158 days to go....

Date: 12 April 2010
Weather: SUN SUN SUN
Footwear:  Black ballet pumps

Well its 158 days until we depart on the trek to Kilimanjaro and I'm starting to get scared, excited, worried and anxious.   The enormity of the task ahead has finally hit me, the training, the altitude, the distance from home and the very real chance that I *might* not make it to the top.

Some quick fire facts about Kilimanjaro for you all...

• Kilimanjaro sits 19,340m above sea level - Ben Nevis is 1,343m above sea level.
• Kilmanjaro is the worlds largest freestanding mountain.
• Its lost nearly 83% of its ice caps since 1912
• In the year 2000 over 1000 reached the summit to watch the sunrise into the new Millenium.

Some quick fire facts about me...

• I've never been more than 251m above sea level before
• I only recently found out that I'm not infact Amphibious, I am actually Ambidexterous...
• I can't read maps and don't understand why a compass moves ALL THE TIME!
• I brought in the new Millenium on my backside because I'd slipped on the dance floor in the club that I was in.

So you can see there are some pretty huge challenges for me to face. 

I have my boots (yucky brown colour... but apparently Hiking doesn't DO chic), I have my gators, I know where Kilimanjaro is so I'm part way there...

I heard that bugs arn't so much of an issue the higher you go because they are all DEAD thanks to the altitude (always comforting...) and I've read a number of travel blogs that decribe the lovely effects of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) and the 5 star toilet facilities.

And yet I'm excited.  Yes - I have been called insane recently.

I'm not the worlds most confident person and I have self-esteem that, at times, is so low its below sea level and my recent party trick is to perform a panic attack when in the company of strangers or in stressful situations (Never underestimate the impact years of being told you're not good enough).  Kilimanjaro will be a massive achievement for me physically and mentally and I'm going to do it.  I'm doing it for me and for my charity.  Nobody else. 

But I know that I'll have people rooting for me and waiting for me to get back.  The support you are giving me is pushing me forward, I don't want to let you down!!

I'm climbing Kilimanjaro for CCLASP, an Edinburgh based charity that helps children and adolescents suffering from cancer and leukaemia & provides advice & support for parents. 

I've volunteered for CCLASP for around 2 years, ever since I moved to Edinburgh and its been so much fun.  Christmas parties, Summer picnics, X Factor trips, Stacey Stroll's, Ladies Day at the Races to name but a few events I've helped at.  But CCLASP also provide transport to and from hospital appointments, running a drop in centre, run a telephone helpline, arrange holidays, fundraisers, newsletters and the weekly clown entertainment on a Wednesday (theatre day) for those in hospital.

Please please please dig deep and donate to this wonderful and monumental charity through my justgiving site JUSTGIVING

I (and the rest of the Kili team) want to raise over £10,000 for them to help them continue the amazing work they currently do.

Kmac xxxx

Dare to dream

Date:  10 March 2010
Weather:  Bright but cold
Shoes:  Grey fabric flats

Well its 2 days until I pick up my name car, her name shall be Milly the Mazda.  I'm looking forward to it, its been 7 years since I got a new car so I'm really really excited!!  Also my dad is coming down to visit me at the weekend so he'll be there when I pick up the new car.

I've not seen my dad since January so it'll be nice to spend some time with him and get him new clothes.  The reason for his visit is that he wants to start treating himself and getting new clothes.   Hes a 65 year old widower so this is a huge step for him and I'm so proud that hes starting to take it.  Baby steps is the best way forward.

Yesterday I ran 7.5km in under 50mins which for me is a new PB.  I want to run a 10k in under 65mins so I'm a bit off my target yet but I'm determined to get there.  My view is how can you ever achieve anything if you never have an ambition..?

Today marks 6 months exactly to the day until we start the Kilimanjaro climb and I cant wait.  I can't belive that a year ago we sat down and planned to do "something" for charity. But nobody really thought we'd be doing something this big.  And as the big day looms closer I'm not getting scared, I'm getting excited!!

