The Blocking of Icarus

And it only took me 3.25 years! The pattern for this shawl appeared in the Summer 2006 Interweave Knits. Apparently in the midst of senior year finals, studying for my RN boards and interviewing for jobs I decided a complicated lace pattern was just the ticket for relaxation ;->

Now, I love to knit lace. Scarves and shawls especially. Why? Can't answer that. To top it all off I rarely have occasion to wear shawls, and yet I have four. This shawl was knit from some lace weight yarn (70% lambswool/30% angora; 1125 yards/5 ozs) gifted to me by a friend.

Pre-blocking photo:

The first step in blocking is to soak the item thoroughly. I added a touch of soap to ensure the shawl was clean:

soaking the shawl in the kitchen sink

Dr. Bronners - it truly is an all-purpose soap!

After soaking and rinsing the shawl I rolled it in a towel

and stood on it for awhile to get most of the water out. From there it was upstairs to the spare room and the blocking mat and wires.

This is a triangular shaped shawl with many points along the lower edges. I started by threading the wires along the top edge, utilizing the holes in the edging:

This would give me a firm edge to work from. Next I pinned out the corners:

homemade t-square to ensure straight edges and a symmetrical shape

From there I placed pins all along the top edge and then started pinning out the sides

notice how the pattern is already starting to open up?

A close-up of the lace pattern pre-blocking:

Each point needs to be pinned out which eventually will create a lovely scalloped border and opens up the "feathers".

lots of pins were utilized, along with the t-square

one edge finished

I alternated sides while pinning - working on segments to even out tension on the shawl. Once I was finished it was time to step back, look at the overall piece and adjust as needed before leaving it to dry.

post-blocking look at the pattern and the whole shawl

Finished dimensions are approximately 66" by 36".

It is amazing what long-neglected projects get taken care of when the weather is less than lovely (current conditions: snow and 36 degrees = wet and sloppy, with a layer of ice underlaying it all).

Pattern for "Runner's Hat"

So - hoping this works out as the technology is new to me. Due to the knitter's font I used to make the chart I couldn't just cut and past this pattern into the blog - it would have ended up looking like a bunch of a's and O's and would have been a bit hard to decipher. Instead I have created a jpeg. If you click on the image it will open up like a photo, from there you should be able to print it.

I am about to embark on test knitting this pattern in it's newly revised form (more stitches to accommodate the typical adult head vs my slightly smaller than average head), using some shetland fingering weight I had in natural sheep colors. Had to wind this yarn off of a couple of cones I had stashed away.

I make no promises that there are not mistakes in the pattern at this point and will post any errata I discover. Feel free to use the pattern as you like, just remember to credit the creator!


Enjoy!

Friday Night Ramblings

Sitting here after finishing a meal of home-made pizza (store-bought crust, brushed with olive oil and piled with sliced fennel bulb, garlic and mozzarella), sipping on a pint of homebrew
while I digest my meal and work on a pair of socks before heading out to the sauna for a good "bake".

Reflecting on my fortunes - small as they may seem by some folks' standards, pretty big by others.

2010 is off to a good start and I am slowly planning out the year. Contemplating vacations to Isle Royale, mapping out the races I would like to get to, carving out time to spend with family and friends, thinking about ways to improve my knowledge related to work (the 2 year clock is ticking on CME's) and mulling over potential knitting projects and who to gift them to.

I have been doing a better job than ever maintaining my running mileage - though this weekend's predicted weather may put that to the test! I am way ahead of where I have been in past years at this time with a long run in the 13 mile range. Last weekend I attended the start of the Northwoods Snowshoe Marathon then ran from Lester Park uphill to Skyline Boulevard and home. It was a great test of fitness as the first three miles involved a 450+ foot climb and the mix of snowmobile trail and roads gave me no real excuses to walk. The only breaks I took were at stoplights and I was thrilled with the amount of time it took to get home. Of course, I had a bit of a deadline hanging over my head so it motivated me to push a bit harder than I would have otherwise.

Soccer has also started so I am following my Saturday long runs with anywhere from 45 - 90 minutes of sprinting about a gym floor on Sunday evenings. Soccer is a contact sport (I have heard some argue it is a blood sport) and I had stopped playing in the summer and fall due to fear of injury (in the past I have taken a nasty blow to a flexed quad = inability to straighten my leg for some time). The indoor league is a fast game and I enjoy the opportunity to get in a "speed workout" in a game environment. Besides, the flying elbows and legs kind of remind me of some race starts ;->

This past week I finally ventured out on my cross-country skis even though it involved the use of some pretty sticky kick wax. It was a fun slip and slide around the local trail even though I spent way too much time falling on the first loop. Luckily my body seemed to remember what it was doing for the second loop and I stayed atop my skis - for the most part.

Yesterday - being Thursday - I ran to work. This time I took a slightly longer route via Skyline Boulevard (it stretches the length of Duluth) and was rewarded for the climb by an incredible sunrise over Lake Superior which lit up the trees on the hillside. The majority of my commute took place surrounded by woods so I was bathed in the golden glow and protected from the wind. By the time I hit the .86 mile descent to the neighborhood I work in I was grinning like a fool - a sight to see for the commuters trapped in their cars headed up the hill. I think I even caught one or two of them smiling back.

