No longer a 10k virgin

Date :  3rd May
Weather:  Bright and sunny, but a bit chilly
Footwear:  Cute wee black ballet pumps

Morning bloggies!! 

If Carlsberg did weekends....    I tell you, what a weeked I've had.

All last week I was tied up with Jesus Christ Superstar rehearsals, dress rehearsals, tech  rehearsals and on Thursday night we opened.  We opened after 12 weeks of long rehearsals, lost voices, missing Apostles, costume issues with my pants (loong story)... to be part of the show was something really special and quite often you'll hear people talk about "post show blues" and its so true.  You spend so much time together with your fellow cast mates, and you see each other when you are hyper, shattered, ratty or ill that you become family and for show week you spend more time in a dressing room than you do in bed.  But its all worth it.  What we managed to put on last week was a spectacular show and I've not heard one bad review or comment about it.  So well done JC cast and crew - heres to working with you all again soon.

Some highlights of show week for you all (apologies if they make little to no sense... some of you will know what I'm on about)

" Oh my fucking god"
"Herods dancers, bigger pants please.  The guys in the fly tower dont know where to look"
"Good evening Jews, Romans, assorted Judeans and Herods Whores, this is your 5min act 1 beginners call"
"Welcome to the Alhambra Fm, and if your name is Clarke this one is for you.  Act 1 beginners to stage"
Anything that came out of Kate Haley's scarcastic Irish mouth - That girl is compedy gold!
"Why wouldnt we find you attractive Vicki, you wear anal beads as accessories"
"See my purse.... its empty"  ( When Ed forgot his line of "See my purse I'm a poor poor man"  how anyone can forget a line halfway into it..!)

So many memories and the photos are just coming back to haunt us all on facebook....! No detagging now...


Now onto my race recap.

Yesterday marked the day that I would run my first ever 10k, and those of you the know me know that recently I was regretting the decision to do that.  However, after the show on Sat night I went home, got an early night (didn't even watch 24!) and got up at 8am to start my race prep.  Rob stayed in bed, knowing that hes going to be standing around Holyrood park for the best part of an hour wasn't really a motivator for  him to get up early. 

I had arranged to meet Mrs Fudge and Mr Fudge at 10am at the Scottish Parliment, then we all headed into the main area for teh start of the warm up.  Mrs Fudge and I looted the Eat Natural stand and also the Powerade stand before the race, leaving the boys to carry our stash for the rest of the day.  If we are gonna run 10k they can carry our refuel for later.

Fudgey and I has said from the start we would start together and meet at the end, but we'd be running independantly of each other because we both pace differently, and we are both really selfish runners!  Normally we chat all the time, but when we are running there is no chat at all.

The first 5k went by perfectly for me, I was timing myself using the highly complex method of Ipod song lengths.  Usually 5k for me takes me to track 7 on my ipod, but yesterday I hit the 5k mark by song 5/start of song 6 so approx 27 mins.  A new PB.

Then I started to feel slightly unwell.... and decided the best course of action would be to throw up at the 6km marker. 

This slowed me up and for the next 2 k I alternated between walking and power walking and light jogging. 

Then I saw the 9k marker in the distance and decided to go for it, wasn't fun and my body was telling to stop, there were even a few tears because I was starting to think I couldn't do it.

Then somehow the next thing I knew I was crossing the finish line.

I'm going to be honest, this was not the most fun I'd had running and I wasn't at my best.  I was shattered from a busy show week and other bits and pieces, but to hear that Rob and Mr Fudgey thought my time was around the 65min mark really perked me up.  Then Mrs Fudgey sent me a text about 2 hours after the race to tell me...

My first ever 10k race time was 64mins and 53 seconds. 

I was totally over joyed and wanted to do it all again.  Until I got to Robs, felt sick and threw up again.

Moral of the story here kids, never run a 10k after 4 nights of JCS and never eat the cherry flavoured energy bar (designed to be eaten during excercise) after excercise - It'll make you feel great for about 20 mins then you'll feel super sick.

Today I feel great, knees are a bit stiff but thats to be expected.

Next stop Kilimanjaro!

