Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Some Frock Swap photos, from 25.11.11
Again, it's been a while...
Heya Folks!
It's been a while since our last blog but again it's time to give you guys a little update and remind you that we're still here!
So firstly, we have some exciting news to share... With minimal bullying from Shona and Myself, Dad (or Papa 'Cads as he's known to some!) has signed up to come play up Machu Picchu with us!!! YAAAY! We're so excited to have a McAdam Clan adventure, and several Xmas pressies this year were walking/exercise themed.
We also want to tell you a little about our progress with the fundraising... As you know we held our charity frock swap at the end of November - it was our first fundraising event we'd ever organised (again, i'm making it sound like it was us that organised it...). We were so nervous that no one would turn up but were blown away by the amount of folk who turned up, donated clothes, donated raffle prizes and parted with their money to help us have an amazing night. Final total on the night was a whopping £765, plus £75 raised from folk who were unable to attend donating their entrance fee and also doing the "cash for clothes" thing with the leftovers. So an amazing grand total of £840!! :D
This is the point where we'd like to have a wee list of thank you's...
- Emma Coates and Aoibheann Keogh for organising the whole night and keeping me right to make sure it ran smoothly
- Everyone who donated raffle prizes to our fantastic raffle.
- My very tolerant other half, Stephen Russell, for donating his legs and chest for waxing
- Mama Lawson for the massive chocolate and wine package that raised over £120 in its own raffle
- John Platt for being our auctioneer for said raffle
- The Flawson's and Bowse for packing everything up at the end of the night without me even noticing
- All my friends and family who came from out-with Edinburgh (Dundee, Inchture, Livingston, Whitburn and Shotts) to help make the night such a success! and finally
-Everyone who appeared, gave us their money and helped us have such an awesome night.
Much love to you all! :D
In other fundraising news our cousin Lisa made a Xmas Quiz sheet which was distributed around Peebles and raised and impressive £103 for us. Much love to her for all her effort, and particularly for generously donating the prize personally. Also, Helen's Trees for Christmas was up and running throughout the festive period with a couple of family friends selling Xmas trees to raise money for us. As of yet we haven't heard the total (and we still haven't found out how exactly you'd go about locating trees to sell!)but we'll update as and when we find out!
We still have a few things in the pipeline - we're hoping to reschedule our bag pack at peebles tesco, have a ceilidh and organise a sky dive for all those brave enough to play!
Ooh, this has been a long blog, even by my standards so i'll stop now...
We'll try harder to do better with the updating so bear with us!
Much love to you all,
The McAdam Clan
It's been a while since our last blog but again it's time to give you guys a little update and remind you that we're still here!
So firstly, we have some exciting news to share... With minimal bullying from Shona and Myself, Dad (or Papa 'Cads as he's known to some!) has signed up to come play up Machu Picchu with us!!! YAAAY! We're so excited to have a McAdam Clan adventure, and several Xmas pressies this year were walking/exercise themed.
We also want to tell you a little about our progress with the fundraising... As you know we held our charity frock swap at the end of November - it was our first fundraising event we'd ever organised (again, i'm making it sound like it was us that organised it...). We were so nervous that no one would turn up but were blown away by the amount of folk who turned up, donated clothes, donated raffle prizes and parted with their money to help us have an amazing night. Final total on the night was a whopping £765, plus £75 raised from folk who were unable to attend donating their entrance fee and also doing the "cash for clothes" thing with the leftovers. So an amazing grand total of £840!! :D
This is the point where we'd like to have a wee list of thank you's...
- Emma Coates and Aoibheann Keogh for organising the whole night and keeping me right to make sure it ran smoothly
- Everyone who donated raffle prizes to our fantastic raffle.
- My very tolerant other half, Stephen Russell, for donating his legs and chest for waxing
- Mama Lawson for the massive chocolate and wine package that raised over £120 in its own raffle
- John Platt for being our auctioneer for said raffle
- The Flawson's and Bowse for packing everything up at the end of the night without me even noticing
- All my friends and family who came from out-with Edinburgh (Dundee, Inchture, Livingston, Whitburn and Shotts) to help make the night such a success! and finally
-Everyone who appeared, gave us their money and helped us have such an awesome night.
Much love to you all! :D
In other fundraising news our cousin Lisa made a Xmas Quiz sheet which was distributed around Peebles and raised and impressive £103 for us. Much love to her for all her effort, and particularly for generously donating the prize personally. Also, Helen's Trees for Christmas was up and running throughout the festive period with a couple of family friends selling Xmas trees to raise money for us. As of yet we haven't heard the total (and we still haven't found out how exactly you'd go about locating trees to sell!)but we'll update as and when we find out!
We still have a few things in the pipeline - we're hoping to reschedule our bag pack at peebles tesco, have a ceilidh and organise a sky dive for all those brave enough to play!
Ooh, this has been a long blog, even by my standards so i'll stop now...
We'll try harder to do better with the updating so bear with us!
Much love to you all,
The McAdam Clan
Friday, 25 November 2011
some sad news, and a "new normal"
I've left this blog a little while but i feel it should probably be updated now.
On Thursday 10th November we sadly lost our mum to Motor Neurone Disease. Our hearts are breaking however we take some comfort in knowing that it was peaceful and that mum never had to face the classic MND story of being trapped inside her own body for a long period of time; she had mobility right til the end. Mum made everything much easier for us too in her own way in the form of some instructions and guidance as to what to do next...resulting in a lovely service with lots of family and friends to say goodbye and celebrate all the fun times we'd had over the years.
I want to say how proud i am of my family for managing to maintain composure during the past few weeks - there's been tears and snot, but there's also been laughter and lots of memory-sharing. I'd also like to thank our wonderful friends for all the support and kindness you guys have shown us.
Sad times indeed for the McAdam clan, and their nearest and dearest, however we are attempting to return to our "new normal" and get on with things. As such, we're still here and still trying to raise money. At the service for mum we had a collection in aid of MND Scotland and the generosity of the folk who attended was astounding! We raised £1176, so thanks to all who contributed.
Tonight we're holding our first fundraising night in the form of a Frock Swap at Espionage in Edinburgh. (https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=293560934006456) I am absolutely terrified as i'm so bad at organising. However, while Shona and I spent a little time at home, my wonderful friends Aoibh and Coatesy took charge and when i returned to Edinburgh i found our Frock Swap largely organised with minimal left for me to do. You guys are Stars! So here's hoping we have some sort of success tonight and can raise some more pennies towards our grand total...
Wish us luck!!
And as always - you can go here http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam if you want to give us pennies!