Not sure if I have stated my race plans for 2010 yet, but since I can't readily lay my hands on a post that spells them out here they are:

April - Trail Mix 25K
May - Superior 50K
June - Knife River Solstice 5K
July - Voyageur 50 mile (yes, I am making the leap into the abyss)
August - Marquette Trail 50K (possibly, still trying to decide)
October - Wild Duluth 50K

Would love to go back to Surf the Murph but I keep hearing rumors it may be moving earlier into October and Wild Duluth is the hometown race (and my first ever 50K) so will win out.

Of course mixed in there will be the NMTC Spring (late April to early June) and Fall (September to November) Series as well as one to two backpacking trips to Isle Royale.

Hopefully I am not being overly ambitious with my schedule.

And with that it is time to sauna....

Addendum: Sauna was 190+ degrees F. I lasted only two rounds and that was with copious applications of water to self (and some to the stove). Hot enough to melt the glue in magazines. But, not much can beat sitting in a chair in a snowbank, listening to the wind in the trees, gazing off into the distance with not a whole lot on the mind. The gift of sauna!

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders

A worthy organization!

Thanks Yarn Harlot for the reminder of how we can be of help around the world and the power of a global community united by a common hobby:

Knitters Without Borders

Read through this page and then take a look at the total raised so far (and know that she is continuously updating the amount).

'Nuff said

"Runners Hat" aka a finished project!

A long time in coming but finally completed on New Years Eve - just in time for the 3rd Annual Barely Organized New Years Day Run.

Materials: Happy Feet Yarn(Plymouth Yarn Co., 90% superwash merino wool, 10% nylon); Sz O (2mm) 16" and double pointed needles. Glass head (for blocking ;->)

Gauge:  9.25 sts/inch in pattern blocked

Pattern: Wildknits original. Came up with the garter stitch edging by playing around with a "what if" idea and then really liking how it looked. The "runners" are a horizontal border pattern from Charts for Color Knitting by Alice Starmore (which I am so, so fortunate to own a copy of). It is a traditional Norwegian pattern. 

I am toying with posting the pattern on the blog, let me know if there is any interest. In an attempt to make replicating a design easier I have been forcing myself to actually write down patterns as I knit them. The next step will be typing it up, incorporating the knitter's font from Knitter's Magazine for the chart. Then not only will I have an electronic copy of the pattern, but it will be that much easier to share with others. It would be fairly easy to adapt this pattern to other gauges - just a matter of some time with a calculator and paper and pencil ( I realize not everyone has my love for tiny needles and fine yarn).

ORC (Obligatory Running Content):

Besides knitting I spent the long holiday weekend running - a lot. It was a bit nippy up here, but much warmer by the Lake then inland. Fortunately the winds were pretty calm and spending hours outdoors on a sunny day with friends was a good way to welcome in a new year. 

Friday was the 3rd Annual Barely Organized New Years Day Run. Preceding the official run and potluck Marcus, Wayne and I headed out for a long run on the SHT. The plan was to run east from Hartley Nature Center to Hawk's Ridge and then on to the Martin Rd and back. Due to the recent abundance of snow and then rain, the trail was "interesting". We alternated between running on packed trail, icy roads, and crusted snow. Some of the trail was excellent, other areas you would just get a rhythm going and then would post-hole through, usually resulting in a sudden change of pace. My shins took a beating! I think we managed 9 miles total and then it was back to the Nature Center to meet up with other runners for a run on the single-track trails. Due to the conditions we altered the route this year, opting for the Swamp Loop over the Guardrail Loop. This was a shorter loop which allowed us to climb Rock Knob near the end of the run for some great views over eastern Duluth and Lake Superior.

More photos from the run (the rest are on my Picasa site):

Goofing around in the subzero cold - can you spot the mountain biker in our midst?

Marcus wore the KSO's 

There is always one in the bunch who just has to see if their tongue will stick (and wouldn't you know it was the biker!)

We must not be too cold - our jackets are unzipped!

Saturday Wayne, Rick and I headed to Jay Cooke State Park and snowshoed for a bit. Again, there was a lot of crusty snow to break through but the trail was great on the way back! It was Rick's first time out on snowshoes and he did great! I, on the other hand, spent a lot of time face down in the snow. I have a pair of Ojibwa style wooden snowshoes and the tips would get caught under the crust from time to time providing a lot of comic entertainment. 

grouse prints in the snow 

The sunset on the hike out

Sunday it was time for another long run. This time Leslie joined Wayne and I and we headed west on the Piedmont snowmobile trail to Proctor. The trail was perfect! Firm, wide and with few snowmobiles (I hear there was a football game on). It was still cold, but with light winds and clear blue skies. Can't think of a better way to spend a couple of hours than with friends out in the woods!

Total miles for the weekend: 21. Pretty much matching or exceeding my weekly mileage for the past month or two.

All the fresh air, good food and time with family and friends was complemented by some quality time with my knitting needles. In addition to finishing the hat I cast on and completed the leg of a sock. I had noticed awhile back that my supply of handknit socks is getting a bit threadbare and decided it was time to remedy the situation. Besides, it is the perfect project to have on hand for reading books and whiling away those odd bits of time spent waiting.

