Thursday, November 5, 2009

Alpaca Hat!!

I'm finally done with the alpaca hat (Andean Chullo)! I'm so excited! Crazily enough it didn't take me any longer than knitting a pair of socks. Three weeks start to finish and that was with a little hiatus (didn't want to do the i-cord edging and tassels. Tassels are a hassle. Not really. But they aren't as fun as knitting.) So here it is, in all it's alpacay glory. I'm so in love with this hat. It's my favorite thing I've ever knit. (Don't tell the socks!)

Monday, November 2, 2009

Monster Dash!

I did a little something different for Halloween this year. My dad and I ran the Monster Dash Half Marathon in Minneapolis, MN. I was a little worried about this run since I had been sick for about two weeks and hadn't run. And I still had a nasty cough. But mostly it was because I hadn't run, and my longest training run was about 4.5 miles.

Sound familiar? I did the same thing a few months ago when we did the Ohio Half. I messed my foot up that time and could barely walk for a week. I could feel (and hear) the tendons in my feet moving. So I really didn't want that to happen again.

But I had a pretty good run. It was FREEZING at the start. I couldn't feel my fingers at all until mile two. My legs never warmed up. (Note to self: probably not a good idea to wear shorts in Minnesota at the end of October when you plan on being outside for over 3 hours.) I started to drag a little at mile 5, but kept a fairly steady pace. At mile 8, I broke out the iPod and some caffeinated "goo". After that I felt pretty good. Music really helps.

Until mile 12 when nothing helps but being finished and sitting down to a huge french toast breakfast with hashbrowns and fruit. But I finished. My time was 2:47. Not great, but better than the last one. I wish I'd trained better. I passed my dad right near the end. He was having trouble with calf cramps, probably from cold legs (stupid shorts!), but finished just a minute behind me.

It was pretty fun though. The goody bag had a really nice long-sleeved running shirt that I actually wore (first time wearing a long-sleeved running shirt for a whole race). And the medal is pretty awesome. It doesn't say Minnesota so I'll have to remember, just like I have to remember I did Iowa even though I got NOTHING for finishing that. Grr. Stupid Iowa. Anywho, here is the medal. It's also a belt buckle. Neato.


Disney World Marathon in January is next, right? :)