Hope all is well in blog land

Kmac xx

Mojo is back

Date:  9 March 2010
Weather:  Dry, cloudy but birght enough.  Its getting lighter in the mornings so time to get running outside methinks.
Shoes:  Black stilletto platforms


I'm back!  The workout mojo is back! My desire to eat is back!  I think they all went on a wee vacation somewhere and have come back with a vengence.

Yesterday I was hoovering up any food I could get my hands on, bananas on toast (wholemeal bread), Claires oaty biccy she made me, soup and salad at lunch time, wholewheat pitta bread with peanut butter and some carrot sticks and then the left over from my spectacular dinner on Sunday night.

But that was all because I had a PT session with Andy.  At 6:30am I rocked up to the gym, knowing that last weeks combo of crap diet and lacklustre excercise would have me hating life in approx 20 minutes, but I turned up anyway and got to work.    60 minutes later I looked like I'd stepped out of the swimming pool but I felt amazing. 

Because its getting very close to Kilimanjaro climbing date alot of my training is working on fatiguing the muscles and then pushing them through endurance training.  I can feel the strength increasing in my legs and I've never felt my upper body feel stronger than it does now.  But there is still work to be done.

I need to start increasing my running distance so Andy has given me a running programme to follow on days when I'm not doing my programme.  I'll see if I can get my programme and scan it in so you can all see what I do.  There is so much on it I have to carry it around the gym with me as a prompt!! 

This morning I arrived at 6:30, starting to feel DOMS from yesterday but enjoying the burn sensation (because I'm a freak...!), walked up to the gym and started a nice easy 40 mins run.   10 mins in I decided to challenge myself, a 20 min sprint with only 1 rest/walk break allowed.  The result was 4.80KM in 29mins. And a very VERY red Kmac on the treadmill.

After my sprint I hopped off and did:

3 x 15 60kg legpress   (superset with)
3 x 30 "mountain climbers"

3 x 15 4kg lat raises (superset with)
3 x 15 25kg single arm pull downs

3 x 15 swiss ball situps (superset with)
3 x 15 cycle crunches


Then I trudged down from the gym to the changing room.   Fudgy will know exactly what I'm talking about when I say that the Grumpy old women were in.

Gym Ninja's blog mentions a variety of people that she spots in the gym, however in my gym we have none of these.  Instead we have "the complainers".  Every morning they arrive and do the same classes... moan about the choice of music/temperature in class/instructor... and leave.  COme back the next day and do the very same thing.  Regardless of who takes the class and what music is played, they ALWAYS have an issue.  I wouldnt mind so much if they did their moaning WHILE CLOTHED! These woman stand around starkers and whine about the class.  Why they need to shower is beyond me because its not like they actually work hard enough to break a sweat, the stairs up to the class are the most sweat inducing thing they do for the 40 mins they are in the gym.

So I put my changing routine into turbe and just legged it out the door.  I'm too young and innocent to see such sights.  However it does act as a reminder that we won't always be so taught and pert....

Have a wonderful day bloggies!

Kmac xx

Its Friday

Date: 5th March 2010
Weather:  Its Scotland.  Its March.... If I said it was sunny I'd be lying..
Footwear:  My black riding style boots.

Last night I had an epithany.  In order to be happy, you really have to strive to be comfortable with your failings.

I'm a happy person, annoyingly happy most of the time and like my sister put "I was brought up with a sister who lives in the land of Disney and believes world Peace will happen when Tinkerbell finds her fairy dust and sprinkles it on the world! FREAK x"    Isn't she a charmer !

My point is, how can you be happy with what you've got if you are constantly wanting things you'd never get?  You can never appreciate what you've got if you want something better.  

I've got amazing friends, supportive family, good health, a job that I enjoy doing and I live in a flat with 2 people who care about me so much that we fight about me making bad decisions!!  Of course there are things that I'd love to have, but would I hand over everything I have NOW for the things that I'd love to have... no.

