Ben’s 406 mile February Calendar Challenge

The Challenge
I will be running one mile on February 1st, and will add a mile a day until February 28th where I will run 28 miles. This means I will run a total of 406 miles in the 28 days, including a final 7 days of 175 miles and finishing with over 3 marathons in the last 3 days. Follow my progress on instagram! @plusonemile 

The past year has been really difficult for everyone, especially young people. So the challenge I’ve set myself is a great opportunity to raise some money for the mental health charity Young Minds. 

Young Minds are leading the movement to make sure every young person gets the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what. It takes courage to ask for help. But for many young people who do, the support they need just isn’t there.

In the UK today, an estimated five children in every classroom have a mental health problem. A quarter of 17-year-old girls have self-harmed in the last year, while suicide remains the single biggest killer of boys and young men.

But things can get better. Young Minds provides young people with tools to look after their mental health. They empower adults to be the best support they can be to the young people in their lives. And they give young people the space and confidence to get their voices heard and change the world we live in.

To raise money and awareness for the incredible work Young Minds do, I’ve decided to do an incremental running challenge for the month of February. 

The Challenge
I will be running one mile on February 1st, and will add a mile a day until February 28th where I will run 28 miles. This means I will run a total of 406 miles in the 28 days, including a final 7 days of 175 miles and finishing with over 3 marathons in the last 3 days.

It won’t be easy. The mileage makes me nervous and I have never run anywhere near as much or as far in a month before. The sheer length of the challenge is psychologically daunting too, and in many ways is tougher than the physical aspect of the challenge. 

In my experience the importance of daily exercise is more relevant now than ever before, with lockdowns and school closures leaving young people feeling anxious and isolated. Sport is proven to help prevent depression and anxiety, as well as improve general mental well-being. Despite all that, exercise has never felt so inaccessible. 

That’s why I encourage you to join me this month and create your own month long exercise challenge - you will feel so much better for it!
I’ll start my challenge on 1st February - follow my progress on this page and my instagram @_benhope and @plusonemile

Any words of encouragement if you see me out running or sponsorship you are able to give will be massively appreciated! 
Thanks :)
Ben