Like most people with young kids I woke up early on January 1st 2017. Probably like you I'd had very little sleep and a terrible hangover from the Hogmanay celebrations the night before. 

For most this would mean taking it easy for the day, drinking lots of strong coffee and relaxing in front of a cheesy family movie. Most wouldn't consider squeezing into running clothes and lacing up trainers. But this is  exactly what I did. 

For the next hour I ran through the cold New Year rain, cursing every step and pausing frequently for deep breaths to keep down the remnants of the night before. Not a particularly pleasant start to 2017.

Why on earth would I do this. Was I taking New Years resolutions to a new extreme or had I lost my senses? My wife would probably answer yes on both accounts, but for me the answer is a bit more complex. 

Like many people I found 2016 a pretty awful year, but I survived it and think I've come out of it a bit wiser, stronger and with a wonderful group of family and friends around me.

Unfortunately a lot of people aren't as lucky as me and are still struggling to cope with the rigours of everyday life. For some this situation won't end well, but for those able to turn to charities like Mind it can be the start of their recovery or just a helping hand to get through life day by day. 

Most people don't realise that every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. Mind is a charity that believes no-one should have to face a mental health problem alone. They'll listen, provide support and advice, and fight for the rights of people suffering with mental health issues. Like all charities Mind relies on donations to fund the work it does with communities, groups and employers across the country.

So to support Mind, and my own mental and physical wellbeing,  I decided to start 2017 by taking part in the Run Every Day (R.E.D) challenge for January. 

The R.E.D challenge supports Mind and for me it means I'll be running 10 kilometres everyday of January. That's 31 consecutive days of running, covering a distance of 310km ( or 194 miles for the non metric). That's the equivalent of covering the same distance as 7 marathons over the month. To find out more about R.E.D visit its website at www.runeverydayjanuary.com

If you've not given up on reading this, like the idea of supporting Mind, or just like the idea of me torturing myself for the rest of the month, then why not support me by making a donation through my Just Giving page. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So why not donate. Every penny counts. 

Hopefully you'll all see me in fine shape come 1st February 2017, just in time to spoil my new healthy lifestyle when I turn 40 later that month.