I want skinnier legs -  I work out at the gym and if I get them I get them.  If not, I'm improving my overall fitness and having a great time doing so.

I want my happy ever after - But that will include my friends and family so I'm not going to alienate them or push them away.

I want a wardrobe full of designer clothes - But I'd rather not spend all my hard earned money on material to cover my body, I'd rather spend my time and money having fun and keeping in touch with my friends and have general clothes..

Do you all see where I'm getting at?   I hope so. 

Today is my rest day from the gym and I've so far had a great morning, got up at 7am (and not 5am!), headed to work and battered through my to do list before 9:40am.   Met fudgy for our usual morning coffee and brekkie catch up before heading back to our desks and now I'm updating you all!! 

Going to see Alice in Wonderland tonight, really excited.  I'm a HUGE  Burton/Depp/Bonham Carter fan and I love the story so fingers crossed this lives up to all the expectations and hype. 

Today marks the final 195 days until Kilimanjaro... less that 200 days to go now.  So the hill trianing starts very very soon.  Because of my show commitments  I'm not able to get up any hills until May but I've got every confidence that I'll do it. 

Hope you all have a great weekend and I'll try check in over the weekend.

Kmac xxx

Monday Monday

Date:  15 Feb 2010
Weather:  Bright and cold - but a very pretty day in Edinburgh
Shoes:  My favourite black Nine West peep toe courts with 3ins heel.   Gorgeous I tell ya!


Morning blog world!

I hope you've had a lovely weekend and no matter where you are, what you were doing, Valentines day treated you well.  In the words of my beautiful friend and flatmate, even if you are single on Valentines day you are not alone - 3 steps behind you is your angel.

My weekend was really really good, although very bad on the excercise front.  Recently I've found that I've been so busy with various other things that I've not been able to get as much training in as I'd have hoped.    But I guess life has to take over sometime, but ultimately I am in control of my time and I have to prioritise!

Friday night was a bit of a late one, we had a leaving party at work so I went along for that and ended up getting in at about 2am.  A great night was had by all and I was a little bit bleary eyed on Saturday morning but I got up and discovered something dreadful......

My laptop had a virus!!!!!  Now being as daft as I am, I dont have the first clue about how to fix this type of issue... so I went through to see if anyone was in the house... Ewan was!!  Ewan is very level headed and knows things and is a very claming influence on my life, and in this time of need he was there with his MAC Book Pro to help fix wee Lappy.  Turns out she had Security Tool which is a bugger of a virus that pretends to be a virus scanner, it "scans" and tells you that you have some virus' etc.   But you don't..... and it just starts to eat everything in the laptop (ok maybe not eat.. but its the best way to describe it).

So Ewan managed to fix that for me.  HUGE hugs and thanks to Ewan for that!

That was the eventuful Sat morning, Sat avo I was lunching at Nandos and watching Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief which was a great film with great company :o)

Quiet Saturday night lead to a monster rehearsal on Sunday through in Dunfermline and this week it was all about the Overture (recap on what we did to slot some more people/new cast members in) and also Hosanna.   So far so good, although the venue was super dusy... but I guess Jerusalem would have been a bit dusty so we are just getting in the mood of the day!   I need to source some gladiator style sandels... so give me a shout if you know where to find them?!

And then its all back to Monday.   I got up this morning and headed to the gym, being a regular morning person you tend to see the same faces so a morning is quite nice.  A wee hello to the other people you recognise and jump on the treadmill.  Ran 3k in about 22mins then start to get a bit bored so thought I'd nip up to the spin studio as a class was starting at 7am.

As I headed up the stairs I bumped into Andy (my PT), turns out hes taking spin which means its going to hurt!!  But it was what I needed.   Kicked me into touch and a grand way to start the week.

This week is crazy busy, but my mornings are all being handed over to the gym.   I've got a hospital appointment this avo and if all goes well I'll be back on top form in no time.