Snowmobile trails..

are perfect for running right now! Firm, but not hard like pavement; good traction; no ice. 

The sun was shining, there was barely any wind (which helped as it was zero degrees F when I headed out this morning) and no snowmobiles - a perfect day!

Of course there were hills, and they seem to be harder to run in the winter (why is that?!?). The route follows the powerline corridor in western Duluth and includes some climbs (and descents) that would be familiar to anyone who ran Wild Duluth this year.

Oh, and to top it all off the Lake was steaming this morning (a sure sign of near zero or below zero temperatures). Combined with the sunrise it was a pretty spectacular sight and a great way to start the day.

Random bits

It has been awhile since I've posted so this will be a hodge podge of the past few weeks happenings.

Not too much going on around here running wise. This past week I was feeling a bit run down so skipped my Tuesday run, ran Wednesday evening and then allowed the 'blizzard' to be my excuse for not running Thursday or Friday. Did get some exercise, in the form of shoveling, over the two days of the storm. After digging out from under close to a foot of white fluffy stuff (100 plus feet of sidewalk, 36 steps and our parking area) on day one I had to repeat much of it on day two but with the added bonus of a bit of rain and very heavy, wet snow. I only made it as far as digging out our front sidewalk, around the cars and about 12 steps before a neighbor met me. By then my shoulders were shot from trying to throw snow over the already high banks adjacent to the steps.

Pre day two shoveling - those steps were clear before I went to bed!

It is a tradition around here to give the kids sleds for Christmas and they were due this year (never mind that they are in college - you are never too old to go sledding!). As you can tell by the photo we live on a hill. Just off to the right is a "road" - not maintained by the city - that makes an awesome sledding run. Later in the evening the sleds were put to the test. Pretty slow going at first (wet, sticky snow) but a nice track has been laid down for future use.

Today we picked up our ski licenses, after convincing the retailer that they indeed did sell them - an annual ritual. The city has been busy grooming the local trails and the plan is to get out and ski this week.

I also got in a long run, starting at Lake level (Sky Harbor Airport) and eventually climbing about 600 feet up the hill and then running Skyline Blvd home. The route consisted mostly of roads - and they were a mess. Knowing that I was heading out to face a lot of ice I installed the screws today on my road shoes:


and in the process took a good look at the wear patterns (note these have about 200 miles on them). Apparently I drag the lateral edge of my heel a bit and I have no real explanation for why my left shoe is more worn down in the forefoot area than my right.

The screws help with traction on all but glare ice - and I found some of that on the Lakewalk today. Yikes! Between that and dodging cars, it was an interesting run. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Chester Creek trail runnable (mostly) and was able to get off the roads for about a mile. By the time I was near home I was ready to be done running and opted to stop at the point where my section of the SHT crosses Skyline. There was only one problem - no humans had been on this section of trail! My choice was another 1.5 miles via road or about a quarter mile through the snow. I chose the snow ;-> I called Mr. Wildknits and asked if he would pack down the trail from the house up to the 'sitting tree'. It was nice not to break trail the whole way home. About 50% of the time I stayed on top of the snowpack. The other 50% I was post-holing through up to about midcalf. Interesting cool down...

The extra time off this week, and blizzard, have been good for getting some knitting done. Finished a pair of mittens I promised a friend:

Heart Crook Pattern on hand, basic mitten pattern

This should have been a fairly quick knit but I was designing on the go and after I got the cuff done things got a bit more complicated. I hadn't really thought through how I would handle the thumb gusset and after ripping out the hand 8 times (yes, 8... it takes a while to work these things out and then I messed up the pattern - twice) I had it all figured out. The second mitten went along much faster (and I think I even wrote this pattern down!). These mittens are bright, the recipient will have no excuse for losing them ;->

Once the mittens were completed it was time to resurrect the hat that has been languishing for quite some time (I think I had intended finishing it in time for Surf the Murph or Pine Valley or the UMTR Awards Fest). Again, my design (which I have been faithfully writing down and am calling 'Runners Hat' for now). I am working with sock yarn (merino with a touch of nylon) and size 0 needles on 176 sts. Not the fastest knitting in the first place but I am incorporating a color pattern which slows it down a bit more. Once it is finished I will post some pictures.

One of my gifts this Christmas (besides wonderful flannel pjs) was a gift certificate to my local yarn shop. The question is should I buy yarn or books or needles or ??? I have plenty of all of the above and no real projects in mind (and a few to finish up). I could use a needle organization system as the method I use now leaves much to be desired (all of the needles piled together in a large ziploc bag).

December 19th Leslie and I headed down to watch friends run the Tuscobia Trail 50k. The plan was to arrive in time to watch the race start, then hop from road crossing to road crossing for awhile before heading to the race finish and running out on the trail to meet folks and run in with them. And that is pretty much what happened. Temperatures were in the high 20's and the snowmobile trail was really soft. Made me glad I had not succumbed to peer pressure and signed up for the race! Race day photos are at my picasa site. After running 12 or so miles I am very impressed with everyone who competed that day. It was a struggle to find any firm footing.

