The New Challenges

In 2012 Tracey and I embarked on a series of challenges to raise money for The Haemophilia Society. We had great fun doing it and both felt very fit. So, as we both were slogging up the Mound in the Edinburgh 10 mile run recently, we remarked on how unfit we both were compared to then!

And so Two Tackle Three was resurrected!

Two Tackle Three Take Two (AKA 2T3T2) will see us take on three new challenges each which are crazier and tougher than the first three (although Ventoux was quite tough). We will raise money for an Edinburgh Charity called The Yard. The Yard is a purpose built indoor and outdoor adventure playground for children and young people with disabilities.

Tracey and I have a few links with this amazing facility. One being it has close links with the Childhood Practice Team at Edinburgh College and the second being my late husband, Alistair was involved in providing the yard with their cut down working traffic light, through the BBC Children in Need project, The Big Build.

So Tracey's challenges are -

St Mary Loch Standard Distance Triathlon, Aberfeldy Half Ironman, Glencoe Half Marathon.

And Jane's are -

Windermere Half Marathon, The Moonwalk and the Glencoe Marathon.

We will also be taking part in a variety of other events in preparation for our big challenges.

Our blog will make a welcome return, so you can keep up with our training antics! So please keep up to date. We will let you know soon how you can sponsor us to raise a shed load of cash for The Yard.

Jane and Tracey (Team 2T3T2)

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/2T3T2


Sunday 29 May 2016

Hills, hills and more hills - The Windermere Half Marathon - Challenge 1!

After a slightly dodgy beginning with Ally Bally and a perished fuel line, finally Windermere Half Marathon was in sight! A beautiful sunny evening and Hazel, Rhona and I headed to Brathay to register for the half marathon. Brathay in Ambleside is such a beautiful place, right on the banks of Lake Windermere.

Last year Hazel and I ran the marathon so there was a slight pang of "wish we were doing the marathon again" as we saw some of the 10 in 10 runners sitting enjoying the sunshine. But still, my marathon is still to come (in fact 2 one walking one running).

We collected our bags, bought our t-shirts, bagged our free beer! and then headed down to the lake for a short photo shoot. It has to be done.





After a nice evening meal and a wander around the town we headed to bed, numbers at the ready, for our early start.



 Our race didn't start until 10.30am but we had an awesome friend, Christ (Rents) Renton from Fetch Everyone who for a fourth time was tackling the 10 in 10. This is the marathon route, which I can vouch for being one of the hardest routes I have ever run, round Lake Windermere, and he does it ten days in a row. He is one incredible man! It was a privilege to watch him start his final lap (they call them laps - 26.2 miles laps - bonkers!!!). 


Then it was our turn. We were led down to the start line by an amazing band of drummers. Completely got the adrenaline running, the sound of the beating drums. Hazel and I don't get to run that often (Hazel is a hang sight faster than I am but Hazel graciously said she would run with me and we could have a catch up).



So the gun went, a real starters pistol, much to the shock and surprise of us all! We headed off up the first hill. The first of many! The half marathon followed the marathon route to 7 miles and then turned around. Which in our heads meant that it would be down hill on the way back, The marathon felt like up hill all the way last year! Oh how wrong we were. We forgot that the route was massive undulating hills, up and down, up and down. So by the time we got to the turn around point, we knew we were in for a tough second half. And the sun came out, it was roasting. Made running hard, hot work but the views were absolutely worth it. We were coming back up the hill into Hawkshead and Hazel shouted out "Oh look an Osprey", now there are Osprey's in the Lake District so it absolutely, probably was an osprey but at the point all I could see were my feet and the road as I was absolutely spent and just hanging on. Hazel is an amazing runner and I was most definitely holding her back, but we are best pals and it was great to hang onto her for just a bit longer, we don't see each other that often! And that is my excuse for taking ages!!!

After many marshalls and spectators telling us that it wasn't much longer now (like we had no idea how far we still had left to run??? We knew exactly how far we still had to run) and my favourite "this is the last hill", "not it isn't!!!" we finally got to the last corner, with one hill into Brathay left to go. Just as we rounded the corner we passed a Mum and a child (who must have been about 3 in a buggy). The little boy gave us a big smile and said "just around the corner and you are finished". We laughed, thinking there is a child that has been at races since he was born. And then as we got around the corner we said "he was right, first person not to lie to us!". 

I am not a fast runner any more, never was really, but I have a wealth of miles and races in my legs, around 30,000 miles since I started running, my strength is just to keep going. It has helped me mentally in all areas of my life, so my goal for this run was to keep going, not to stop and walk. I have had a tough three years and keeping going is all I have been able to do. But in my races I have succumbed to run/walking but for The Yard, I wanted this one to be a challenge, get me back to being a proper runner. And I did it!!!! I did not walk one single mile of those hills. And let me tell you it was very, very hard. But to get back to AB and a cup of tea (after the one Rhona and Hazel went and bought me) was bliss. To let you know just how hard it was. I lay down on the grass when I got back and then felt very lightheaded until I had been fed tea, sat in the shade and ate flapjack. I gave it everything out there in Windermere.

I need tea....

I've had tea.....

That was really hard work, but it was great!

Medal 1 - challenge 1, two to go!!!!

So that was my first challenge of Two Tackle Three Take Two. The next one is the Moonwalk. Obviously the moonwalk is for Breast Cancer which is close to my heart to, but I have other things going on for fundraising for that, but absolutely wanted to include it in my three challenges, walking 26.2 miles is no mean feat! Especially when I should be sleeping! My lovely daughter, Rhona is joining me for that one. I am really kind of terrified about this one. Running 26.2 miles is something I know I can do, which is why challenge three is such a tough marathon, but walking it is going into the unknown for me. So please if you are impressed, inspired or just think I am plain daft, bonkers, crazy then if you can spare a pound or two please go to our justgiving site.

It must be nearly Tracey's turn for a challenge!!!

don't worry, be happy :)

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/2T3T2?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=2T3T2&utm_campaign=pfp-share






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