Its also only 213 days until Kilimanjaro!    Please please please show your support and sponsor me.  All money goes to CCLASP which is a beautiful charity based in Edinburgh.  I'll be doing a wee post on CCLASP very soon, but in the meantime if you head over to Fudgey's blog you'll be able to read her post on CCLASP.  Fudgey and I work together, train together and generally have a riot together and this year we are both doing events that challenge us physically and mentally to raise money for CCLASP. 

To sponsor me all you have to do is click HERE!!!!! and follow the instructions.  I'm trying to raise £10k so need all the help and support we can get!

Have a lovely day everyone

Kmac xx

You've left me speechless...

Date: 27 Jan 2010
Weather: Slightly cloudy, a bit chilly, but over all dry.
Shoes: Grey suede shoes with neon pink trim and heel.

Lada Gaga obsession is still very much alive, with the songs "Monster" and "Speechless" playing on my ipod constantly. I'm such a song whore - I'll get a new favourite song and listen to it over and over again and then I'll get bored. And find a new one!!

Well the article was published in the local newspaper, the 900 words that the lady had writted were edited down to less than 150 and the picture they used was possibly the worst one of the lot. Needless to say I was not a happy Kmac so I emailed the paper explaining the errors and why I wasn't happy. They have amended it and published it again, but still no mention of the justgiving website or the charities own site. Like hitting my head against a brick wall sometimes I tell you. And the lovely lady who spoke to me about my story is most certianly not to blame, she wrote a great piece on us and why we are doing the climb.... it was the idiotic editors and new desk people who thought they knew better who cut it down.

But never mind, you live and you learn.

Training has been fantastic this week. Managed a good long run on Monday and yesterday I did my programme (one day I'll get it out the gym and type in for you all to see) and today I focused on legs only. I had a minor Op on my arm yesterday so I'm not allowed to do any heavy lifting or lift my arm over my head for a couple of days, ideally I wasn't supposed to do any training this morning but I had twitchy legs and I only did low impact stuff:

20 mins x level 10 on X Trainer
10 mins steep up hill power walking on treadmill
10 mins on the new "wave" machine thing!

Glad I went, really perks me up in the morning. Its my Kmac time when I get into the gym, headphones on and just go. I've never understood people who use the gym as a social club... they turn up, have a chat in the dressing room and then go up to the gym and all go on the same equipment, walk at a snails pace and just chat. Why not go outside and get some fresh air and chat and walk?!? Anyway - I guess I should be happy taht people are taking an interest in their health and fitness and making it to the gym, I'm sure there are lots of people who do nothing!

Anyway loves back to work I go

TTFN Kmac xx

Funday Sunday

Date: 24th Jan 2010

Weather: Typical Scottish weather - grey, cold and dull. But it is what you make it!

Shoes: Grey flats with bronze buttons

Evening all, had a wonderful weekend? Full of frivolity and fun? I hope so... I hope you've been enjoying the time off before another busy busy week ahead.. I have!

Its been an interesting weekend for me, and a dreadful one in terms of exercise and diet.

I've not really been feeling right all week, a bit woozy and generally not with it. I'm blaming it on worry though, waiting on some results from a doctor and I dont like waiting!!! So finished up work on Friday night and headed out for a couple of drinks, was very well behaved and had white whine and soda - Kmac remained sober and upright for the entire evening you'll all be pleased to know...!!

I've done NO time in the gym this weekend and my food has been "snak" like. Its been healthy but not plentiful, so I dont have any pictures. But I've been keeping up 3 ltrs of water per day.

Saturday was spent in the flat, generally relaxing and taking stock of things. I've been a right worry wart recently and I've made a decision to stop it. Worrying does no good, read above... I'm convinced its been making me sicker. So here and now it stops.