Still considering options for races in 2010 though I have sketched out a tentative plan: Trail Mix 25K in April, Superior 50K in May, Voyageur 50 mile in July and Wild Duluth 50k in October. There are some other races I am hoping to include as well, but will wait to see how I hold up to the increased mileage. In previous years I have topped out at less than 800 miles (far less up until 2008); this year I am already at 1194. Barring a sudden injury I think I can reach 1200 by the end of the year ;->

As usual I am planning to get out to Isle Royale backpacking, hopefully both in the spring and fall. There is a section of trail that I really want to do, and I think spring would be best due to the amount of daylight and the distance between campsites on this route. It is interesting trying to schedule races around backpacking trips and vice versa. Don't want to be injured for either!

Coming up: 3rd Annual Barely Organized New Year's Day Run at Hartley Nature Center. Check out Northland Runner (scroll down a bit)for the details.

Getting ready for the first below zero run...

Tonight I joined the Wednesday night group in Duluth's Canal Park for a run. Eight hearty souls showed up to brave the cold temps and strong winds (5 F, winds 17 mph from the NNW, gusting to 30 mph). This is just the beginning! We meet each Wednesday no matter what - though the cast of characters may change. Tonight we even had a runner in Vibram KSO's - the tracks he left behind were great! Sure to befuddle the wandering tourist who makes it outside. The Lake was doing her best to impress - sending up spray that reached the Lakewalk and added a little ice to make things interesting. When it gets cold - truly cold - a fog forms above the Lake, you could see hints of it tonight. Tomorrow may bring it out in full force, the prediction is for below zero temperatures. All good reasons to bring a camera along, but would I really stop to pull it out?

Now, Thursdays are for running to work and I am not one to let a little cold stop me! I may add another layer of tights though, depending on the winds. To quote a friend: "my a** was cold", as were my legs in general. The rest of me was pretty comfortable once we got out of the head wind and a mile or so into the run ;->

Layers for tonight's run from the inside out: winter weight running bra (longer and heavier fabric), sporthill 3sp pants, sporthill 3sp top, darn tough heavy weight socks, liner gloves, surf the murph 2009 LS shirt, silk/wool mittens, balaclava, sport hill fleece vest, sport hill wind pants, new balance jacket, saucony stabil running shoes, worsted weight wool mittens, wool hat.

This set-up should see me through most of the weather this winter with a layer added or subtracted as needed. I really wish they made shoes without all of the mesh! I could feel the wind on my toes for quite some time and they didn't really feel good and warm until half way through the five mile run. Three layers on my hands seemed to do the trick and I had no real problems there - yippee!

Duluth did not receive very much snow, but what we got drifted quite a bit so while most of the run was on bare pavement there were a few ankle plus deep drifts to negotiate. Taught me about some long underused muscles! Between the ice and packed snow it may be time to apply the hex head screws to the shoes.

The Lakewalk is being impacted by some construction right now as the city works to install the first phase of the "East Interceptor Sanitary Sewer Storage Facility Project" (fancy way of saying they are trying to prevent sewage from ending up in the Lake when we get a big storm by building underground tanks). The result is a very large hole right in the middle of the Lakewalk. For weeks they have been warning about this and detour signs have been up, but we continued to run around them with no problems. Tonight was different. Got closer to Fitgers and there was a big hole in the middle of the way! We were faced with turning back or finding a way around the heavy equipment and very deep hole. To make things interesting there was a significant drop on the lake side as well and the footing consisted of medium sized loose rocks and gravel. Reminded me of a trail run!

It turned out it was possible to skirt around the hole and along an edging of boulders without falling into the Lake - if you were careful ;-> Some of the group opted for the "safer" official detour on the way back but I rationalized if I made it through once okay I would be fine the second time.

The last half mile of the run was with the wind at our backs providing a little "nudge" from time to time. This section also allowed us a nice view of a ship out on the Lake, the fog rising off the water and the waves crashing onto the shore. All the reward needed for putting up with a little cold and wind.

Update
So here is the below zero part: 7:10 am, Thursday: -1 F, winds 9 mph WSW, -16 F windchill. Looks like I will be running into the wind the whole way to work!

Update #2
As I left the house Mr. Wildknits commented on the temp: -3 F. Unknown wind strength. Oh yeah, the temp drops as the sun rises! Did get a self-portrait with my phone upon arrival at work. Bit frosty, but I was warmer than if I would have driven!

Tuesday morning run

Met Sam at 8:00 am to run some nearby trails. It was chilly! 9 F when I left my house, 11 F when I returned and a rising wind. After a brisk October we had a very mild November and this was the first really cold morning. I seem to have gotten the layers just right - hauled out the Sporthill 3SP tops and bottoms, added a fleece vest over the top, my windbreaker, a wool hat and liner gloves topped with worsted weight wool mittens.

We ran for 45 minutes, covering a 5k loop on the ski trails and then heading out on a snowmobile trail for another 15 minutes. There was a light dusting of snow on the trail (more is coming down as I type) but the footing was pretty good. Got in a lot of hills today and took in a nice view of the western part of Duluth at our turnaround spot. Frozen trails are fun to run on!

