So......

I have had great intentions of posting but have been sidetracked by.... well, I can't rightly say! Certainly my training schedule has taken a lot out of me, then there is work (40+ hr weeks are the norm), knitting (so many projects, so little time), and wanting to be outside if the weather is even marginally nice.

So - just to prove that I have not been hibernating for the past month a few links to what I have been spending my time doing:

Volunteering:

Zumbro 100 - 2012

Running on the SHT (Gooseberry to Split Rock and Back):

Sweet Coltsfoot/Interesting shrub buds

Hanging out in my backyard:

Magnolia, Mertensia, Daffodils

Another run:

Partial Voyageur Course Run

Yet another run:

Wildflowers of the Piedmont Ski Trail

One of three (active) projects currently on my needles:

This sock is now completed and has had it's first fitting. I am ready to start on the second sock and finish up the pair. It has been an interesting pattern to knit, with a few false starts and the compulsory tweaks (I may be incapable of knitting a pattern as written).

While I was waiting for the future owner to try these on I cast on for a plain pair of socks using a skein of Three Irish Girls Beckon Stretch Merino I had lying about.  It is a one of a kind colorway called Oasis (predominately greens with some splashes of blues and purples). Within a few inches it became clear that this yarn did NOT want to be socks. Okay.....  Ripped back and thought about it a bit (had some input from Sam as this all happened during our commute to run the SHT out of Gooseberry). Perhaps mittens? Within a day the yarn made it clear it was not to be mittens either. Sheesh!!! I really wanted a simple knitting project that I did not have to think about so started pulling books off the shelf looking for inspiration. I found it in my copy of Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl - McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot). It was time to make a(nother) shawl! I initially cast on with size 4 (3.5 mm) needles, knit along for a bit, decided I didn't like the look of the edging, ripped back, started over, this time using my preferred edging,  knit along for a few inches and then the yarn made it clear it had an opinion about the needle size as well. Sigh...  I dug around in my (rather extensive) needle stash and found a pair of 16 inch size 6's (4 mm), ripped back, cast on and have been knitting along quite nicely ever since. I did have to pop out to the local Yarn Shop to pick up a longer needle as the shawl was getting quite bunched up on the 16" needles. At this point I do not have an intended recipient in mind, but I am sure inspiration will strike as I finish this up. 

Training is progressing quite well and I have run in a few short road races (setting a PR by 4 minutes at the Get in Gear 10k - far exceeding even my best guess for how fast I could run that distance) and have my first ultra of 2012 coming up this weekend - Superior 50K. I am very excited. I last ran this race in 2010 (was injured last year) and really enjoy this course, especially because at this time of year the wildflowers are spectacular. 

This is the first time in my running career that I have averaged 40+ miles per week on a consistent basis. So far, so good. If I can maintain this level of training, and actually increase it into the 60-70 mile range at times, I will then commit to my goal race for fall - Sawtooth 100. This will be my first 100 and I am both excited by the prospect and terrified. I have spent a lot of time asking questions of friends who have finished a 100 miler hoping to gain some insight into what it will take to do this. Any input would be appreciated!