Two Girls and a Grandad

14/06/2026

🚨 WEEK 9 UPDATE 🚨

Honestly... what weather? 😂🌧️💨

Perth has spent the last week trying to convince us all to stay indoors. Between the rain, wind and freezing mornings, it would've been very easy to skip a session.

Instead, you legends responded with 🥁 685.6km 🥁

Absolutely incredible. 💪

Just when we thought we'd reached peak tropical paradise in Cairns, you've gone and pushed us even further north.

We're now cruising through Cape York Country 🌴☀️🐊

Think tropical beaches, warm ocean breezes, palm trees and sunshine... while we're all back here wringing out our socks and wondering if our morning run qualifies as a swim session 😅

Nine weeks ago we started in Perth.

Since then we've:
✅ Reached Sydney
✅ Smashed through Brisbane
✅ Holidayed in the Whitsundays
✅ Relaxed in Cairns
✅ And now we're exploring Cape York

The craziest part? Only 10 weeks until the Sydney Marathon.

At this rate, the question isn't whether we'll make it... It's whether we can get all the way from Cape York back to Perth before race day! 🤯

Every walk.
Every run.
Every hike.
Every treadmill session.

You continue to prove that bad weather is no match for a community with a goal 💛

Keep logging those kilometres legends. Let's bring this thing home! 🚀

11/06/2026

COUNT TO 5
That's all we're asking.
Not to be fearless.
Not to be fast.
Not to be perfect.
Just brave enough to count:
1... 2... 3... 4... 5
Then take the first step.

Join us in July for Run for Research, September for a Mandurah Tri Club duathlon, or a women's triathlon event.

We promise you're capable of more than you think.

💗 Be Bold. Be Brave. Count to 5. 💗

Why the "Endurance Development Program"?

Over the past season, Hayley and I have encouraged a number of women to step outside their comfort zones and try something new.

Some started by simply turning up to watch.
Some borrowed bikes.
Some joined us for a fun run.
Some completed their first duathlon or triathlon.

Many have since gone on to buy their own bikes, enter races independently, and encourage other women to do the same.

The attached "Endurance Development Program" was created as a joke in our group chat when someone asked if they would receive a certificate for graduating from our so-called "cult."

The truth is there is no graduation.

Every woman who takes that first brave step simply unlocks the next stage of confidence, capability and connection.

What began as a bit of fun is actually a reflection of something we're incredibly proud of: women supporting women, backing themselves, and discovering they can do more than they ever thought possible.

So if you've been thinking about giving it a go, this is your sign. Count to 5.

We'll be waiting on the other side

🏊‍♀️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

07/06/2026

🚨 WEEK 8 UPDATE 🚨

Well, marathon training has officially begun and despite winter doing its best to keep us indoors, you legends have kept the kilometres rolling in! ❄️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

This week:
🔥 Two Girls and a Grandad: 121.6km
🔥 Community: 499.4km
🥁 Weekly Total: 621km 🥁

A special mention to Alex Heys who continues to sit proudly atop the leaderboard. Alex... we're coming for you! 😅

Last update we were relaxing in the Whitsundays, soaking up sunshine and pretending Perth wasn't being battered by rain and wind.

This week's 621km sees us continue north and arrive in Cairns! 🌴☀️🐠

Think tropical weather, palm-lined esplanades, reef adventures and morning runs in shorts instead of five layers and a rain jacket.

In just 8 weeks we've gone from Perth, smashed through Sydney, cruised past Brisbane, enjoyed the Whitsundays and now find ourselves in Far North Queensland. The crazy part? We still have 11 weeks until the Sydney Marathon.

So here's the question... Can we make it all the way from Cairns back to Perth before race day? And while we're talking about building kilometres...

🏃‍♀️ Run for Research kicks off in July! 🏃‍♂️

The challenge is simple:
3km a day for 31 days to support the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.

Perkins have asked Two Girls and a Grandad to be ambassadors again this year, and we'd love to see some familiar faces join us.