Much love,
The McAdams
On Thursday 10th November we sadly lost our mum to Motor Neurone Disease. Our hearts are breaking however we take some comfort in knowing that it was peaceful and that mum never had to face the classic MND story of being trapped inside her own body for a long period of time; she had mobility right til the end. Mum made everything much easier for us too in her own way in the form of some instructions and guidance as to what to do next...resulting in a lovely service with lots of family and friends to say goodbye and celebrate all the fun times we'd had over the years.
I want to say how proud i am of my family for managing to maintain composure during the past few weeks - there's been tears and snot, but there's also been laughter and lots of memory-sharing. I'd also like to thank our wonderful friends for all the support and kindness you guys have shown us.
Sad times indeed for the McAdam clan, and their nearest and dearest, however we are attempting to return to our "new normal" and get on with things. As such, we're still here and still trying to raise money. At the service for mum we had a collection in aid of MND Scotland and the generosity of the folk who attended was astounding! We raised £1176, so thanks to all who contributed.
Tonight we're holding our first fundraising night in the form of a Frock Swap at Espionage in Edinburgh. (https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=293560934006456) I am absolutely terrified as i'm so bad at organising. However, while Shona and I spent a little time at home, my wonderful friends Aoibh and Coatesy took charge and when i returned to Edinburgh i found our Frock Swap largely organised with minimal left for me to do. You guys are Stars! So here's hoping we have some sort of success tonight and can raise some more pennies towards our grand total...
Wish us luck!!
And as always - you can go here http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam if you want to give us pennies!
Much love,
The McAdams
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
still here, still working hard!
Heya Guys!
So all's been a little quiet on the blogging front of recent weeks, but as always, the cogs are always turning (some more slowly than others) underneath! Here's a little peek into whats in the pipeline....
Nov 11th/12th - Bag packing in Peebles Tesco (not Galashiels - I really must pay more attention!)
Nov 25th - Charity Frock Swap night, Espionage, Edinburgh - new wardrobes, raffle and a chance to have a few drinks!
Dec 2011 - Helen's Trees for Christmas. The lovely Davy Forster and Andy Barr (Lifelong pals of my folks) shall be selling Xmas trees to raise money for us. (I'd love to give more details, but at the moment my mind boggles at the logistics of this one!!) More info as and when...
Jan 2012 - Potentially a Fundraising Ceilidh for my 25th Birthday! More info once i've moved past the planning stage!
We are also in the process of recruiting some very brave volunteers to jump out planes (with parachutes!!) to help with the fundraising. Again, more info as and when..
So, there you go. Busy times indeed.
As always, we're still looking for donations/sponsorship for stuff. You can do this by going here: http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam It's simple! :D
And just one final thing. I'd like to say a big thank you to one of my favourite people who has a heart of gold and is always thinking of other people. Mrs Kirsty Harper (better known as Bowse!), as her birthday present this year her family made donations!! Happy 25th Birthday Bowse, you are an absolute star! The McAdams all send their love!!!
And muchos love to the rest of you too, as ever.
The McAdam Sisters.
So all's been a little quiet on the blogging front of recent weeks, but as always, the cogs are always turning (some more slowly than others) underneath! Here's a little peek into whats in the pipeline....
Nov 11th/12th - Bag packing in Peebles Tesco (not Galashiels - I really must pay more attention!)
Nov 25th - Charity Frock Swap night, Espionage, Edinburgh - new wardrobes, raffle and a chance to have a few drinks!
Dec 2011 - Helen's Trees for Christmas. The lovely Davy Forster and Andy Barr (Lifelong pals of my folks) shall be selling Xmas trees to raise money for us. (I'd love to give more details, but at the moment my mind boggles at the logistics of this one!!) More info as and when...
Jan 2012 - Potentially a Fundraising Ceilidh for my 25th Birthday! More info once i've moved past the planning stage!
We are also in the process of recruiting some very brave volunteers to jump out planes (with parachutes!!) to help with the fundraising. Again, more info as and when..
So, there you go. Busy times indeed.
As always, we're still looking for donations/sponsorship for stuff. You can do this by going here: http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam It's simple! :D
And just one final thing. I'd like to say a big thank you to one of my favourite people who has a heart of gold and is always thinking of other people. Mrs Kirsty Harper (better known as Bowse!), as her birthday present this year her family made donations!! Happy 25th Birthday Bowse, you are an absolute star! The McAdams all send their love!!!
And muchos love to the rest of you too, as ever.
The McAdam Sisters.
Friday, 21 October 2011
Testing my organisational skills...
Hey there!
It's now been a few weeks since my abseil and all has appeared quiet on the fundraising front - but in reality things have been simmering just under the surface..
I am proud to announce we have 2 upcoming events for fundraising! I'd love to tell you all that i've been putting my organisational skills to good use but, truth be told, the title of this blog is somewhat of a lie and my amazing friends and family are actually doing most of the organising for me. I'm a little bit ashamed of myself.
So... first on our list; On 11th and 12th November we shall be hitting Galashiels Tesco to do some serious bag packing!!! Now, i know those of you who have ever been shopping with me and witnessed me packing bags will laugh, but surely i can do it properly if i try?! How hard can it be?! Our cousin Donna has kindly been busy arranging all this for us and will be heading the bag-packing team for both days. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for the unsuspecting shoppers) I'm working the Friday and Shona is just off nightshifting so will be snoozing, however we shall be joining the troops on the Saturday!!!
Secondly, on 25th November we will be holding a charity Frock Swap in Espionage nightclub in Edinburgh. The idea is for folk to bring along a few items of clothes they no longer want, need or fit(!) and we'll all have a big swap and hopefully all have new outfits for the Christmas party season! We're working on having a raffle and a coin-toss too, and hopefully just a bit of fun with lots of friends. Again, much as i'd love to take credit for organising this, my lovely friends Aoibheann and Dr Coates are largely responsible for not only turning my idea into a reality, but also making it so much better! You girls are stars! :D
So, there you have it. A couple of plans (with plenty more planning still to be done!) for the near future...
Wish us luck (or even better, come along to play at our Frock Swap!) and, as ever, we're always looking for donations, which you can do by going here - http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Muchos Love!
xxx
It's now been a few weeks since my abseil and all has appeared quiet on the fundraising front - but in reality things have been simmering just under the surface..
I am proud to announce we have 2 upcoming events for fundraising! I'd love to tell you all that i've been putting my organisational skills to good use but, truth be told, the title of this blog is somewhat of a lie and my amazing friends and family are actually doing most of the organising for me. I'm a little bit ashamed of myself.