Today's run reminded me how much effort it takes to run in the winter. Felt like I was working moderately hard, but wouldn't know it by looking at the time.

One of the neatest things about the recent cold snap is the ice! There are a few spots on this trail system that have rather large "puddles" and these were completely iced over. In one spot you could see that the ice was over 6 inches thick already and there was a huge bubble trapped midway in the ice sheet.

Today confirmed that winter ultras will never be a good idea for me. My hands (notably the right) did not warm up until over a mile into the run (dang Raynauds) despite the rest of me being toasty warm. Later, after getting home, I noticed that a couple of my toes were a lovely dusky purple. Yup - will stick to shorter races with the option for getting indoors quickly during the winter months. So far, the experiment using nitroglycerin cream to combat the vasospasms has been a failure. May try it a few more times as it doesn't seem to be having any systemic effects either - at least at the dose I am using.


Bridge to Peace 5K

Well I decided to race on Saturday. The weather was perfect. Sunny, temps in the upper teens to low 20's, not much wind, a little snow on the Lakewalk in a few places (though the volunteers swept off a few sections). This race has some of the best volunteers! Lots of folks out on the course keeping an eye on runners, marking the turn arounds and cheering the runners and walkers on. The post-race refreshments were incredible. There were apples, oranges, cheese, bars and cookies (church ladies bake the best treats!).

Results: 24:22, 1st in my age group (40 - 49).

Didn't PR but am quite happy with that time. I was wheezing a bit, so the lungs were not 100% happy. Had to chase Wayne at the end but couldn't quite catch up (he also got first in his age group).

After the post race festivities, socializing and refueling Wayne, Rick and I headed to Lester Park for a long run. As I said it was a beautiful day and the trails were a treat. We ran the ski trails, eventually crossing over to Hawk's Ridge for a couple of miles and then headed back down to the parking lot. Lots of hills here as well.

I used my camelbak hydration pack and realized why I need a winterized pack - my bite valve started to freeze and the first sip or two of water was a bit cold until I got past what was in the tube (I had filled it with hot water prior to the 5K). I am looking forward to a new hydration option that will make the long runs I have planned for this winter more feasible. I have a theory that hip belt carriers are adding to my IT issues so have been avoiding their use. Longer runs require more liquid than I can carry in a handheld (and there is the Raynauds issue - though hot water could help with this - theoretically).

We ended up running 9 miles. The time flew by (good company will do that). All too soon it was time to head home (with a quick stop to refuel) and fire up the sauna. Unfortunately no one told me (read Mr. Wildknits) that the recently split wood wasn't much good. Of course that is what I used to build up the fire... burned through a lot of kindling without ever getting a fire started. Frustrating! Luckily Mr. Wildknits arrived and explained where the "good" wood was. The fire was going well in short order and a couple of runners got to wind down the day by soaking in the 180+ F heat. There is nothing like sitting out back, gazing at a star-lit sky while cooling off from a sauna.

Oh No!!

Thought I had posted this earlier*, but apparently the title was fitting for more than the subject I had in mind... guess that is what happens when you try to post in a hurry.

My favorite running mittens

Discovered this "almost hole" in my mittens the other morning after my run to work. This is sad, very sad. I made these mittens years ago out of a silk/wool blend yarn. They are perfect for most late fall/winter/early spring days when the temps dip below 50 F. When it gets really cold (below 0-10 degrees) I add a pair of liner gloves or, if it is really, really cold (teens below zero to ?) I add another pair of hand knit mittens in a worsted weight wool. I guess I had better go search the stash for the remnants of the skein and see if I can patch these up. The rest of the mitten is in pretty good shape and the left hand mitten is not sporting a matching thin area. Hmmmm - guess being right-handed shows!

Tomorrow morning I will be running the Bridge to Peace 5k. This is the second year for this race (and my second year participating) which is run on Duluth's Lakewalk. They are having to work around some construction so the course will be different this year than last. Like last year, it is snowing in Duluth tonight so the footing should be interesting in the morning ;-> I am still considering racing this all out and seeing what I can do in my last race of 2009. Another PR? Maybe not with snow on the ground but who knows. After the race (and the appropriate amount of socialization and refueling) will head out with Wayne and Rick to run the Lester Park trails. I hear the goal is to get another 7- 10 miles in (they are planning on running the Tuscobia 50K - me, I just like running long ;->).

*apparently I did post this - to another blog I am part of TeamMegaTough. Oops! Again, being in a hurry and posting may not be a good combination.

November - The Green Month?!

So often we think of November as that brown, dreary month that we need to get through before the snow accumulates and we can get out to ski or snowshoe. I was going along with the collective wisdom until recently when I started tuning in to all of the green in the woods.

Now, I do live in an area with a lot of evergreens and I am not including those in my sightings. Instead I have been noticing the smaller things - moss, lichens, and lycopodiums (club mosses).

Moss and staghorn sumac

Oh, and did I mention the reds? Not only sumac, but mountain ash and highbush cranberry. Then of course, with the leaves and underbrush down it is so much easier to see the bright orange jelly fungus and various hues of lichens on the trees and rocks.