Who's keen to build some healthy habits, improve their fitness and work on that summer body while everyone else hibernates through winter? 😏☀️
https://community.perkins.org.au/register/runforresearch/defaultregistrationform

Keep logging those kilometres legends. Every step counts. 💛

04/06/2026

🚨 RUN FOR RESEARCH IS BACK! 🚨

Two Girl's and a Grandad are incredibly proud to announce that we've been selected as ambassadors for Run for Research 2026 in support of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.

What started as a simple challenge to move a little more each day in 2024 became something much bigger. We watched people improve their fitness, build confidence, make new friends and discover they're capable of far more than they ever imagined.

This July, we're inviting you to join us.

The challenge is simple:
🏃‍♀️ Run or walk 3km a day
📅 Every day throughout July
💙 Raise funds for life-saving medical research

The best part? You don't need to be a runner.

Walk it🚶🏼‍♀️
Jog it🏃🏽‍♀️
Take the dog 🐩
Bring a friend 👯
Push a pram👩🏼‍🦽
Do whatever works for you.

As for us, we'll be out there rain, hail or shine as we continue training for the Sydney Marathon. The kilometres are happening anyway, so we'd love some company along the way!

Every step helps fund research into diseases that impact millions of Australians, while also doing something positive for your own physical and mental health.

So, who's joining Two Girls and a Grandad this July?

Drop a 🏃‍♂️ or 🏃‍♀️ below if you're in!



Register - Run for Research 2026 | Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research

But if you're ready to level up, raise $1,000 and you'll not only unlock VIP status but an exclusive Run for Research hoodie!

01/06/2026

🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃‍♂️SYDNEY MARATHON: 90 DAYS TO GO 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃‍♂️

With just 90 days until the Sydney Marathon, Grandad has made a bold announcement...
He has officially entered his Forrest Gump Era.

From today until race day, the beard stays. The hair stays. The increasingly concerning resemblance to a man living under a bridge stays.

While Abbey and Hayley are focusing on sensible things like training plans, nutrition and recovery, Grandad has decided his contribution to the team will be to slowly transform into a bloke who looks like he's been running across Australia since 1979.
Current status: 'Mildly scruffy.'
Goal by race day: Somewhere between Forrest Gump and a missing person poster.

To be clear, I am not entirely supportive of this plan and reserve the right to drag him kicking and screaming to a barber at any time.
However... For every donation received towards our Sydney Marathon fundraising, his chances of surviving race day with the beard intact improve dramatically.

So if you'd like to:
✅ Support medical research
✅ Help us get to Sydney
✅ Prevent me from forcibly shaving Grandad

Please consider making a donation.
https://sm26.grassrootz.com/theperkins/two-girls-and-a-grandad-1

Because right now he's saying:
'I just felt like runnin'...'
And unfortunately, he also feels like not visiting a hairdresser for the next three months.

31 May 2026 – Day 1 of the transformation. Still looks employable. Still allowed in public without attracting concern. Check back on marathon day to see whether we've raised enough money to save him... or whether he's fully committed to life in the wilderness.

Thank ChatGPT for coming through with the goods 🤣

31/05/2026

🚨 WEEKS 6 & 7 UPDATE 🚨
Well... it's been a couple of weeks since our last challenge update 😅

Many of us completed one of the HBF Run for a Reason distances and there appeared to be some discrepancies with the distances being recorded in Strava (short changing us). I spent far longer than I'd like to admit trying to solve the mystery, but unfortunately came up empty-handed 🕵️‍♀️
So, we're rolling with what Strava has logged and reporting the numbers as they stand.
🔥 Week 6: 619.4km
🔥 Week 7: 489.2km
Giving us a combined fortnightly total of:
🥁 1,108.6km 🥁

Now remember... after smashing our original Perth to Sydney goal, we pointed ourselves north and set our sights on Brisbane.
Well, you lot didn't just reach Brisbane... you kept going 😂

If we're taking the scenic coastal route (and let's be honest, who wants to be inland when Perth is currently serving up sideways rain, freezing winds and enough puddles to qualify as open water swim training?), we've now cruised past Brisbane and are sitting around the Whitsundays region 🌴☀️⛵

Picture it...
🏖️ White sandy beaches
🌊 Crystal blue water
☀️ Sunshine on your face
🍹 Holiday vibes

Meanwhile in Perth we're all running in rain jackets wondering if we're training for a marathon or an expedition to Antarctica 🥶

Keep logging those kms legends!

