffered every possible runner injury I completed it, finished strong, and in the meantime raised a lovely amount of money for Oxford Uni Research into Aneurysms – a cause I have personally seen the benefits of.
I’m embarrassed to say that after my half marathon I struggled to partake in events, and contribute towards charity. Life took over and with some further family issues, a change of job and moving house – life just passed me by. I did however find time to volunteer at the Princes Trust (but we will get to that another day..).
My first New Years resolution for 2018 is to do more charity work, get more involved and give something back! It’s something that I love and I’m going to try and throw myself back into it like I did the celebrations box at Christmas – hungry, happy and 100%. 
As well as charity work I also let my running slip off mid 2017, so I thought what better way to start the year and combine the two by taking part in Run Every Day January. The clues in the name – you literally run every single day in January whilst trying to raise money for a worthy cause. The charity in partnership with this is Mind, who focus on raising awareness and help for people suffering from mental health issues. 
I’ve just completed day 7 and although it’s taken me a few runs to get into running, my last run was a strong one and I’m starting to enjoy all over again. I am going to blog about my journey this Jan, and the great work Mind does. If you do want to do your bit and donate than that would be greatly appreciated and can be do so here.
We are a week into the new year and I have a feeling it’s going to be a good one. It feels good to be back and let’s make this one count!

Over and out,

G. 

The Running One

As mentioned in my previous post The Family One I have been proactive with my running and have signed up for 4 races so far. I started running just over a month and a half ago, taking it relatively easy to test the water and ran just short of two miles. It took me 23.15 minutes, averaging at 12’19”/mile. Although this is a reasonable slow rate I was extremely proud that I had managed to run that far in my first run (without stopping either).

The Family One

My family are a charitable bunch, which helps on the days when I am feeling a little less charitable or motivated. We have made a habit of signing up for the yearly Race for Life for Breast Cancer, with this year being the fifth year my family will take part. As a predominately female family my mum uses this event as a solid family get together (you know, one for the calendar!)  – in her eyes missing it would be like missing Christmas.