So... first on our list; On 11th and 12th November we shall be hitting Galashiels Tesco to do some serious bag packing!!! Now, i know those of you who have ever been shopping with me and witnessed me packing bags will laugh, but surely i can do it properly if i try?! How hard can it be?! Our cousin Donna has kindly been busy arranging all this for us and will be heading the bag-packing team for both days. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for the unsuspecting shoppers) I'm working the Friday and Shona is just off nightshifting so will be snoozing, however we shall be joining the troops on the Saturday!!!
Secondly, on 25th November we will be holding a charity Frock Swap in Espionage nightclub in Edinburgh. The idea is for folk to bring along a few items of clothes they no longer want, need or fit(!) and we'll all have a big swap and hopefully all have new outfits for the Christmas party season! We're working on having a raffle and a coin-toss too, and hopefully just a bit of fun with lots of friends. Again, much as i'd love to take credit for organising this, my lovely friends Aoibheann and Dr Coates are largely responsible for not only turning my idea into a reality, but also making it so much better! You girls are stars! :D
So, there you have it. A couple of plans (with plenty more planning still to be done!) for the near future...
Wish us luck (or even better, come along to play at our Frock Swap!) and, as ever, we're always looking for donations, which you can do by going here - http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Muchos Love!
xxx
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
A big scary Sunday
Heya Guys!
So, on Sunday 2nd I did the abseil down the Forth Rail Bridge along with my friend Stacey King. We were lucky enough to have a bunch of awesome people come to support us in the form of Stacey's dad, Michael, Kirsty, Lynn and Beans and the kids! :D
We also had our own paparazzi - true story!! He followed us and the other 2 MND Scotland abseilers around all day taking hundreds of action shots (and posed ones too). So big thanks to him also (though not for taking all the pics while we were waiting in the registration room, there was no need!)
Although it was a bit of a dull day we were lucky enough that the rain stayed away while we were abseiling. I dont know what to say about the actual abseil - i was terrified...we had a great (albeit nervous) laugh... the bridge was high... we had to stand on a chair to climb over the barrier (true story, and scariest moment EVER!)... the views were great.... i thought i was going to die... i didnt die. There! That about sums it up. Here's some pictorial evidence...
And then it was all over.... Here's us with the other two abseilers for MND Scotland! All still alive and well :D
Finally, I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who sponsored me, my lovely friends who came along for moral support (then stayed to have a lovely meal afterwards!) but most of all to Stacey for being up for such a scary challenge, raising lots of money, and allowing us to put it towards our Machu Picchu funds!! The girl is a star! :D
Please remember that you can donate to us at any time, http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
or do fundraising events for us if you fancy a challenge. :)
Muchos love!
xxx
So, on Sunday 2nd I did the abseil down the Forth Rail Bridge along with my friend Stacey King. We were lucky enough to have a bunch of awesome people come to support us in the form of Stacey's dad, Michael, Kirsty, Lynn and Beans and the kids! :D
Although it was a bit of a dull day we were lucky enough that the rain stayed away while we were abseiling. I dont know what to say about the actual abseil - i was terrified...we had a great (albeit nervous) laugh... the bridge was high... we had to stand on a chair to climb over the barrier (true story, and scariest moment EVER!)... the views were great.... i thought i was going to die... i didnt die. There! That about sums it up. Here's some pictorial evidence...
And then it was all over.... Here's us with the other two abseilers for MND Scotland! All still alive and well :D
Please remember that you can donate to us at any time, http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
or do fundraising events for us if you fancy a challenge. :)
Muchos love!
xxx
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Abseil!!!!
Hi Guys!
So as you all know, tomorrow is that day that i get to abseil down the Forth rail bridge (pictured below for those of you who might have forgotten how big it is!)
At around 2pm i shall be attached to this bridge by some string (hopefully strong string!) and dangled over the edge. all in the name of charity! I am terrified! Should you fancy donating some money in return for me doing this then you can go here - http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Wish me luck!!!
Clair
xxx
Friday, 16 September 2011
I have The Fear...
Hey guys!
Turns out it hasn't taken us long to come up with a new plan of action. I was on MND Scotland's facebook page yesterday, and saw that they were looking for people to take part in an abseil down the Forth Bridge. So guess what i shall now be doing on October 2nd?! Yup. Crying. And abseiling apparently.
For those of you who maybe don't know me all that well there are some important things you need to know in order to appreciate what a big deal this is.
1) I hate heights. With a passion. Being high up does not appeal to me at all. I like my feet firmly on the ground at all times.
2) I don't like bridges. My fear of the forth bridge is second only to the tay bridge. I don't like driving across it. It makes me nervous; all high up and over water and stuff. And its ALWAYS windy there. If i could drive with my eyes shut, i would.
But here i am, in a state of panic having registered for an abseil from very high up, all the way down a very scary bridge... but on the up side, at least it'll be over much more quickly than the half marathon, and i don't have to train for months for it... Every cloud and all that, right?!
And now for my usual patter. Our fundraising is going well so far, we've reached the £900 mark, but as you know, we're aiming somewhat higher - £7600. So please, please dig deep and sponsor me for doing this. It's simple, you just have to go here... http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Muchos love!!
xxx
Turns out it hasn't taken us long to come up with a new plan of action. I was on MND Scotland's facebook page yesterday, and saw that they were looking for people to take part in an abseil down the Forth Bridge. So guess what i shall now be doing on October 2nd?! Yup. Crying. And abseiling apparently.
For those of you who maybe don't know me all that well there are some important things you need to know in order to appreciate what a big deal this is.
1) I hate heights. With a passion. Being high up does not appeal to me at all. I like my feet firmly on the ground at all times.
2) I don't like bridges. My fear of the forth bridge is second only to the tay bridge. I don't like driving across it. It makes me nervous; all high up and over water and stuff. And its ALWAYS windy there. If i could drive with my eyes shut, i would.
But here i am, in a state of panic having registered for an abseil from very high up, all the way down a very scary bridge... but on the up side, at least it'll be over much more quickly than the half marathon, and i don't have to train for months for it... Every cloud and all that, right?!
And now for my usual patter. Our fundraising is going well so far, we've reached the £900 mark, but as you know, we're aiming somewhat higher - £7600. So please, please dig deep and sponsor me for doing this. It's simple, you just have to go here... http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Muchos love!!
xxx
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
We're still here!!
Heya Guys!!
So it's been over a week since we ran our half marathon. You think we'd be recovered. well, no. Or at least i've not. Shona's raring to go again and has already (very helpfully) signed us up for the Edinburgh 10km at the start of October (because apparently now it'll be easy!), however im currently limping about suffering from a case of tenosynovitus (big name, but really just a very sore and crunchy foot!). But after a visit to Dr's then hospital for Xrays i've been given a bunch of painkillers and been told it'll go away in time. Awesome.