24/05/2026

HBF Run for a Reason 2026 Race Recap

Two Girls and a Grandad survived another one.

Abbey and Doug rolled up on what felt like 94 minutes sleep after a late-night gig, questioning every life choice made after 8pm.
Meanwhile Hayley arrived with a neck so stiff she looked like she was wearing an invisible medical brace and smelling like she was sponsored by Voltaren. 😭

But the true hero of the day… was Grandad.

Nothing says 'Run for a Reason' quite like
🏃‍♂️ Morning Run
💩 Emergency toilet stop
📉 PB hopes literally going down the sh***er

At around kilometre OH NO, Doug bravely sacrificed his dignity. Some people chase medals... Doug chased the nearest public toilet.

Despite the chaos
✅ Hayley’s neck remained attached
✅ Abbey kept the group moving
✅ Doug made it back from the cubicle alive

And together, Two Girls and a Grandad crossed the finish line once again ❤️

PBDownTheSh*tter HalfMarathonLife EnduranceAthletes ThoughtsAndPrayersForDoug

17/05/2026

🚨 WEEK 5 UPDATE 🚨

Well… we officially made it to Sydney and apparently decided that still wasn’t enough 🤦🏼‍♀️
This week the club clocked another massive 667.4km, taking our total to:
🥁 3,458.7km 🥁

Naturally… we’re taking a left and heading north with a new goal:
📍 BRISBANE 👀

For context:
Sydney to Brisbane is roughly 730km as the crow flies. Which means after the way you lot have been carrying on lately… Brisbane could genuinely be under threat in Week 6 😅

The consistency and effort from everyone has been unreal. Walks, runs, hikes, treadmill kms — it all counts and you continue to blow us away every single week 💛

So let's make Brisbane our week 6 target. Let’s see what happens 🚀

Who's doing HBF Run for a Reason next Sunday??

13/05/2026

🚨 HUGE MILESTONE MOMENT 🚨

Today the funds from our Mandurah Walks for Research event officially hit our fundraising page 💛

That event — held on Sunday 12 April by Two Girl’s and a Grandad — was part of our successful application for a $3,000 Alcoa ACTION Grant… and today we saw the impact of that generosity firsthand.

🥁 Our fundraising total now sits at an incredible…

💛 $14,271 💛

The impact this has on the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is huge, and we honestly couldn’t be more grateful.

A massive thank you to:
💛 Girl 2 – Hayley Gibson for applying for the grant and organising the entire event
💛 The incredible Alcoa employees who volunteered their Sunday morning to help bring everything together
💛 Alcoa for approving the grant and backing our community initiative

What started as an idea became a morning that brought together over 100 people, hundreds of kilometres, and now thousands of dollars towards medical research for WA families.

And the scary part?
We’re now only 109 days away from the Sydney Marathon on 30 August 😅🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Thank you for backing us, believing in us, and being part of this journey every step of the way 💛

10/05/2026

🚨 WEEK 4 OF THE 3,300KM CHALLENGE 🚨

You absolute psychopaths… what is going ON?! 😂🔥

This week alone we logged a combined 600.3km 💪

🏃 Abbey: 37km
🏃 Doug: 30.6km
🏃 Hayley: 22.2km

And once again… Alex Heys is out here built different, casually dropping 62.2km like it’s a warm up lap 😳👏

Which now brings our grand total to…

🥁 2,791.3km in just FOUR WEEKS 🥁

That’s over 84% of the way from Perth to Sydney as the crow flies 🤯

For some perspective… we’ve officially blasted through WA, crossed SA, flown through regional NSW and are now sitting around the Orange / Bathurst region 🍊🏔️

SYDNEY IS STARTING TO FEEL VERY, VERY NERVOUS 👀

At this rate we’re going to need a new challenge soon because apparently everyone decided to start their summer body prep before winter has even arrived 😂☀️

Honestly though — this has become so much bigger than we ever expected.

People walking before work.
Running after shifts.
Clocking treadmill kms.
Weekend hikes.
Parkruns.

Every single kilometre counts and every week you all continue to blow us away.

Keep logging those kms legends… we’re charging towards Sydney FAST 🚀💛