Then today I was at a rehearsal from 11 until about 4. Felt so good to have huge songs to belt out, I can just feel it in my bones that this is going to be great show. I've forgotten how rehearsing and shows make me feel. I forget I'm Kmac, and I become a character in the show and for those few hours I am totally engrossed in the music and I just love it. 14 weeks and counting.... Although I am jealous of the Apostles who get to sing "whats the buzz tell me whats a happenin'" just such a cool line.. yeah I'm a geek..

Random photo time... I found this on my laptop and thought I'd share with you all

Proof that a) I DO eat and also b) I do eat CRAP sometimes.

**This is a rant warning.. **

Since I started taking care of what I eat and also the exercises I do I have been faced with people who like to assume they know more than the experts I've consulted. I've been told I don't eat. I've been told I'm getting too skinny. I've been told "your legs are really fat" and I've also been told to lighten up and enjoy myself.

I've spoken to my doctor - I've had to because of the small thing of KILIMAN BLOODY JARO. I am perfectly healthy in terms of diet and weight/height and if anything I should keep doing what I'm doing because I'm no longer an anaemic controlling her condition with pills. I'm controlling it with diet and healthy living.

I am trying not to get too consumed with weight because its just a number, how my clothes feel is far more important to me. But I weight 9stone and 9lbs and I'm 5ft 3ins tall. I wear a size 8 on top and a 10/12 on bottom and I'm happy. My gym going and training is NOT to loose weight, its to get fit, healthy and active.

My "fat" legs are the product of dancing and now the retraining of them to accommodate weight training. They may be bigger than some peoples, but thats the way we are made. My legs are certainly not fat, so please think before you say something as hurtful and callous as that again. Not everyone is as strong as me.

My training is my way of enjoying myself. Can you imagine a stressful week at work, I'm sure you've all had one, and now think just how good that glass of wine tastes to help you relax or how great you feel after a shower and a sing song. Well I feel that way batting out 5k on the treadmill and some clean and press'. Is that so bad?

**RANT OVER**

Thanks for indulging me. I needed to get that out my system.

Hope you all had a lovely evening, now... go to sleep, rest, relax and have a wonderful Monday.

Try not to get worried....

Kmac xx

Disco Spin!

Date: 18th Jan 2010

Weather: DRY! Honestly... and I think somewhere there is sun...

Footwear of choice: Black patent boots that lace up. Very lovely.

Picture the scene... You wake up and start getting ready for the regular Monday morning walk to the gym, the normal 6k run you usually beat out on the treadmill, the usual race for the fast hairdryer in the ladies changing room, and the habitual walk to work and coffee at your desk.... but today you're routine is different...

You wake up late so have to get a cab... (lazy I know but bear with me)... the route the cab would usually go is sealed off by police because there is a "jumper" on the bridge... at 6:30am... I don't know if he/she did but I prey that they didn't and they are getting the help they need now..... you finally get to the gym at 6:45am and all psyched up for your run. And you bump into Paul.

Paul was taking spin this morning and somehow manages to convince you that wake up spin is "cooler" than running... so you get guilted into the class (which you actually love so spinning isn't the chore, its the missing running you are a bit guilty for).

You change, head up to the spin studio, arrive at the door and notice something isn't quite right. All the lights are off and the disco ball is moving to the beat of the music. Have you taken a wrong turn and ended up in a nightclub? Nope - welcome to Paul's very own Disco Spin. Making a Monday morning feel like a Friday night.



The 45 mins flew by. And now my legs feel numb and slightly heavy.... always a good sign.



In other news....



My weekend was a good one, nice and relaxing. Saw Up in the Air on Saturday night and have to admit I really enjoyed it - I wasn't too sure I would because it seemed a bit of loose story but it really worked, because you can easily imagine George Clooney's character to really exist.



I've decided that this shall be my jacket for Kilimanjaro. A combination of a lovely colour (pinkish) and also a recommendation from a girl who climbed it very recently and she had used the very same one.