But anyway. we're still here, and we're still trying to raise money. We've been having a wee brainstorm and are coming up with our next fundraising ideas, so things are in the pipeline, but we shall keep them quiet until we finally stop talking about them and actually start the organisation of them. Also, any fundraising ideas from you guys would be much appreciated - either things we could do, or things you could do for us!! :D
Please continue to follow us on here and, as always, we're still on the hunt for your pennies. Go here http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam if you would like to donate some money to us and help us reach our target and make it to Peru next year! We promise we'll make it worth your while!
Muchos love
The McAdam Sisters
So it's been over a week since we ran our half marathon. You think we'd be recovered. well, no. Or at least i've not. Shona's raring to go again and has already (very helpfully) signed us up for the Edinburgh 10km at the start of October (because apparently now it'll be easy!), however im currently limping about suffering from a case of tenosynovitus (big name, but really just a very sore and crunchy foot!). But after a visit to Dr's then hospital for Xrays i've been given a bunch of painkillers and been told it'll go away in time. Awesome.
But anyway. we're still here, and we're still trying to raise money. We've been having a wee brainstorm and are coming up with our next fundraising ideas, so things are in the pipeline, but we shall keep them quiet until we finally stop talking about them and actually start the organisation of them. Also, any fundraising ideas from you guys would be much appreciated - either things we could do, or things you could do for us!! :D
Please continue to follow us on here and, as always, we're still on the hunt for your pennies. Go here http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam if you would like to donate some money to us and help us reach our target and make it to Peru next year! We promise we'll make it worth your while!
Muchos love
The McAdam Sisters
Monday, 5 September 2011
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Half Marathon Day!!
Heya guys!!
So today was our half marathon day! the lead up to today has been pretty up and down. We didnt run as much as we should (surprise surprise!), shona went on holiday to Manchester all week and i caught a cold. i spent yesterday lying on the couch feeling ridiculously sorry for myself and wondering how on earth i was gonna make 13.1miles when i could hardly get off the sofa!? So i started taking a ridiculous amount of medications and vitamins to try kick it...
We both struggled to sleep last night - nerves, excitement, who knows?! i got to sleep around 2am and woke up at 5.45 all raring to go (well, after my decongestants, berocca, zinc, multi vitamins, iron and omega 3 tablets!).
We had to stand all the way to Glasgow on the train as it was packed full of runners - not good for the feet prior to running surely! then we had an hour to hang around at the startline to get properly nervous. we kept saying that we'd be fine, but it was pretty clear that we weren't feeling all that confident and were wishing we'd trained harder and skived less! We also spent a fair amount of time trying to find other chubbers we might be able to run alongside, or even beat!! to our dismay, there werent that many. Cue panic....
So we ran. This bit is going to be short and sweet because mum's requested no swearing in the blog; and without the swearwords to be honest there's not so much we can say about the run.... Long story short; we ran, we swore, we drank lucozade gel (which is incidentally like drinking orange flavoured phlegm!) and we ran and swore a whole lot more.
We ran together for the first 11miles, where our paces changed a bit and we were both struggling to find a happy middleground, so we separated. It was so much harder alone, with no one to moan and swear to!!
So eventually, 2hrs 40 and 2hrs 45 minutes after starting we had completed our first ever (and quite possibly last ever) half marathon!! WOOOOO!!!!!
then began the hobble home. oh the pain!! :( luckily we got a seat on the train and managed a wee nap, then we got a taxi from station back to mine (via M&S garage to stock up on food and cider for the evening)
That brings us to around now. We're both in our own flats, had a hot bath/shower and eaten some tasty food. And other than our battered, blistered and bruised bodies, we're feeling pretty pleased with ourselves.
We'd just like to finish by saying a big thank you to everyone who had faith in us, even when we didn't! And also a massive thanks to all of you who have donated money to MND Scotland in return for our agonising 13.1mile run!
There's still time to donate though, if you happen to be somewhat impressed by our adventures. http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Finally, watch this space. Our first event is over, which means its time to start planning some new activities/events to keep the fund rolling in...
Muchos love
The very tired, sore but proud McAdam Sisters :D
xxx
So today was our half marathon day! the lead up to today has been pretty up and down. We didnt run as much as we should (surprise surprise!), shona went on holiday to Manchester all week and i caught a cold. i spent yesterday lying on the couch feeling ridiculously sorry for myself and wondering how on earth i was gonna make 13.1miles when i could hardly get off the sofa!? So i started taking a ridiculous amount of medications and vitamins to try kick it...
We both struggled to sleep last night - nerves, excitement, who knows?! i got to sleep around 2am and woke up at 5.45 all raring to go (well, after my decongestants, berocca, zinc, multi vitamins, iron and omega 3 tablets!).
We had to stand all the way to Glasgow on the train as it was packed full of runners - not good for the feet prior to running surely! then we had an hour to hang around at the startline to get properly nervous. we kept saying that we'd be fine, but it was pretty clear that we weren't feeling all that confident and were wishing we'd trained harder and skived less! We also spent a fair amount of time trying to find other chubbers we might be able to run alongside, or even beat!! to our dismay, there werent that many. Cue panic....
So we ran. This bit is going to be short and sweet because mum's requested no swearing in the blog; and without the swearwords to be honest there's not so much we can say about the run.... Long story short; we ran, we swore, we drank lucozade gel (which is incidentally like drinking orange flavoured phlegm!) and we ran and swore a whole lot more.
We ran together for the first 11miles, where our paces changed a bit and we were both struggling to find a happy middleground, so we separated. It was so much harder alone, with no one to moan and swear to!!
So eventually, 2hrs 40 and 2hrs 45 minutes after starting we had completed our first ever (and quite possibly last ever) half marathon!! WOOOOO!!!!!
then began the hobble home. oh the pain!! :( luckily we got a seat on the train and managed a wee nap, then we got a taxi from station back to mine (via M&S garage to stock up on food and cider for the evening)
That brings us to around now. We're both in our own flats, had a hot bath/shower and eaten some tasty food. And other than our battered, blistered and bruised bodies, we're feeling pretty pleased with ourselves.
We'd just like to finish by saying a big thank you to everyone who had faith in us, even when we didn't! And also a massive thanks to all of you who have donated money to MND Scotland in return for our agonising 13.1mile run!
There's still time to donate though, if you happen to be somewhat impressed by our adventures. http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Finally, watch this space. Our first event is over, which means its time to start planning some new activities/events to keep the fund rolling in...
Muchos love
The very tired, sore but proud McAdam Sisters :D
xxx
Monday, 29 August 2011
Sunday, 21 August 2011
a lazy sunday afternoon...with a little information...
Hey there!!
