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, 2 October 2016
Good morning!
Saturday, 1 October 2016
Two sleeps to go....
We talked all night and then got down to the important business of packing for our adventure (Rhona said we were both having adventures this weekend!). What a lot of stuff we are going to have to take with us in case we get lost, hurt or just tired. There are numerous items of clothing, food, water, survival bags, gloves, hats, whistles..... I'll hardly be able to lift the bag never mind cart it up over the Devil's Staircase! But my little pile of stuff has now grown to a huge one and is all strewn over my room at this current moment.
So how about my nerves, I'm sure they will reappear but for the moment they are tucked away behind excitement and I just can't wait to get on the road tomorrow for Fort William.
More to come tomorrow. Don't worry, be happy :)
Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Nerves and sleepless nights....
I have been up and down mountains in the Lake District and in Borders and Edinburgh. I have slogged through muddy bogs, trudged up and down rocky trails in sunshine and in rain and tripped over many a tree root on the way. I have completed several races on the road to Glencoe, the most favourite being the Derwentwater Trail Race a few weeks ago.
My Glencoe Marathon journey began in July with a hills bootcamp in Keswick. Every day I headed up a different hill. Then I began the arduous task of hill reps and hill runs. Very slowly I felt myself become stronger on the hills. I'm still not fast, but that doesn't seem to matter on the hills, enjoying the outdoors, the views, the endorphins, makes the hard work seem worth it. My wee pal, Kobi has been with me on most of my runs. We have summited many hills with a wee seat at the top to take in the views. He really has been the best hill running companion. I only wish he could come with me to Glencoe.
In May I ran the Keswick half Marathon and the Windermere Half Marathon, neither particularly spectacular times but as always brilliant events. In June, Rhona and I completed the Edinburgh Moonwalk. An odd experience but a real achievement. At the time I felt that doing the moonwalk had somehow interfered with my run training, I felt slower. But as I have found on the hills this summer that early stamina training has really helped, I am much stronger than I would have been had I not done that. As the summer moved on. I spent many gorgeous, hot sunny runs up in the Pentland Hills, building my long Sunday run from 15 miles to 18 miles to 19 miles to 20 miles finishing with a hard 19 mile run at Glentress last weekend which saw me take in 6 huge hills. Other than doing more hills and more miles I'm not sure what else i can do. That's it, I'm out of training time.
I am absolutely in love with hill running. I have hardly stepped foot on the tarmac this summer. I have grown to love the feeling of soggy feet, achy calf muscles, burning thighs. It is a bit of a love hate relationship, I'm not particularly good at running up hills but I love the view from the top and the real sense of achievement once I get to the top. Coming to the end of the 10 miles in Keswick a few weeks ago after wading through huge muddle puddles in the Brundleholm woods, and sloshing through the Glendeterra bogs and then scaling the path through the Skiddaw Forrest onto the side of Skiddaw, I was surprised to find myself disappointed that it was nearly over and that I was heading down onto the slopes of Latrigg and winding my way back to the park and the finish line. I don't think I have ever felt like that with a road race. There is just something magical, playful about being on the fells that makes it much more fun than running on the road. And despite it being very uphill, it is actually much easier than pounding away on the roads.
So here I am 4am on Wednesday morning, 5 days away from the start line in Glencoe. With my best pal Hazel, and my other best pal, Tracey, we will all head to Fort William to conquer the Glencoe Gathering. Hazel and I will plod our way back towards Glen Nevis, having conquered the Devil's staircase and will pick up Tracey at Kinlochleven for the Half Marathon (no mean feat either, plenty big hills in that section too). It has been a long time since the marathon created so many nerves for me. Which is good, the marathon is not something to be taken on lightly and when it gets to the point where you wake up on the morning of the marathon and just get up with no nerves it is time to crank up the challenge, and blooming heck this is going to be a challenge. I have nerves like I haven't felt for a long time, to the point it has woken me up this morning! I'm good with those nerves though, they remind me I am alive, and that I can still be challenged way out of my comfort zone.
I have absolutely no idea how long it is going to take me on Sunday, but I know that regardless of how long it takes, I will feel absolutely amazing on Sunday evening (once we make it back - which may well be a challenge in itself).
I can't sleep with the building excitement and nerves, my mind is going over and over what I need to take, what needs to go in my rucksack. How many pairs of socks should I put in my bag, what food will I need, how much water should I carry, will I need suncream, midge spray or waterproofs? So many things to think about. This is why I keep entering these daft challenges, much better to be kept awake at night with the excitement of a race than the stress of life, don't you think?
So at some point tomorrow I am going for a short run, to ease the itchy legs. To remind myself how to put one foot in front of the other. The hamstring stretches will continue all week, trying desperately to ease out those tight hamstrings from a summer of running up hills. And the anticipation will build.
I can't wait, I'm very excited, which is an amazing feeling. Haven't felt like this since the London Marathon in 2011. Bring it on Glencoe! Chuck what you can at me. JaneyM is coming to get you!!!!!!
If you are inspired by any of this nonsense then please consider sponsoring Tracey and I to support the Yard in Edinburgh. Thank you to those who have already done so.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/2T3T2 (see hyperlink on the side bar)
don't worry, be happy
JaneyM
Wednesday, 31 August 2016
Swamp Monsters Defeated!
Thursday, 4 August 2016
Difficult decisions. .....
Tuesday, 26 July 2016
First Challenge Finished!
Saturday, 23 July 2016
'Night before' nerves!
Monday, 13 June 2016
Tracey's Triathlon Tales
Sunday, 12 June 2016
Moonwalk Scotland
Two weary finishers!
Saturday, 11 June 2016
Bras at the ready!
Rhona too has a bespoke design from the students, as she is swirling her kilt along with me.
This afternoon Rhona and I will have a wee snooze, carbo load, get our numbers pinned onto our kilt and then head into Moonwalk Village for the pre-race Ceilidh.
So whilst you are snoozing and snoring away in your beds think of us walking around Edinburgh in our underwear!!!
Pre and post report with Photographs on Monday (might need to sleep tomorrow).
And a big shout out to Tracey who is competing (sorry completing) in the Peebles Triathlon tomorrow morning (where all of this nonsense started with Two Tackle Three). Go Tracey.
There's your mexican wave!!!
don't worry, be happy .
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Hills, hills and more hills - The Windermere Half Marathon - Challenge 1!
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.
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.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/2T3T2?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=2T3T2&utm_campaign=pfp-share
Monday, 23 May 2016
Tracey's Triathlon Tale
Saturday, 14 May 2016
Tracey's Triathlon Training Tales
Friday, 13 May 2016
Hills, hills and more hills.
So naturally right after I resurrected the Blog my training almost ground to a bit of a halt. No excuses just lazy. I have however managed to fit in some sort of training so here it all is!
Keswick Half Marathon
I was due a 14 mile training mile but on the Saturday night I was looking at the events page in the running magazine and I noticed that it was the Keswick Half Marathon on the Sunday. So naturally the right thing to do was drive all the way down in the morning, enter the race on the day and go and run/walk 13.2 miles.
Friday, 6 May 2016
Tracey's Triathlon Training Tales
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Friday, 29 April 2016
Day 2 2T3T2
Tracey
Thursday, 28 April 2016
Day 1 of 2T3T2
Sent an email off to The Yard to arrange fundraising for them and am planning to go out for my evening Moonwalk training walk.
Watch this space for more training adventures from Team 2T3T2!
JaneyM