10 Marathons in 10 days for Project RED – S

Third year Biomedical Science student and triathlete Josie Cox recently completed the 10 – in – 10 challenge to fundraise for a cause close to her heart.

Last summer, Josie found herself struggling with an eating disorder, which had a massive impact on her mental and physical health. As someone who enjoys having goals to work towards and being proactive, she found it extremely difficult and overwhelming watching fellow UoB triathletes competing while having to take a step back to prioritise her recovery.

Following several months of intense therapy and physical health check-ups, Josie began to improve and eventually overcame her eating disorder. Through sharing her own struggles and experience, Josie hopes to help others who may be going through something similar, and encourages people to reach out for help – something that took her a long time to do herself.

WHAT IS RED – S?

RED – S (Relative energy deficiency in sport) is a syndrome that many haven’t come across before, and something that Josie wants to raise awareness around through her fundraising as something she faced. It refers to athletes suffering from energy shortage, becoming unable to keep up with the demands of sport and exercise on top of daily bodily functions.

Although it’s not often spoken about, RED-S is a rapidly growing problem in sport and health consequences can be serious if the problem isn’t addressed early.

Preparing for the 10 – in – 10 challenge

Josie’s preparation involved a lot of low intensity running to get several hours on her feet as well as some back to back marathons to practice running on tired legs after having completed a long run the day before. Other than that, she was stepping into the unknown and was relying on mental stamina! She found it interesting how her body and mindset adapted throughout the challenge.

Ready set, go!

After the first few days, Josie was in a lot of muscular discomfort but no major pain. By the fourth marathon she was experiencing some pain in her right knee, having a sports massage to help ease the discomfort slightly to make it manageable. After day 5 or 6 she picked up a foot injury which was probably the most painful, but by this point she found her body starting to get into the routine of getting up early and running.

Mentally, she found the 7th marathon in Derby the most challenging, after completing over half of the challenge, yet still being a way away from the finish line.

Josie also faced physical obstacles including sheep fields and jumping over fences! Nevertheless, she thoroughly enjoyed the fun and challenging experience and has had a positive impact on athletes and individuals who may be struggling with disordered eating.

Raising money for RED-S

Josie has already exceeded her fundraising target of £1,000, and is extremely grateful for all the support from her friends and family. Donations directly funds RED-S Charities work of increasing awareness, prevention and recovery from RED-S.

If you feel inspired by Josie’s story and the mission of the RED-S charity, you can donate to Josie’s just giving page!

Interested in learning more about how to get involved in our Triathlon club? Check out the dedicated webpage below.

Meet Our Members: Katie Mole, Rowing Regatta Medallist

Rowing club member and full-time postgraduate medical student, Katie, Mole, recently saw saw incredible success after being selected to represent Great Britain at the May International Wedau Regatta in Duisburg, Germany!

Katie competed in the Senior Women’s Double Sculls category and secured a silver and bronze medal over the two days of the competition. She competed alongside athlete Rebecca Wilde for the first time, after being on the same development programme for a number of years. After returning to full-time study over the last nine months, she had to work incredibly hard balancing her academics alongside club and gym training. We caught up with her to learn more about her impressive schedule.

Katie Mole (left) and Rebecca Wilde (right)

What does a typical day look like for you?

Typically, my day begins bright and early at 06:00am, heading to the gym to train on the rowing machine with the University Boat Club. Following this, I study in the medical school for most of the day, from 09:00am-05:00pm. I then head back to the gym for a weights or cardio session before going home to finish the day by refuelling and completing any university work at home.

How do you stay motivated to stick to your schedule?

Although this is a pretty gruelling schedule, it’s made easier by how friendly the gym staff are at Sport and Fitness. I’m always greeted by a friendly face or an interested question about how my training is going.

Who have been key supporters in your journey?

In particular, Joe Blacker has gone above and beyond to help me with my strength and conditioning work, taking on the role of a fantastic coach, and getting me to the strongest I’ve ever been, which was instrumental in facilitating my selection for international racing. I also owe a big thanks to the other athletes and coaches in the boat club for their continued support. Having enjoyed my first experience of racing in GB kit I’m excited to continue to improve and see what’s in store for the rest of the season and beyond.

Katie will also be racing at Henley Regatta at the end June which is one of the most prestigious rowing events, where she hopes to see even more successes!

Feel inspired to use our facilities to help you achieve your goals? We have a range of membership types to suit your preferences!