Also, yesterday I dabbled in the world of musical theatre once again! I auditioned for the ensemble in Jesus Christ Superstar with The Melodramatics/Limelight. The show will be going up in April and I'm so excited. Its such a great show with fab songs its going to be amazing! I'll be writing wee updates on how rehearsals are going so keep your eyes peeled... but dont worry I wont be giving the game away. I want you all to come see it.. plus Moz will hunt you down if you don't - Won't you! Crazy MD he is....

Righty off to do some work this morning... got archiving and filing and note typing to do. All with the aid of my lovely pink Ipod and pink headphones...

Kmac (the tap dancing leper whore coming to a stage near you soon)
xxx

Yummy food and Pj night

Date: 14th Jan 2010

Weather: Rain, slush and cold :o(

Shoes: Right now I'm in slippers, blue zebra ones to be precise. Earlier I was teetering on 4ins black patient Mary Janes.

Its very nearly the weekend - Everyone excited?!

Today has been a pretty interesting day, started in the gym where I ran through my PT programme sheet (minus the pull downs because the machine was broken and the alternative option was being used) and because I've got a tightness in my left calf I was reluctant to run for the final 30mins. Andy was working, so popped my head in to see what he thought... and no running for Kmac :o( instead I got to use the new fancy "Cardio Wave" machines that have just arrived.

They really work up a sweat, 10mins on that thing and I was panting and puffing like I do after 40 mins of running. Really enjoyed the new machine.... this could be the start of a lovely relationship. Also, you can play games on the screen while you work out! Seriously. Not that I will be, I'll be too busy working out but if I wanted to I could play Sudoku or 4 in a row with the wave machine... technology these days!

Work was run of the mill until I received a phone call. A local paper wants to find out more about the Kili trek/the team and run a wee story on us to help raise awareness of the fundraising and also of the charity. I'll keep everyone posted about when/if it is going to get published... might even be photos :o)

I've had the most tastebud tingling dinner tonight as well. Baked sweet potato and home made soup (made by the fabulous Fudgy!!!). Thats what the picture is at the top of the page!!

Currently sat in my pjs away to watch CSI. Got a 6:30am PT session tomorrow morning so taking in easy tonight, need to get rid of stress so heres hoping Andy will get me punching things!!

Have a great night everyone.

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

I laugh in the face of Sub Zero!

Date: 8th Jan 2010
Weather: Yesterday's -11 makes today's -7 look tropical.
Footwear: Unsexy walking boots for the "commute" to work, in the office I'm sporting my brown, heeled shuboots again. A cardinal sin wearing the same shoes twice in the same for me...

Happy Friday blog world!!! Its the end of the first full week in 2010, I hope everyone has had a productive one.

I hit the gym at 6:40am, planning on just a gentle 40 mins on the X-trainer as Andy told me not to run but do something today. But Paul hijacked me, convinced me I needed to get to his spin class at 7am because it was gonna be a good one. So I do 15 mins of X trainer warm up, skip up the stairs to spin, set the bike up and proceed to gradually knacker myself in the space of 45 mins. Great class, good music and good variety of moves to do, but bloody hell was it hard work. I love spin, but I hate it when its just a basic stand up/sit down/ cycle fast/ stand up... Certainly need to get back to more of the Spinning classes at my gym.

This week I've managed to... ( in no particular order)..

• Run 21k over 4 days - an achievement considering this time last year I'd never even ran 21k in my LIFE!!
• Rearrange my bedroom so its tidy (yey!), logical and organised. Lets see if that lasts past the weekend.
• Arrange flights and travel for my work people even though every airport, airline and cloud seemed against us. PA's are miracle workers don't ya know.
• Upset some people who are important to me with a silly remark, working on resolving this but goodness knows.... I'm sorry!
• Sorted out my finances for when I get paid.
• Wrote out a kit list for Kilimanjaro.
• Signed up for the 3 peaks challenge - I'm classing this as "training" for the biggy in September.

Its been a busy ol week for me, but its been very productive. Next week I'm hoping to have more than 30k under my belt distance wise and I also want to get a grip of my diet. Its been very so so recently, not super bad or anything, but not as great as it once was. Naughty Kmac.