So its sunday- again. and i know you're all expecting some chat about how our long run went today... but we havent done it, so today its just a general dose of my bletherings! i bet you're excited...
We didnt run today as we were both home this weekend. Shona was home getting her hair cut. I was home for going out to the Races with my pals. We also got to spend some time with our lovely parents, who were kind enough to feed us and supply us with some wine! :) Anyhoo, between both of us being home (and neither packing our running gear) we've decided to run later in the week instead. but don't be worrying yourselves - we're still keeping up with our training and are hoping to be ready for our half marathon which is 2 weeks today! (Whenever i write that, i dont feel ready, i feel like curling up under the duvet and not coming out for 2 weeks, 1 day...)
Today, i thought i'd tell you a little more about MND Scotland. You all know that we're trying to raise a fair whack of money for them, but i think telling you where the money you guys are donating can be used might be a good idea.
You already know that MND Scotland provide care and support for people around Scotland who suffer from MND, as well as their families. They provide a care service who can liaise with professionals including occupational therapists, nutritionists and speech and language therapists to ensure individuals are having all of their needs met.
MND Scotland lend equipment including lightwriters for communication, adjustable beds and recliner/riser chairs. This equipment is often not readily available through other health and social care services yet can make the world of difference for someone with MND. They also provide information and assistance when dealing with welfare and benefits services to ensure that everyone receives all that they are entitled to.
MND Scotland can offer counselling services for individuals with MND, or their families, in order to give a chance to talk, vent, rant about the way in which life has changed for them. They also have a specially adapted caravan near St Andrews which offers the chance for a getaway from every day life, without having to worry about whether or not a holiday resort would meet all needs.
Finally, MND Scotland also provide a befriending service, where volunteers can visit at home, or go out and about, with people with MND Scotland. This can provide companionship and friendship for someone with MND Scotland, and might be particularly valuable if they are beginning to feel isolated. But it can also provide short spells of respite time for carers.
So there you go. A very brief insight into some of the things this wonderful charity does to help families like ours. if you'd like to find out more you can visit their website; http://www.mndscotland.org.uk/oursupport.php - this page will be much more informative than my bletherings!!
The next few blogs will probably concentrate mainly on our growing fear and the impending doom that is the half marathon!! Following that (if we survive) we'll be starting to make our next plans and movements so you can follow us on here and keep up to date with our progress.
As always, the only way we can reach our £7600 target is with your help and support. the place to part with your money is here: http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam please take a look!
Finally, i'd just like to say a big thanks to all of you who are providing support to us - whether its convincing me to go out running even when im sleepy and it's raining, convincing us we can actually do this (Even if in reality you're wondering how the hell we're gonna lug our chubby wee frames 13miles!!) donating a fiver, or donating something a whole lot bigger, providing us with fundraising ideas, offering your services to help in any way you can, being someone we can talk to when we're feeling a bit crap, or not even talking, but just bringing round the wine and cakes! We really hope you all know who you are!!!
Muchos love!
The McAdam Sisters
So its sunday- again. and i know you're all expecting some chat about how our long run went today... but we havent done it, so today its just a general dose of my bletherings! i bet you're excited...
We didnt run today as we were both home this weekend. Shona was home getting her hair cut. I was home for going out to the Races with my pals. We also got to spend some time with our lovely parents, who were kind enough to feed us and supply us with some wine! :) Anyhoo, between both of us being home (and neither packing our running gear) we've decided to run later in the week instead. but don't be worrying yourselves - we're still keeping up with our training and are hoping to be ready for our half marathon which is 2 weeks today! (Whenever i write that, i dont feel ready, i feel like curling up under the duvet and not coming out for 2 weeks, 1 day...)
Today, i thought i'd tell you a little more about MND Scotland. You all know that we're trying to raise a fair whack of money for them, but i think telling you where the money you guys are donating can be used might be a good idea.
You already know that MND Scotland provide care and support for people around Scotland who suffer from MND, as well as their families. They provide a care service who can liaise with professionals including occupational therapists, nutritionists and speech and language therapists to ensure individuals are having all of their needs met.
MND Scotland lend equipment including lightwriters for communication, adjustable beds and recliner/riser chairs. This equipment is often not readily available through other health and social care services yet can make the world of difference for someone with MND. They also provide information and assistance when dealing with welfare and benefits services to ensure that everyone receives all that they are entitled to.
MND Scotland can offer counselling services for individuals with MND, or their families, in order to give a chance to talk, vent, rant about the way in which life has changed for them. They also have a specially adapted caravan near St Andrews which offers the chance for a getaway from every day life, without having to worry about whether or not a holiday resort would meet all needs.
Finally, MND Scotland also provide a befriending service, where volunteers can visit at home, or go out and about, with people with MND Scotland. This can provide companionship and friendship for someone with MND Scotland, and might be particularly valuable if they are beginning to feel isolated. But it can also provide short spells of respite time for carers.
So there you go. A very brief insight into some of the things this wonderful charity does to help families like ours. if you'd like to find out more you can visit their website; http://www.mndscotland.org.uk/oursupport.php - this page will be much more informative than my bletherings!!
The next few blogs will probably concentrate mainly on our growing fear and the impending doom that is the half marathon!! Following that (if we survive) we'll be starting to make our next plans and movements so you can follow us on here and keep up to date with our progress.
As always, the only way we can reach our £7600 target is with your help and support. the place to part with your money is here: http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam please take a look!
Finally, i'd just like to say a big thanks to all of you who are providing support to us - whether its convincing me to go out running even when im sleepy and it's raining, convincing us we can actually do this (Even if in reality you're wondering how the hell we're gonna lug our chubby wee frames 13miles!!) donating a fiver, or donating something a whole lot bigger, providing us with fundraising ideas, offering your services to help in any way you can, being someone we can talk to when we're feeling a bit crap, or not even talking, but just bringing round the wine and cakes! We really hope you all know who you are!!!
Muchos love!
The McAdam Sisters
Sunday, 14 August 2011
a little too ambitious - and a lot of excuses
Hey guys!
So today our run was somewhat of an epic fail!!! we decided to challenge ourselves and run twice round Arthur's Seat for our 10km today, seeing as we've now done several 10km runs. Big mistake. I thought i'd include for you all our list of excuses for why it went so horribly wrong;
1) It was too hot
2) the Foodies Festival was on - very distracting
3) I (Clair) haven't run all week (yups, true story, kept falling asleep on sofa instead)
4) Shona drank half a bottle of wine last night, and 2 cups of coffee this morning - not hydrated enough
5) I didnt finish work til 5am this morning so hadnt had enough sleep and had sore feet from work
but really we're quite aware that the actual reason it all went tits up was that it was just too hard. We stupidly ran the other way round from usual thinking it would be easier. Big Mistake. Much Harder. So. lesson learnt. dont be so ambitious. We're going to do all our runs this week (Even me, i promise!) and plan a much more sensible route for our monster run next weekend.
