Orange!

Date: 19th Jan 2010
Weather: Purple sky this morning, tres pretty
Shoes: Peep toe Nine Wests in Black

Its Tuesday and this week is starting to get a bit longer. Not sure why but after my great fun weekend these past 2 days have seemed to drag.

I got some amazing news last night, I made it into the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar!!! I'm going to be in the ensemble/dance team for the show which goes up late April this year. I'm so excited, and a bit nervous because I've worked with the production team before but helping them out.. I've never been in a production with them. Here's to not letting them down !! Expect lots of blog updates in the coming weeks...

I have an amazing ability to cook food that turns orange, honestly. I have a love for sweet potato and butternut squash which maybe explains this trend... but one of my fav dishes to make is Butternut Squash chili, and just for JAG here is the recipe...

*Was my friend Claire (Mrs Fudgey) who gave me the original recipe, so thanks to her for showing me the yummiest food ever!!

1 Large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 Red onion chopped
1 Regular onion chopped
A handful of mushrooms washed and cut in half
1 Red pepper sliced
1 Yellow pepper sliced
1/2 clove of garlic
Tin of chopped tomatoes
200g Kidney Beans
200g Butter Beans

I use chili powder, cumin, paprika and coriander. But I never measure.. so just add to taste!!

Cook the garlic and onion together until soft
Add the butternut squash
Add in the first of your spices (for me this is always paprika) and stir really fast to stop sticking
Add the tomatoes/peppers/mushrooms/kidney beans and butter beans
Add 1 cup of water and the remaining spice.

Keep on a medium/high heat bubbling away until everything starts to break down. Add more water if required, I like my chili quite thick so tend to let the water simmer off.

You can add in Chorizo as an alternative to a totally vegetable dominated meal. But I love it just as it is.

And that's it!! Super simple.

I'll get more recipes up when I remember what I cook.... I have a habit of just throwing in a pan anything I have in the house...

Hope everyone has had a great day!

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

Cherry Coke....

Date: 13 Jan
Weather: Grey and raining. However... NO SNOW AT ALL!
Footwear: Zebra print shuboots to break up my all black work ninja look.

After slacking a couple of days in blog world I'm back. Miss me?!

Monday night was great fun at Radio Lollipop. I volunteer there most Monday nights and this Monday past I was handed the challenge of getting the show live on air because the usual Monday night presenter was off sick, and our fantastic stand0-in was running late. No disasters to speak of, and I had a great time. Can't wait to do it more often!

Then I took poorly through Monday night, so spent the day in bed yesterday watching Greys Anatomy and drinking green tea. Foodwise it wasn't a great day, only had a bowl of cereal at about 1pm and then some chicken at about 6..

Made it into work today though. And I also checked in at the gym. Decided to take it easy and just use the treadmill... set myself a time limit of 50mins and I just ran. Clocked up just over 8k in that time so I'm pretty impressed with myself. Need to start getting the distance up for my 10k in May.

Had an email from CCLASP about publicity for the Kilimanjaro climb also, its really taking off now and I'm sure the next few months will fly in. Can't wait for September but also getting more nervous the closer it gets. Has anyone been to Kili or know of anyone that has? Do you have any tips for me??

Have a great day blog world!

Kmac xxxxxxx

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 did it!

I ran the Great Winter Run in 25mins and 09 seconds!!!!

The course had to be shortened because of bad weather, so the 5k was actually only 4k... but I dont care, Im over joyed with my time since it was my first ever race. Bring on more where they came from any day!

Here is the recap (with pictures...)

It started snowing this morning which wasn't really the best way to start a race, but I pulled on my running gear and made a pact with myself - I complete this I can hibernate for the rest of the day... So I grabbed my brekkie of porridge (with flax seed on top) and some green tea with citrus.

Then it was time to go and meet the Fudge down at the Parliament and get cracking with the pre race warm up, photos and general chit chat. Fudge has ran before and shes pretty ace at it, so her chat helped calm my nerves.

I thought it would be best to layer up, so I had on 2 sports bras, a sports crop top type thing and a nike running top... all covered with a HUGE hoodie.... needless to say even in -7 at 11:40am I was roasting so I whipped off the sweater to reveal RACING KMAC.

The race itself went great, I was really worried about running in the snow but all that I did was adjust my pace and keep myself focused on what I wanted - sub 30mins. The first 2k were killers, running on snow and ice covered grass and the 2nd kilometer was uphill on snowy grass. I had to walk about 500m as I was loosing my footing.

Crossing the hill and onto the final 2k felt far better, the sense of being 1/2 way through and also running down hill helped. Everyone was in great spirits and lots of people were cheering as we passed.

I saw the sign I'd been looking for all during the race... FINISH.. and just sprinted it out.

My ipod/nike training time said 28mins 42 secs but that started from when I started walking in my corral towards the start line, my official race stats....

Time: 25mins and 9 secs

Overall Placement : 964 (over 2000 people were running)

Fudgy and I met at the finish line....

And then it was time to collect my things and come home for a lovely warm bath and mug of green tea with orange and lotus flower!

Overall a great day, great race and I'm so proud of myself that I managed to run that distance. Kilimanjaro better watch out. Kmac is coming.

Kmac xx

Race day

Date: 9th January
Weather: Dry, bright(ish) and icy.
Footwear of choice: My blue zebra slippers, soon to be my running shoes....


Just a quickie this morning (ooohh errr). Its 09:22am and in just over 2.5hours I'll be getting ready to start my first ever 5k race.

I've never ran in an organised event before, even in school. I was always the kid with asthma who would have an attack just at the thought of running - Drama and English were always my better subject areas. So this will be a HUGE achievement for me.

I know alot of you reading this will be able to eat 5k distance for breakfast, and one day I want to be able to do that.

Andy has challenged me to do a sub 30min 5k, I'm hitting approx 35/36mins in the gym (and thats me battling overheating feet and the man who farts next to me). But Fudgy and I just discovered that the race is using an alternative route because of the apocalyptic weather.


So my first 5k will actually be my first 4k. Meh. Its still me, running, outside, with lots of other people. This is the view from my bedroom window, and that hill you see in background... thats where we are racing!!!

I'll update you all when I get back..

Whatever you are doing today, have a great one and enjoy it. I was told yesterday by a very wise man "enjoy each weekend like its your last". I want you to but I hope it isn't.

Kmac xxx