These are all small, easy to overlook items but bring a splash of color to what can otherwise be a monotonous background of shades of brown.
____________________________________________________________

I arrived at Scharr's Bluff for the UMTR Awards Fest on November 14th rather early so went for a walk on the trails around the Gathering Center. The park is located along the Mississippi River just north of Hastings. As I headed out onto the trails a bald eagle flew by at eye level along the cliffs edge. So cool, but no time to get my camera out.

View from the bluff, north(?) along the river

I spent some time exploring the single track trails along the cliffs edge before heading more inland and onto the ski trails.

Some fungus emerging from the soil in a pine forest

asters in the setting sun

After my hike I settled into the back of my car with a warm blanket over my legs, sun shining in my face and my knitting to wait until it was time for the party to start. And it was a great party! Good company and the opportunity to meet/see a few folks I only know by names on race results. And the food! Went away well fed and impressed with the culinary skills of this group. The awards were all well-deserved and the artwork was amazing.

The next morning I met a few friends (Karen, Wayne and Leslie) for a run at Lebanon Hills and then, after a brief break to change clothes, eat lunch, buy kim chee (thanks to Leslie who spotted the asian grocer on her way to Lebanon Hills), headed to Battle Creek Park for another run. Yup - two running dates in one day! Gotta make the most of the trip to the Cities!

A friend had left a map of the park taped to the door of the building so I could find my way around as I have only been there once before. Never a good idea to take a new trail runner out and get them lost. Ended up running a hilly 4+ miles to add to the 10 that morning. About mid way through the run we were surprised by a large bird flying down the trail in front of us. Silent flight = owl. It landed in a tree ahead of us and we stopped to watch each other. My best guess is that it was a Great Gray Owl (based on size and activity during the day). So cool...

OKC:
The Heart Blanket is finished - a day late! I had miscalculated how long it would take and despite knitting like crazy on the way south to the baby shower and knitting through the baby shower I couldn't get it done. On the bright side this means I could take it home and, once it was finished, give it a good soaking and block it - bringing out the lace pattern even more.

Finished off a pair of mittens that were a commissioned project. Got to use some Bemidji Woolen Mills "Homespun". Great stuff, feels wonderful to knit up and made a lovely pair of mittens that had me wishing they were for me! Tried to eek a pair of half mitts out of the remainder of the skein but, after weighing the skein, knitting up one half mitt (minus the thumb) and reweighing the skein I have determined that I will run short. Ah well, just means I have to fall back on the resources of the stash where I found a nice single skein of Knit Picks "Wool of the Andes" in a lovely blue (Sapphire Heather).

The hat is still waiting for completion (so much for the plan to have it done by the Awards Fest). I am being distracted not only by mittens but a search for a dove pattern (for church - they are looking for dove ornaments to decorate one of the trees).

Running is progressing well at this time. Feeling recovered from the ultras. Long runs are down to about 13 miles, anything less seems... well, pointless. Enjoying the time out on the trails. Wednesday night Lakewalk runs are back which means I am getting a weekly dose of speedwork ;-> One last race for 2009 (Bridge to Peace 5K) and then it will be maintenance mode until I decide what races I will do in 2010 and work out a training schedule.

An interesting quote from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot) which I find applicable to both knitting and ultra-running (with a little word substitution):

"If you are in a yarn shop and are distracting yourself from buying things by assisting your friends with finding beautiful yarn, there is a good chance that you will be called an "enabler". Enablers are both feared and respected, for they lead their friends down the path of temptation and cost them tons of money, but they really do find the best stuff. If you are ever called an enabler, just remember, if you think about it right, enabling means the same things as "helping".

A Trail Running/Awards Ceremony Tradition

Tomorrow I am off to the Twin Cities for the UMTR Awards Fest. It has become a tradition to make Gypsy Soup for the NMTC last race/potluck/award ceremony festivities in the fall, so when thinking about what to bring to the UMTR Awards Fest potluck I settled on this soup. It is a crowd pleaser (so much so that a few folks expect me to bring it to Pine Valley), uses autumn vegetables and is pretty simple to throw together. Soup can be a bit problematic to travel with, especially when leaving my neighborhood (steep hills + gravity = spilled soup) but Mr. Wildknits and I think we have figured out a solution that will keep the soup in the pot and off my floorboards.

Gypsy Soup (Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen, 1977 edition) has the added benefit of being vegetarian/vegan (since so many runners seem to be turning to that diet right now). Mollie describes it as "... a spiced and delectable brew of Spanish and Dickensonian origins". Mine even includes some locally grown (right out the front door) garlic!

Creating Gypsy Soup

Ingredients: olive oil, onion, garlic, winter squash, celery, tomatoes, sweet peppers, chickpeas, stock or water, paprika, turmeric, basil, salt, cinnamon, cayenne, bay leaf, tamari.

wildknits garlic in the garlic mincer - takes some effort but gets the job done

soaked the chickpeas yesterday and then forgot how long they take to cook!

a little refreshment while cooking

finished product - this soup usually has an amazingly orange color from the squash and tumeric which is hard to see in this photo

OKC:
The Heart Blanket is about half way done - which leaves me a lot to do before next Saturday. I have been trying to complete a pattern repeat each day. I also have a hat waiting in the wings which I had hoped to have completed by now and I have been thinking a lot about the linen lace curtains that have been a long term occupant of the unfinished projects pile.