Its a shame - we've been doing so well and achieved all our targets so far yet today was a total write-off. Oh well, onwards and upwards! (and maybe a glass of wine to cheer us up!!)
As always we're still looking for your support. you can see our fundraising progress and donate at http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Muchos love!
xxx
So today our run was somewhat of an epic fail!!! we decided to challenge ourselves and run twice round Arthur's Seat for our 10km today, seeing as we've now done several 10km runs. Big mistake. I thought i'd include for you all our list of excuses for why it went so horribly wrong;
1) It was too hot
2) the Foodies Festival was on - very distracting
3) I (Clair) haven't run all week (yups, true story, kept falling asleep on sofa instead)
4) Shona drank half a bottle of wine last night, and 2 cups of coffee this morning - not hydrated enough
5) I didnt finish work til 5am this morning so hadnt had enough sleep and had sore feet from work
but really we're quite aware that the actual reason it all went tits up was that it was just too hard. We stupidly ran the other way round from usual thinking it would be easier. Big Mistake. Much Harder. So. lesson learnt. dont be so ambitious. We're going to do all our runs this week (Even me, i promise!) and plan a much more sensible route for our monster run next weekend.
Its a shame - we've been doing so well and achieved all our targets so far yet today was a total write-off. Oh well, onwards and upwards! (and maybe a glass of wine to cheer us up!!)
As always we're still looking for your support. you can see our fundraising progress and donate at http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
Muchos love!
xxx
Sunday, 7 August 2011
A rainy day, and a long run..
Happy Sunday Everyone!!
Hope you're all well :) i'm just lounging about in my jammies just now waiting on Shona to arrive at 2pm for our big run today. 85 minutes!! How scary!!! Shona's still a bit choked with the cold though, so we're just going to play it by ear - don't want her keeling over on me mid-run.
So i've just been pootling about on the internet and thought you guys might be a little bit interested in seeing what's actually going to happen when we go to Peru with MND Scotland - so i found this link that takes you through our day-by-day plan. http://www.mndscotland.org.uk/fileuploads/peru-inca-trail-trek-info-2853.pdf Im sure you'll agree that it doesn't look easy - apparently theres a lot of uphill and not so much of the oxygen kicking about in the air. Lovely! :D
We've almost reached the £200 mark on our justgiving page now http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam but we still need so much more!!!
We'd also love to hear from anyone who might fancy doing a sponsored event or fundraiser to help us on our way! Or even just any great ideas for things we can do!! :D
Muchos love to you all!
xxx
Hope you're all well :) i'm just lounging about in my jammies just now waiting on Shona to arrive at 2pm for our big run today. 85 minutes!! How scary!!! Shona's still a bit choked with the cold though, so we're just going to play it by ear - don't want her keeling over on me mid-run.
So i've just been pootling about on the internet and thought you guys might be a little bit interested in seeing what's actually going to happen when we go to Peru with MND Scotland - so i found this link that takes you through our day-by-day plan. http://www.mndscotland.org.uk/fileuploads/peru-inca-trail-trek-info-2853.pdf Im sure you'll agree that it doesn't look easy - apparently theres a lot of uphill and not so much of the oxygen kicking about in the air. Lovely! :D
We've almost reached the £200 mark on our justgiving page now http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam but we still need so much more!!!
We'd also love to hear from anyone who might fancy doing a sponsored event or fundraiser to help us on our way! Or even just any great ideas for things we can do!! :D
Muchos love to you all!
xxx
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Oh Dear...
Oh dear....
this week isn't going well at all. Following our big run on sunday we both had a few wee aches and pains. But when my ankle started to swell i knew things weren't too good. :( So for the past 3 days, instead of running i've been hobbling about and over-using ibuprofen gel in the hope that my ankle would recover. And luckily today the limp is gone and im back to full working order i think! So tomorrow i start this weeks training - 2 days later than i should have. Things aren't going great for Shona either. Though achy from our big run, her body remained largely intact. Then she caught the cold. :( She's now off work, curled up in bed and miserable. Also not good for the running.
So... i shall be back to normal training routines tomorrow - a 40min run tomorrow and a 20 min run on fri before the big one on sunday. Shona will hopefully recover soon and be able to join in too!!
We're putting in as much effort as we can to do this - injuries and colds aside, but we can't do it alone! we need your help!!! So please dig deep people. you can sponsor us online at http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam or by texting the amount you want to donate (for example, £5, £10, etc) and the following code - QOLI90 - to this number: 70070.
this week isn't going well at all. Following our big run on sunday we both had a few wee aches and pains. But when my ankle started to swell i knew things weren't too good. :( So for the past 3 days, instead of running i've been hobbling about and over-using ibuprofen gel in the hope that my ankle would recover. And luckily today the limp is gone and im back to full working order i think! So tomorrow i start this weeks training - 2 days later than i should have. Things aren't going great for Shona either. Though achy from our big run, her body remained largely intact. Then she caught the cold. :( She's now off work, curled up in bed and miserable. Also not good for the running.
So... i shall be back to normal training routines tomorrow - a 40min run tomorrow and a 20 min run on fri before the big one on sunday. Shona will hopefully recover soon and be able to join in too!!
We're putting in as much effort as we can to do this - injuries and colds aside, but we can't do it alone! we need your help!!! So please dig deep people. you can sponsor us online at http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam or by texting the amount you want to donate (for example, £5, £10, etc) and the following code - QOLI90 - to this number: 70070.
Sunday, 31 July 2011
countdown begins - 5 weeks to go...
Hey guys!
So today we started our 5 week countdown - it's beginning to get a little more real, and much more terrifying now!!
This week we both did a little better and almost kept to the training programme (almost, but not quite!). Today our run was 75minutes. That's the furthest we've ever gone - further than our 10km last September!! luckily it wasn't quite as warm today as it was when we ran last week.
I've been trying to keep things a little interesting by changing our routes every week and have been using map my run to plan them out in advance so we don't end up miles away from home and having to walk back, or worse, end up having to run past the flat and then keep on going! So today we ran along the streets into town, dodging all the football fans heading to Tynecastle for the Hearts match. When we got to Haymarket we ran along the back to Dean Bridge then down to the water of leith - though i couldnt remember where the water of leith pathway was, so we spent a few minutes tootling back and forth in Dean Village until Shona spotted the wee path. Then it was the long and winding path home along the water, along side Murrayfield, through Saughton park then eventually back towards mine! By the time we'd finished we were feeling pretty good (though we did have to stop for a blister-check as feet weren't feeling quite so good!!).