Kmac xxx

I survived!

Morning blog world!

I'm back and fiting fit (ish) after my weekend full of hen party fun, singing, dancing, hot tubing and then rehearsals on Sunday.  I totally lost my voice on Sunday night and just getting it back now but a small price to pay for what was a wonderful weekend!

As promised, I manged to sneek in 2 cheeky runs while I was away.  My run on Friday morning was glorious, it was a lovely day in Edinburgh and I decided to step up to my fear of running outside and I took to the pavements for a quick 40mins around HolyRood park.

Saturday morning around the lake and golf club at the lodge resort we were at for the hen weekend provided the location for the run.  A lovely 30 mins around the lake (avoiding the angry swans and ducks that chased you) and up over the hill back to the log cabin.

I spent the weekend with some of my closest friends and one of the biggest moments for me was when one of them commented on how good I looked.  She hadnt seen me since Oct/Nov last year and said she saw a difference in me and thought I looked great!  Its always nice to hear things like that about you, but when you know the person really really means it its even better :o).

I wont go into the full hen weekend goings on (mainly because the walls have ears) but what I will tell you is that bubbly, hot tubs and WII Kareoke mix really really well and a lime and ginger salt exfoliation with a massage the next day is a fantastic hangover cure.   We had a good selection of food for both nights, we brought our own so lots of healthy options like vegetable sticks and corn on the cob and salads, however I think my attraction to Sailor Jerry rum undid all my good work.   Never mind, your best friend only gets married once right!

Hit the gym yesterday morning, not feeling 100% I decided to work on my upper body but soon realised that even that was too much, so I hopped onto the X trainer for 20 mins of moderate excercise on that.  Better than nothing I figure!! 

Today I'm resting, back to the gym tomorrow for a long run.  I'm planning to reach 9k or even go the full 10k depending on time.  Its 2 weeks until the Bupa 10k in Edinburgh and I'm getting nervous that I've never ran that distance before and I'm starting to feel me put pressure on myself to get a good time.  I need to keep reminding myself that this is a training run for Kilimanjaro and that times don't matter.  But if I take longer than 75mins to do it I'll be gutted. 

Hope the volcanic ash isn't disrupting too many of you - my thoughts go out to all the families spread out all ove rhte world unable to get back to their home.  The sheer power of nature is eye opening.

Kmac xx

Monday Monday

Date: 11th Jan
Weather: We have pavements and roads in Edinburgh. Its a rare sight.
Shoes: Trainers to walk to work in, black heeled riding boots to teeter around work in.

Happy Monday blog world!

11 days into 2010 and so far so good. 249 days until day 1 of the Kilimanjaro trek and the team are really getting into training mode.

There are a team of guys and gals from my (and Richard's) office who are taking part in the Caledonian Challenge this year and they are doing huge training walks over the Pentlands every 2nd weekend, so the weekend Richard will be joining them to start getting his walking boots broken in.

I've been doing my running and today I've just signed up for the 10k in May. My first ever 5k (well technically 4k but we won't split hairs over 1k!) has given me the racing bug..!!


Richard and I are also going to be doing the 3 peaks challenge in June.

Katie has been battling snow and ice and sub zero temperatures up in Inverness to train. 3 hours spent in the gym on Sunday is a testament to her dedication to training even in the extremes of weather she is experiencing.

Barry has been keeping up his fitness, as a Personal Trainer in Edinburgh hes got a great level of fitness. I'm hoping hes working upper body as he might need to carry me up the mountain!!

So overall, a good few activities going on ontop of the gym training with Andy (for me), Roddy (Katie's PT) and Barry (yep, Richard is training with Barry). Bannatyne's have been fantastic with us to date, very supportive and long may this continue.

Also..... This is very much a "I'm thinking it so I might just write it down" but I'm about 70% tempted to make a note to sign up for the 2011 Disney Princess 1/2 marathon in Orlando. Any thoughts?? Should I? Shouldn't I?

On the Ipod today I have Legally Blonde: The musical to keep me going. Great cheery songs and very sing a long. I love it, my colleagues most likely do not!

Have a great day loves.

Kmac xx