Surf the Murph 50K:
It has been two weeks since I finished my second 50K. I set another PR (6:20) at this race and finished 4th woman overall (and first in her 40's ;-> ). It was a tough race mentally for me. The course is not as technical as Wild Duluth but Les managed to find some very interesting single track to throw in, including one section with a wicked climb! Starting in the dark was fun - I really enjoyed running at this time of day and being able to spy other runner's headlights as they wound through the woods ahead of me. The sunrise was spectacular and I wish I had been able to get a photo of it.

I had figured I could finish this race somewhere between 6 - 6:30, barring a disaster. Unlike previous races I did not have a slip of paper with splits written down, I planned on just running what felt right. After all I was only two weeks out from my first ultra. I arrived at the first aid station sooner than I expected and then it was on to the truly wicked hills on the north side of Murphy-Hanrehan. I was glad I had run out here before and had a sense of how many there were before you came out to the road and the horse trailer parking lot and aid station.

After a quick stop at my drop bag to replenish the gel flask and refill my water bottle I was off to the next aid station. At this point I was running near or with other folks and would chat on occasion as pace permitted. I met Dave, other wise known as the "rookie" who caught up to me and stated some other runners told him to run with me because I was "tough" and would finish. Nice compliment. He had a great story to tell and we ran together for quite some time. This was his first race beyond half marathon distance I believe - and first trail race as well (he finished).

Came into the Natchez Aid Station and was greeted by Helen who had some terrific pumpkin soup waiting for the runners - just the thing on a cool, blustery day. Took off from the aid station onto what appeared to be newly created single track, where I picked up a glove and then on to more new looking trail through reeds(?) that reached well above my head. I eventually caught up to the owner of the glove and was able to hand it off. Throughout the race I would take my mittens on and off, mostly depending on the wind. My hat stayed on until later in the day and I never did remove the blaze orange hooded sweatshirt that was part of my 'costume'

The southern loop is fairly flat and I am not a fan of running long on flat surfaces.

Dave heading up one of the inclines on the southern loop a bit before reaching the horse trailer aid station

Soon enough though we were back to the horse trailer parking lot and then it was onto the single track and back to the starting area. The course wove from ski trail to single track as we made our way back towards the main parking area. It certainly kept your attention watching for flagging and guessing what would be up ahead! I ended up finishing my first loop in about 3 hours and ran in with friends that were participating in the 25K - a nice way to transition into the second loop.

After a brief stop to replenish gel and water and grab a couple items off the aid station table (so many choices!) it was onto the second loop. Soon enough I was back in the hills and enjoying the lovely woods.

This stretch of boardwalk was much less slippery the second time around with the frost off of it (note - this is looking back along the trail)

I reached the "first" aid station and who do I find hanging out but a bunch of "shady characters":

Wayne, Bill S, and Rick B.( I think)

At this point the lies started! And the whole aid station seemed to be in on it. I swear it was Wayne who said "Leslie is just 5 minutes ahead of you"! I expressed my disbelief only to hear a chorus from the guys gathered around the table that it was true. Hmmm.... highly unlikely. Leslie (from Duluth, traveling companion this weekend, second woman in the Wild Duluth 50K - her debut at the distance, and all around great friend) is FAST. If I was within 5 minutes of her she was having a terrible day. If she was having a terrible day what did that mean for me?!? We had both run our first ultras two weeks before and were both experimenting with two ultras in two weeks.

I am not one to linger at aid stations - refill the water bottle, graze from the table and then I am off. Ran this section with Wayne, Rick and eventually Karen who were all in the 50 mile race. They kept me laughing throughout! What a great way to knock off those steep hills without hardly noticing them.

The trio just prior to the start of the 50 mile race

I managed to get ahead long enough to capture a photo as Rick and Wayne climbed a hill

Then it was back to the horse trailer aid station and out onto the flat southern section. By now I was alone again and not having a good time. Physically I was okay - or as okay as someone in the second half of a 50K can be. Mentally though I was having a tough time. I have gone through this before (first Half Voyageur especially) and know it is transitory and often an indication I am not getting enough calories. I found the flat bits to be harder to run than the hills and it seemed to take forever to get to the landmarks I could remember (like the canoe chained to a tree near the lake - makes me want to go for a paddle every time I see it). I kept bargaining with myself: run x far and then you can walk a bit; and waiting and hoping to see the next aid station. Thoughts of Helen's pumpkin soup kept me going through this rough patch. The bonus when I finally made it to the aid station: Bonnie and Don were there. Even more friends to encourage me! Stuck around at the aid station a bit longer than usual, drank a large cup of soup, chatted a bit (though I think it may have taken some coaxing from Bonnie to get much out of me) and then shuffled off to the promise of "only 10 more miles to go" (it was less). Single track is always good at cheering me up a bit, the tall reeds had some interesting birds flitting in and out, and soon I was back out onto the wide trails and renegotiating with myself (you can walk the really muddy spots).