Next week - 3 runs on our own to complete then an 85minute run on the sunday - need to find somewhere interesting and different for us to go!
Other exciting news - I got a box of goodies delivered from MND Scotland yesterday! It had collection boxes, vest tops and sponsor forms in it!!! so we're all kitted out to promote MND Scotland during our half marathon, we'll hopefully get some collection boxes put out soon and get the sponsor forms put to use for any other fundraising events that may be in the pipeline (more to be revealed at a later date!!)
Remember, we're doing all this in order to raise £7600 for MND Scotland - which will result in us walking the Inca Trail in Peru next year! We're putting in as much effort as we can to do this, but we can't do it alone! we need your help!!! So please dig deep people. you can sponsor us online at http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam or by texting the amount you want to donate (for example, £5, £10, etc) and the following code - QOLI90 - to this number: 70070.
Muchos love!! xxx
So today we started our 5 week countdown - it's beginning to get a little more real, and much more terrifying now!!
This week we both did a little better and almost kept to the training programme (almost, but not quite!). Today our run was 75minutes. That's the furthest we've ever gone - further than our 10km last September!! luckily it wasn't quite as warm today as it was when we ran last week.
I've been trying to keep things a little interesting by changing our routes every week and have been using map my run to plan them out in advance so we don't end up miles away from home and having to walk back, or worse, end up having to run past the flat and then keep on going! So today we ran along the streets into town, dodging all the football fans heading to Tynecastle for the Hearts match. When we got to Haymarket we ran along the back to Dean Bridge then down to the water of leith - though i couldnt remember where the water of leith pathway was, so we spent a few minutes tootling back and forth in Dean Village until Shona spotted the wee path. Then it was the long and winding path home along the water, along side Murrayfield, through Saughton park then eventually back towards mine! By the time we'd finished we were feeling pretty good (though we did have to stop for a blister-check as feet weren't feeling quite so good!!).
Next week - 3 runs on our own to complete then an 85minute run on the sunday - need to find somewhere interesting and different for us to go!
Other exciting news - I got a box of goodies delivered from MND Scotland yesterday! It had collection boxes, vest tops and sponsor forms in it!!! so we're all kitted out to promote MND Scotland during our half marathon, we'll hopefully get some collection boxes put out soon and get the sponsor forms put to use for any other fundraising events that may be in the pipeline (more to be revealed at a later date!!)
Remember, we're doing all this in order to raise £7600 for MND Scotland - which will result in us walking the Inca Trail in Peru next year! We're putting in as much effort as we can to do this, but we can't do it alone! we need your help!!! So please dig deep people. you can sponsor us online at http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam or by texting the amount you want to donate (for example, £5, £10, etc) and the following code - QOLI90 - to this number: 70070.
Muchos love!! xxx
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
it's hot!
Today in Edinburgh it is hot! True story. (well, not in comparison to the rest of the world, but relatively speaking...) Too hot to run. I've just finished work and am due to go for a 35minute run. I'm sleepy. It's hot. There's only one solution. I'm off for a nap.
I promise when i wake up i will run. (and now i've said it on here i'm going to have to!)
Good night!
xxx
I promise when i wake up i will run. (and now i've said it on here i'm going to have to!)
Good night!
xxx
Sunday, 24 July 2011
A long run...
Heya Guys!
So yesterday Shona and I arranged to go out for our first long run in a while. Firstly, it wasn't really running conditions - it was sooo warm! A day much more suited to a BBQ in the park with a nice cold fruity cider or glass of wine than slogging it out for a 65 minute run. But, feeling the guilts for being a little lazy the past couple of weeks (my fault mainly, i've been off uni/placement so have taken up napping!) got the better of us, so off we went.
The aim was 65 minutes. Over an hour of running!! i'm just not sure im totally on board with that. However, we started off grand - tootling along the Dell and up through Colinton Village. In fact for the first few miles we were feeling pretty smug! Though the further we went, the hotter we got, and the harder it became. by the time we got to my old hovel of a flat at Polwarth we were feeling pretty bitter about this whole half marathon malarky. People were sitting outside the pubs and in the parks drinking, and we wanted to be there too. but we kept going.... by the time we were half way along slateford road, Shona didn't want to play anymore, and at 60minutes she stopped. I shouted. she started up again. It was only when we were finished the full 65minutes that Shona turned round and said to me "this is probably a good time to tell you that i haven't been running since you came back from camp" (i came back from camp on July 8th, it was now July 23rd!!!) Not impressed Shona. Not Impressed.
But hopefully lesson has been learnt. This week we have 3 runs to do on our own then we're going to meet up at the weekend and tackle our next big, and even longer, run!!!
We've been using map my run online to track our progress and we love it because not only does it tell us how far we've gone, how fast we're running etc, but it also tells us roughly how much calories each run burns. Yesterday's 65min run - 566cals. So to celebrate, it was wine time! :D
The good news is that this is becoming more worthwhile - we've now reached the £100 mark for sponsorship - our first of many milestones!! So thats only £7500 to go!! WootWoot!!!
So clearly we still need your help here! To sponsor us you can go to http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam or... to make it even more simple, you can sponsor us through texting (how amazing is that?!!) All you have to do is text the code QOLI90 along with the amount you want to sponsor us (ie. £5 or £10 etc) to 70070. Dont forget to put your name on the text please so we know where the money's coming from and can thank you!! :D
Muchos love! xxx
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Our First Challenge
Hey guys!
I'm writing this as a little bit of procrastination so thought i'd use my time to fill you all in on our first challenge. On September 4th 2011, Shona and I will be taking part (and hopefully completing!) our first ever half marathon!!! Exciting stuff?! A little. Terrifying stuff?! Definitely.
This is a pretty big step up for us. Last year we raised money for MND Scotland by doing the Great Scottish Run 10km - and it was hard!! Prior to this we'd only ever done a couple of the Race of Life 5kms, and even then, with minimal training and some walking (once we went 3 legged and dressed as flamingos!!). Those of you who know us will also be aware that we're not exactly running material - both somewhat squidgy round the edges (Shona less so), keen on wine, sweeties, good food and with a fondness for lounging about and napping. We're not so suited for pounding out miles and miles. But that's neither here nor there any more - we've paid our registration fees and told everyone we're doing it, so we'd better do it!!
