Running Buddy

I am blogging right now because I am trying to avoid going running. It's not that I don't like running--I actually enjoy it. It's the time leading up to Going Running that I hate. It's just like putting off writing your thesis because you can think of a million other things that need to be done right now, even though you know that eventually you will have to bite the bullet and just get your *insertdreadedprojectnamehere* done. Plus, you feel so much better afterwards! My problem is that I started working out in earnest back in January--about 5 times a week--and for some reason I just kind of fell off the wagon recently. I didn't work out for almost two weeks! It's always hard to climb back on the horse after you fall off. (Yes, I am trying to add as many overused sayings to this paragraph as possible, thank you very much.) It didn't help that we almost hit 100 degrees here on Sunday and Monday. I was barely able to keep myself hydrated without adding a workout on top of it!

I subscribe to SELF magazine (and I'm not afraid to say that I love it!), and every year they do a three-month challenge with new workouts every four weeks. (They also have a diet plan, but I don't follow it because The Brain and I already eat pretty healthy most of the time anyway.) I've been following their workout plan, which is nice because it tells you exactly what you have to do and then you do it and you don't have to second-guess anything. It usually keeps me pretty motivated, but lately I've been getting kind of bored with working out in general. I think I need a running buddy. I used to go running in Minneapolis with my sister, but now that I live in San Diego and she lives in Silver Spring, MD, meeting up after work for a quick jog around the lake isn't possible. I live right by Balboa Park and there are joggers going up and down the street to and from the park all the time. I was joking with The Brain last night that I should just slip onto the sidewalk behind some runners some day, and just run about 3 feet behind them. I could pretend they were my running buddies! Problem solved! :-P

In addition to my good workout intentions and other super top secret Extreme Busy-ness, I have been spending a fair amount of time knitting. I mentioned in my last post that I had received my YOL (Year of Lace) and that it smelled like a perfume bottle. Well, the scent dissipated slowly and I was able to work on it for longer and longer stretches of time. I am now about 80% done with it, and will most likely finish it up in the next day or so. The yarn is very nice to work with and I like the color, but I'm still not enamored with the pattern. Oh well, part of being in a mystery club is taking what you get, right? I do have to admit that it is a highly unusual pattern, and I like that about it. I'll see how it looks like after I block it out. (Apologies for the blurry photo.)

I also finished up Flutter over a week ago, but didn't blog about it. That's because I tried it on and could barely get the thing to fit over my head! I knit it to the exact specifications, but I think the two rows of edging that you knit around the neckline may have pulled it together too much. I plan on ripping it out to see if it can be done more loosely. The other problem is that the armholes are just a touch too small. They kind of bunch up under the armpits. It would be great if I could take out the shoulder stitches and just add a few more rows, but then the sleeves would have to be re-knit in a larger size and I just don't think I have the urge to do all of that. We'll see. If it's still bothering me after I finish a few more projects, I might try it out. I do have enough yarn (for once!).