Route Walk: 100 miles for REDJanuary

RED January
DAY 14: 10k (6.3m)

100 miles completed

GLAD to say I hit the 100-mile point on my walk today - so am on target for 200 miles by the end of the month.

I'm taking part in the REDJanuary campaign to raise funds in support of Mind, the mental health charity. My goal is to raise £200 for 200 miles - ie £1 a mile!

Today's route.

The challenge is enjoyable, but I must admit, it's sometimes difficult fitting in a walk or cycle ride. Many of my 'excursions' have been in the dark, either before or after work - sometimes literally at the 11th

hour (or later)!

It has opened up a whole new 'noctural' world, sometimes eerie (a park shrouded in fog makes tree shapes even more lurking and mysterious); sometimes exciting (I loved seeing a shooting star streak across the clear sky the other morning). But always beautifully transformed by the darkness.

Distances have ranged from a couple of kilometers squeezed in just before midnight to nearly 29k on a cycle ride down a greenway.

Part of today's walk - parkrun

also follows this course.

I'm unable to run at present, because of a hamstring injury (compounded by further injury on the same leg following infection from an insect bite! Annoying, or what?). I've attempted the occasional gentle jog, but don't want to jeopardize the recovery. Will just have to be patient!

I haven't ridden for decades - and am wearing my first ever cycle helmet!

An unexpected benefit has been making new REDder friends, mainly via Twitter - like PC Tyler O'Hare @TylerOHare, from London, 'pounding the beat' in a different way by clocking up an impressive number of miles with his running (even when under the weather!); or linking with double Olympic Champion Dame Kelly Holmes @damekellyholmes, who's also taking part and is a great motivational figure. Because everyone is going through the same experience, for the same cause, there's a lot of mutual support and encouragement. It's great seeing how others are doing, and receiving positive feedback on your own efforts.

Although 200 miles by the end of the month may not sound that much, it's proving more challenging to keep up the pace than it might seem, simply because of time constraints.

A tempting park bench - that just

happened to be at the 100-mile point.

But hitting the 100-mile point today, roughly half way through the month, is a good omen. Though I'm not sure how to interpret the fact that it just happened to coincide with a nearby park bench. Does this mean: 'Well done, you deserve a rest' or 'Steady, old boy, your rattling bones won't take much more of this'?

My first cycle helmet!

I think I'll ignore the 'rattling bones,' and push on regardless. As with all the other REDders, it's now a case of keeping up the momentum until the end of the month.

The campaign is for a good cause. Mental health issues do not discriminate, and can happen to people of any age and from all walks of life. According to Mind, mental health problems affect one in four people in any given year. They range from experiences such as stress, anxiety and depression, to rarer conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

If you'd like to donate to Mind - and keep my bones rattling for the rest of the month - you can do so via my JustGiving page here.

Fallen tree en route.

Any amount, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated and put to good use.

Many thanks!

Scroll down to see a selection of pictures from my walks.

The first three are of a dog who was playing in the park today. It was a joy to see him dashing around the field - and then leaping over hurdles. So much energy!

Managed to snap a few shots of the hurdling - despite freezing fingers!