Anyhoo... the half marathon is our starting point for raising pennies for our big Inca Trail Challenge in Sept 2012. So we're looking for sponsorship - however big or small, it's all greatly appreciated! If you fancy giving us pennies in return for us plodding 13.1miles round Glasgow when everyone knows we'd rather be snoozing or drinking wine (or both!) then this is the place to visit- http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam/
:)
Right, so now i've updated you on our first big challenge i'd better stop the procrastination.You see, we're following a training plan for the half marathon. It's a 15 week plan and we're currently on week 9 (week 8 appeared to fall by the wayside, so we're trying to be extra good!). So today i'm off out for a 3.5mile run that the plan is insisting on. :( wish me luck!!
I'm writing this as a little bit of procrastination so thought i'd use my time to fill you all in on our first challenge. On September 4th 2011, Shona and I will be taking part (and hopefully completing!) our first ever half marathon!!! Exciting stuff?! A little. Terrifying stuff?! Definitely.
This is a pretty big step up for us. Last year we raised money for MND Scotland by doing the Great Scottish Run 10km - and it was hard!! Prior to this we'd only ever done a couple of the Race of Life 5kms, and even then, with minimal training and some walking (once we went 3 legged and dressed as flamingos!!). Those of you who know us will also be aware that we're not exactly running material - both somewhat squidgy round the edges (Shona less so), keen on wine, sweeties, good food and with a fondness for lounging about and napping. We're not so suited for pounding out miles and miles. But that's neither here nor there any more - we've paid our registration fees and told everyone we're doing it, so we'd better do it!!
Anyhoo... the half marathon is our starting point for raising pennies for our big Inca Trail Challenge in Sept 2012. So we're looking for sponsorship - however big or small, it's all greatly appreciated! If you fancy giving us pennies in return for us plodding 13.1miles round Glasgow when everyone knows we'd rather be snoozing or drinking wine (or both!) then this is the place to visit- http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam/
:)
Right, so now i've updated you on our first big challenge i'd better stop the procrastination.You see, we're following a training plan for the half marathon. It's a 15 week plan and we're currently on week 9 (week 8 appeared to fall by the wayside, so we're trying to be extra good!). So today i'm off out for a 3.5mile run that the plan is insisting on. :( wish me luck!!
Sunday, 17 July 2011
first ever blog!
Ok, i've never done this before and i'm not entirely sure what i'm doing, so bear with me!!
So... Most of you that read this will know me. But for any who don't, i'm Clair McAdam.I'm 24, studying to be a mental health nurse and live in Edinburgh with my flatmate and my dog. This blog has been set up by myself and my sister Shona (26, does stuff with food and quality control - sorry sis, I don't really remember what! - and lives in Livingston).
The purpose of this blog is to let people follow us on an adventure we're currently undertaking... more about that in a minute, but first let me tell you a little important background information. Shona and I have fantastic parents (true story) who live in a wee village near Dundee. My mum, Helen McAdam, was diagnosed in April 2010 with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Motor Neurone Disease destroys the motor nerves in the body and can cause paralysis, impaired speech, and difficulties with eating and drinking. There is no cure for motor neurone disease. I won't go into lots of detail on here, but you can find out more at http://www.mndscotland.org.uk/ which is the website for MND Scotland, a charity that provides support for people in Scotland who suffer from MND and their families. So anyhoo, Mammy McAdam has MND and my dad, Bill (or Wull) has given up work to hang out with her full time and lend a hand when needs be.
Last year Shona and I decided to run the Great Glasgow 10km to raise money for MND Scotland, which we did. This year we've taken on a somewhat bigger challenge. in fact, a MUCH bigger challenge. In September 2012 we will be taking part in MND Scotland's Machu Picchu challenge. This means we are going to Peru to follow the Inca Trail for 6 days. As far as i'm aware, not only is this lots of miles, but it's also very high. However, on the bright side, llamas live there, and i like llamas! :)
However, in order to be allowed to go play with the llamas (and walk for miles) we have to raise a total of £7600.in sponsorship. That's where this blog comes in. We're planning a bunch of fundraising activities and challenges over the course of the next year or so in order to raise the money. This blog will (in theory, if i can get to grips with it) provide a place where our friends and family can follow our progress - seeing what we're planning next and how we're getting on with both our training and fundraising. It's also a place where people can give us fundraising suggestions (Please!) and any advice will also be most welcome!! :D Our justgiving page is available on the following link - http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
So we hope you'll follow our adventures through our bletherings on here, and in turn, help us to raise awareness and support for MND Scotland, a charity that is not only helping our family, but also many other families throughout Scotland who have been affected by MND.
So... Most of you that read this will know me. But for any who don't, i'm Clair McAdam.I'm 24, studying to be a mental health nurse and live in Edinburgh with my flatmate and my dog. This blog has been set up by myself and my sister Shona (26, does stuff with food and quality control - sorry sis, I don't really remember what! - and lives in Livingston).
The purpose of this blog is to let people follow us on an adventure we're currently undertaking... more about that in a minute, but first let me tell you a little important background information. Shona and I have fantastic parents (true story) who live in a wee village near Dundee. My mum, Helen McAdam, was diagnosed in April 2010 with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Motor Neurone Disease destroys the motor nerves in the body and can cause paralysis, impaired speech, and difficulties with eating and drinking. There is no cure for motor neurone disease. I won't go into lots of detail on here, but you can find out more at http://www.mndscotland.org.uk/ which is the website for MND Scotland, a charity that provides support for people in Scotland who suffer from MND and their families. So anyhoo, Mammy McAdam has MND and my dad, Bill (or Wull) has given up work to hang out with her full time and lend a hand when needs be.
Last year Shona and I decided to run the Great Glasgow 10km to raise money for MND Scotland, which we did. This year we've taken on a somewhat bigger challenge. in fact, a MUCH bigger challenge. In September 2012 we will be taking part in MND Scotland's Machu Picchu challenge. This means we are going to Peru to follow the Inca Trail for 6 days. As far as i'm aware, not only is this lots of miles, but it's also very high. However, on the bright side, llamas live there, and i like llamas! :)
However, in order to be allowed to go play with the llamas (and walk for miles) we have to raise a total of £7600.in sponsorship. That's where this blog comes in. We're planning a bunch of fundraising activities and challenges over the course of the next year or so in order to raise the money. This blog will (in theory, if i can get to grips with it) provide a place where our friends and family can follow our progress - seeing what we're planning next and how we're getting on with both our training and fundraising. It's also a place where people can give us fundraising suggestions (Please!) and any advice will also be most welcome!! :D Our justgiving page is available on the following link - http://www.justgiving.com/Clair-and-Shona-McAdam
So we hope you'll follow our adventures through our bletherings on here, and in turn, help us to raise awareness and support for MND Scotland, a charity that is not only helping our family, but also many other families throughout Scotland who have been affected by MND.
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