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January is the month of the Dryathlon in the UK. It is also the month of the Fanuary. I think the Fanuary is the ladies answer to Movember, where men grew their facial hair to hi light the perils of prostate cancer. In response ladies are trimming their secret places in all sorts of designs (so I'm told!). I'm not sure why and it isn't easy to spot those taking part although there could be some telltale signs shortly when the itchiness starts

I digress. Back to my dryathlon. Now the point of the dryathlon is to stop drinking alcohol for the month of January and donate all the money you save and donate it to cancer research. What a great idea! I thought I'd participate but I do draw the line at giving my money to cancer research. As my mother used to say, charity begins at home!

Before you cry that cancer research is a worthwhile charity, I agree and I used to give to this charity monthly until they started to phone me every Sunday. I was conned into increasing my contributions about 4 times until I could stand their begging calls no longer and they were binned.

So I'm doing the dryathlon and keeping the dosh.

I started early on Boxing Day. Not drinking that is. I was ill and couldn't eat or drink so it was kind of forced on me. As I hadn't had a drink for nearly a week, abstaining for a month looked attractive! I'd give it a go and see all the health benefits and the weight loss promised by all the do gooders. I decided to tell all my friends so that it would be an extra incentive.

Most of them laughed.

Well I'm 15 days into my dryathlon and I thought I'd update DF.

I don't feel any different. My hair is in the same condition, as are my nails. My eyes aren't brighter and my memory no better. My sleep pattern hasn't changed and I haven't lost any weight. In fact, the only difference is that I miss having a glass or two of wine after a hard days work!

I intend to persevere. I will give it till the end of the month and if I see no difference I'm back on it. I reckon it's a ploy by the do gooders to make us all as miserable as them.

Any one else abstaining from alcohol or anything else?

Hey! You are doing great! Who is to say that after a month of abstinence you might decide you want to continue for a year.
Cancer is a sad story, but are they any nearer to a cure after throwing all that money at it? So you've been wise.
They should start giving a prize for the best posters on DF. You can contribute to that fund then

BMreformed wrote:I digress. Back to my dryathlon. Now the point of the dryathlon is to stop drinking alcohol for the month of January and donate all the money you save and donate it to cancer research. What a great idea! I thought I'd participate but I do draw the line at giving my money to cancer research. As my mother used to say, charity begins at home!

Before I give money to any charity, I ask what car the board members drive. The far majority fail that test. Most bosses of "charity organisations" drive big cars paid by donations. They have another idea of what charity is, or at least they believe they are the needy, in "donating to the needy". I only give money to one organisation, and I am making damn sure 100% of the money goes to those it is intended for. I have no intention at all for paying for somebody's Merc.

I don't feel any different. My hair is in the same condition, as are my nails. My eyes aren't brighter and my memory no better. My sleep pattern hasn't changed and I haven't lost any weight. In fact, the only difference is that I miss having a glass or two of wine after a hard days work!

Every body is different, and reacts different.

Any one else abstaining from alcohol or anything else?

Last quarter of 2012 I started to train for the run in March. I donot drink during weekdays anymore, and only drink alcohol when going out. I donot know whether it is because of the increased exercise or less alcohol, but I do feel more energized. I am also eating better. My diet now is mainly, brown bread, vegetables, fruits, a lot of diary and fat fish. Very healthy food, and all have ingredients your body and mind needs. Only when going out I take extra's. I am getting in very good shape and the running goes that well, that I am looking with half an eye to the half marathon end summer in Amsterdam.

Keep it up with the dryathlon, it is a good try out! See what the results are in a few weeks. Keep us updated, please.

Hey! You are doing great! Who is to say that after a month of abstinence you might decide you want to continue for a year.

Thanks FF, I highly doubt if I will keep it up, I quite like having a couple of glasses of wine to chill or a couple of pints of Heinekin. I won't go back to my bad habits totally though, I will just restrict them to weekends and holidays

Cancer is a sad story, but are they any nearer to a cure after throwing all that money at it? So you've been wise

Cancer Research UK should stop spending so much money employing people to phone contributors at a weekend and taking them on a guilt trip. They certainly pee'd me off.

Wow, FD, you're thinking of doing a shorter run and then maybe the marathon? That's great. I always admire the London marathon runners when they screen it on TV. I watched a programme once where they took 6 unfit and disabled runners and trained them to do the marathon. It made me feel ashamed. If a blind person can run 26 miles why can't I?
Good luck with that, you should do a blog of your training regime, I'm sure it would contain some amusement.
BTW they still talk about Paula Radcliffe and her crouching down in the middle of the Athens marathon to have what I thought was a wee wee. Apparantly it was more