Fuzzy Purple Scarf for Girls

I wanted to make an extra special scarf for my six-year-old niece, Lindsay. It had to be fun, hip, and soft. I found the perfect yarn at Yarn Barn in Lawrence, KS--Blossom Trendsetter Yarn in Purple.

With size 10.5 bamboo needles, cast on 15 stitches. Knit in garter stitch (knit all rows). There is no need for fancy stitchwork with this yarn--the fuzziness of the yarn would obscure any cabling or complex patterns. One skein made the scarf approximately 44 inches long. A tip: use wooden needles because they help ensure you won't drop a stitch with this slippery yarn.

As always, knitting is a big hit with the poofs!

Movie Review: Racing Against the Clock

As my mileage has been increasing in preparation for the Disney marathon in January, I've been searching for running motivation wherever I can find it. Before my frigid 14-miler in Chicago, I saw Spirit of the Marathon, which is getting quite a bit of press. It was exciting to watch, and a great way to share the training experience with Ben. But it did leave me feeling as if I was undertaking something more akin to a tortuous root canal than a fun challenge.

Then, I saw Racing Against the Clock, and I found myself truly inspired and cheering for the women at the master track and field events (specifically, the 2003 National Senior Olympics in Norfolk, Virginia, and World Championships in Puerto Rico). The film follows Jacqueline Board, Margaret Hinton, Leonore McDaniels, Pat Peterson, and Philippa Raschker as they train and compete in a wide variety of track and field events. (To give you an idea of how tough, tenacious, and talented these women are, Raschker was named a finalist for the Sullivan Award, the "Oscar" of the sporting world, along with a little known, and much younger, athlete by the name of Michael Phelps.)

After my grueling 18-miler last weekend, it was the perfect way to remind myself that I can do this. If a woman in her 70s can pole vault, I can run a measly 26.2 miles. Bring on my 20-miler next weekend!


The summary on the official website says:
Racing Against the Clock tells the stories of five incredible women between the ages of 50 and 82 who compete against each other, and ultimately themselves, in their quest to reach the World Masters Athletics Championships in Puerto Rico in June 2003. These women include a three-time cancer survivor, a sharecropper's daughter, a political refugee, a former cowgirl and the oldest athlete to ever be honored as a finalist for the Sullivan Award which celebrates the top amateur athletes in America. Pre-Title IX, these athletes grew up in an era when women did not participate in sports. With some not entering the realm of competition until well after retirement, there is no telling what they may have accomplished had things been different. Vibrant, inspiring and courageous, these women shatter preconceptions about aging and about the human spirit. (Runtime: 80 Minutes)

Indian Creek Trail

I ran my ten miles on Saturday on a new-to-me trail in Overland Park--Indian Creek Trail. I parked at Roe Park and ran west and south through Indian Creek Recreation Center through Corporate Woods and toward Quivira Park. The path generally curves along and over Indian Creek and was mostly asphalt, with some concrete sections along bridges. Parts of the trail were industrial, along roads and strip malls, and parts of the trail were more natural, with trees and the gurgling creek. The section along I-435 was awful--boring to run along, loud with noise from traffic and cars, decorated with some graffiti containing four-letter words, and the tunnel under the Interstate was musty and dark. If I run along Indian Creek Trail again, I'll avoid the Interstate by parking at Indian Creek Recreation Center and running east, or by parking in Corporate Woods and running south. Look at me using cardinal directions with ease--I almost feel like a mid-westerner.

It was a beautiful day--cool enough but not too cold, leaves in vibrant fall colors, and a cool dense fog that was almost creepy the morning after Halloween. They have the funniest squirrels in Missouri. They look like their tails were dipped in bright orange paint--almost like they dressed up as punk rocker squirrels for Halloween and forgot to take off their costumes.

Race Report: Waddell & Reed Kansas City Half Marathon

What a great race! The weather was crisp and sunny, the crowds were supportive, the bands along the race course were terrific, and the course wasn't nearly as hilly as I had feared. My official time was 2:33:21. I stopped along the way to take lots of pictures, and the course had more hills than I am used to, so I am thrilled with my time.

Here we all are, shivering and huddled in the morning chill. I fretted over the weather all week, as I watched the weather predictions get colder and colder. It was 40 degrees at the starting line and for the first two hours of the race. It didn't get into the 50s until after I finished the race. I ended up in long sleeves, a light-weight running jacket, capri-length tights, gloves, and a visor. I worried that I would be shedding layers throughout the race, but I kept it all on until mile 12, when I decided to shed the jacket so my race bib would be visible at the finish line.

I ran the first mile with the 2:40 pace group (a 12+ minute mile), and then decided I felt good enough to run faster than that. I also knew I would do a combination of running and walking, and this group was only running.

The first mile was flat, crowded with runners, and not scenic (which was fine since the sun had not fully risen yet).

Miles 1-3 included a steep curving uphill, so that you couldn't see the top of the hill. The picture above is just a little hill after the really big curving hill. There was also a lame switchback before the 3 mile marker that had a high school track feel, so that you could see the runners ahead and behind you, almost like being on parade. The band playing on the switchback was truly incredible. I'm not sure, but it may have been the Heather Thornton Trio.

Miles 3-8 were largely flat, with a few downhills thrown in. We traveled along a neat row of pubs and theaters, and through some nice, tree-lined neighborhoods.

Miles 8-10 were the toughest, in my opinion. It was a gentle uphill, with a virtually cheerless straight stretch through a park.

Miles 10-13 rocked. I think all races should end with a downhill stretch. I was able to pick up my pace, even when my legs were most tired. The scenery was also great, with a sweeping view of downtown Kansas City.

Here were my splits, according to my new, fancy Garmin Forerunner 405:
mile 1 - 12:26
mile 2 - 11:23
mile 3 - 12:07
mile 4 - 12:03
mile 5 - 11:15
mile 6 - 11:29
mile 7 - 11:17
mile 8 - 11:53
mile 9 - 11:53
mile 10 - 12:00
mile 11 - 11:31
mile 12 - 11:35
mile 13 - 10:54
Last 0.19 mile - 1:27 (a blazing, 7.8 mph pace!)
(I dropped a glove around mile 2 and turned back to pick it up--that, and not running the tangents accounts for the extra 0.09 mile on my Garmin)

Race pictures are available at Action Sports Images. My bib number was 4503, and my favorite two pictures are 41850-1978-026 and 41850-2206-031.

Next up, a 5K with Ben on Thanksgiving Day.

Diagonal Baby Blanket

For now: pictures







For later: pattern and description