Kilimanjaro is becoming a very real event now, the team and I are getting some PR from our gym (Bannatynes) and we've been talking about the hard core training you need to do. I'm hoping to get some pictures up on here of our training, fundraising and general antics soon!!

Fudgy and I are running (read that as SKATING!) a 5k tomorrow, so expect an update after the event. But before that I'd love to share a text message I got from the Fudge last night. To explain, we are both in different starting zones because of our past racing time...... "We can still hang about until the start and then meet in the first aid tent" You can tell we are both very optimistic about getting through the race injury free!!

If anyone reading this is a first aider in Edinburgh/Doctor in Edinburgh/Nurse in Edinburgh/Paramedic in Edinburgh I look forward to seeing you tomorrow :o)

Catch up with you all laters

Kmac xx

You've gotta swim.

Date: 6th Jan 2010
Weather: Still snowy. The entire country is at a standstill, Scotrail have given in, Schools are closed but yet most of us get to work.... hummmm.
Shoes: Black leather kneehigh boots with 4ins heel, teamed with black dress and pink shirt combo.


6 days into the New Year and already I'm hearing whisperings of "Oh I've broken my resolution already" or "I'll start the diet tomorrow". 6 days people! Jeebus. I guess you have to be 100% committed to the resolution for it to work, which makes me question why people make them to begin with?

To put it in context, if you said you'd do something at work to your boss (the resolution) and then a couple of days later you'd given up how would you explain it to him/her? So why should giving up on yourself be any different? Surely the one person you can count on and rely on should be yourself.

The last 12 months have taught me that I have to listen to my body, my instinct and those close to me. I know I can rely on my ultimate judgement, but its taken me a while to get to that point.

So the moral of the story is - DON'T GIVE IN. People are amazing creatures, and are able to do so much but the one thing we are all guilty of is underestimating our ability. Push yourself, push the line and then see how good you feel.

My Kilimanjaro training is coming along nicely, so far this week I've clocked up just over 11k on the running distance and I've been pushing the weights like its going out of fashion. But I'm on a rest day today. My back is a little tight from yesterday's gym antics so dont want to risk and injury.

Fudgy and I are still going to be running the 5k on Saturday around Holyrood Park, however just how fast we run or indeed how injury free we remain is still yet to be decided!!

Thats all from me for today folks...

Kmac xx

256 Days to go

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to my little blog.

Most of you reading will know me, the hair brained things I tend to get up to and the fun I love to have along the way. If you don't know me... I'm sure this will become apparent very quickly.

Living in Edinburgh, working away I love my wee life. I've been lucky enough to be blessed with good health, good friends and great family - these are the people and things that keep me going and keep me motivated. But I started to get itchy feet. I wanted to help others who maybe weren't as lucky as me.

Cue CCLASP becoming charity of the year at my work. CCLASP is a charity based in Edinburgh for Children with Cancer and Leukaemia, Advice and Support for Parents. And they do just what it says on the tin. CCLASP treat every child the same, whether they are ill or not and they are there for the entire family. The charity represented something close to my heart and I'm so glad I've been able to help out in the last 18 months.

In August 2009 I started to think about possibly doing something "big" to raise money for CCLASP outwith the office, this was when the Kilimanjaro idea was passed around. A number of weeks later we (Richard and I, and a couple of others who for various reasons had to pull out) agreed to do it. We were going to climb the worlds largest freestanding mountain.

All great in theory. But I'm a 25 year old shopaholic who couldn't tell you the different between a slope and a Munroe. How the hell was I going to drag my Kurt Geigered feet up that mountain? Enter a gym membership and fantastic personal trainer to stage left.

Between the support of family and friends and Andy kicking my ass every week in the gym I'm determined to get there. And this blog is my way of documenting my journey from stiletto wearer to accomplished mountain hiker type lassie!!