The sun had also decided to come out and the day was warming up a bit. Never enough to take off the hoody though (blaze orange hoody and green tights = pumpkin... I know, lame costume but I just could not conceive of running in much more than that). I did catch up to one runner (50 miler) as I made my way back to the horse trailer aid station but then was on my own again. It was here I finally had a stern talk with myself about the need for an attitude adjustment. I began to focus my attention on what was going right: I was still feeling strong, legs were good, stomach was good, it was a beautiful day, the light on the prairie grasses was incredible, the sun was shining...

From here on out it was a matter of ticking off the miles. Only 4 to go after horse trailer and it included some fun single track! Anybody can run 4 miles, thats almost nothing. It is amazing what a change in attitude - and breaking a task into smaller pieces - can do to turn things around!

the trail

a really poor attempt at a self-portrait near the end of a 50K

I began to run into more people (marathoners? 50Kers? 50 milers? - so hard to know) and was looking for all of the landmarks I could remember to indicate how close I was to the finish. At one point I thought I had missed a turn as it was a long way between flags and I thought I should have been on single track by now. Just about the time I was thinking I would need to retrace my steps (yikes!) I saw the flagged turn ahead. Yeah! No missed turns.

As I crested a hill I came upon a gentleman sitting in a lawn chair reading the paper.... interesting. Then a little further along was Leslie! She told me I only had a quarter mile to go. I managed to pick up the pace a bit - like a horse heading for the barn ;-> There is a small rise just before you reach the finish line and I could see my sister standing at the top with her camera in hand.... She kept staring down the trail, never raising the camera and it was then I remembered that I had never told her what I would be wearing! I had to shout at her and she managed to get a couple of shots of me coming into the finish.





Now it was time to share race day stories and wait for other friends to finish/pass through the aid station. Leslie was the first woman finisher in the 50K! Wayne finished his first 50 miler (as did Kel) and great races were run by many folks.

Les and Cindy put on a great event. The volunteers were fantastic! I was so well cared for at each and every aid station - a woman could get spoiled running these things. I got to meet some folks I only know from the blogosphere (Londell and Westy, whose wife recognized me from reading my blog). And I was able to work myself through a rough patch and come out the other side feeling pretty positive about what I had accomplished.

2009 has been a quite a year for me! I went from rarely racing to: a 25K each in April and May; a 5k in June; a 10 K and a marathon in July; a 192 mile relay (12 person team) in August; a 10 mile in September; and two 50k's in October. In each setting a PR for that distance or that particular race. I have put more running miles on my feet this year than ever and seem to be holding together. One more race to go in December and then it will be time to relax a bit, hopefully get out on the cross-country skis and plan for next years racing season.

Something Other Than Running...

because I still have not digested Surf the Murph 50K enough to write a race report.

In brief, for those who may want to know: I finished; I ran a race Sunday; Monday I was exhausted (combination of lack of sleep over the weekend, running and work); Tuesday I engaged in alternative activities (see below); Wednesday I ran a hilly 45 minutes on the SHT from my back door west and then home again; and then today, being a Thursday and "Thursdays are for running to work" after all, I ran a nice mellow 2.5 miles.

But I have been busy with a few other things:

• Planting Garlic: I needed to get this in before the ground froze and we are running out of time up north. Tuesday morning was sunny and warm - relatively speaking - and I did not have to be in to work until noon so off to the garden I went.
  

preparing the bed

using an antique potato planter to make the holes for the garlic

planting the garlic (harvested from my garden earlier this fall)

Due to lack of time I did not expand the garlic bed this year. But I did plant the largest of the bulbs so am hoping for a bigger harvest next year. It will be a sacrifice, but I am sure we will manage to eat the remaining garlic in the next month or two ;->

• Knitting:

This is a baby blanket for a niece who is expecting her first child. Those are size 5 needles - large for me (I normally work on 0's and 1's) and the yarn is an acrylic/wool blend (Plymouth Encore worsted weight) for easy care. The pattern is called Heart Blanket (Fiber Trends CH-24) and is a favorite of mine. Nice lace pattern but not too complicated... well I guess that depends on your perspective. Embiggen the first photo and tell me what you think. The original pattern came with both written and charted directions. In this case I transferred the written directions to card stock - one row per card - which makes the project more portable and easier to follow, especially later at night when my eyes are tired and do not want to focus on tiny symbols in a chart.

Never let anyone tell you knitting is not a blood sport! Last night while knitting away on this blanket I managed to poke a hole in my right index finger with the tip of the above pictured needles. Ouch!!! Drew blood - and a laugh from my daughter S who was sitting across from me. I think this is the first time I have impaled myself on such large needles. If I am careful I can still knit and avoid hitting that spot. There are few things worse than re-impaling yourself on a knitting needle - and the tips always seem to find that weak spot.

Plans for the weekend include getting straw for the garlic and strawberry beds; finishing up the weeding and rearranging of the strawberry bed (whose idea was it to put in a bed large enough for 78 plants anyway?); spreading straw on the above mentioned beds; attending eldest daughter G's UMAC (college) championship playoff soccer game; running some unknown distance on a trail somewhere in the vicinity; and making some serious progress on this blanket as the shower is in a few weeks.

Not too ambitious am I?