Suspense

Just in case you've been waiting on the edge of your seat, wondering which socks I'd work on... I decided to concentrate on finishing the red socks which I'd set aside. But I also worked intermittently on the weirdly striping socks, when I wanted to knit without looking.

And now I've finished the red socks (pictures soon). The last few rows and the ribs were very satisfying, since (as of yesterday) I don't have to wear my split when I knit! I'm especially happy about this because the way I had to hold my right needle with the split on squished the needle (the length, not the tip) into the side of my middle finger, and it wasn't especially comfortable. The funny thing is that I'd always knit before without really thinking about my hands, so I couldn't remember how I usually hold that needle until I was able to knit without the split! Turns out I grip it with my pinky and ring finger.

In other news, Kevin and I signed up for a series of races (10K, 15K, 20K and 25K) that's meant to build-up to the Boston Marathon. We're not doing Boston, but we'd been thinking about doing a spring or early summer marathon, and this seemed like a good way to make sure we actually started training. But that may not have been the greatest idea. Kevin did the first one, but I skipped it because we hadn't been running as much as we'd hoped so 10K (6.2 miles) seemed too far. Plus I had a cold. Then we both skipped the second one because it was cold... and the forecast for the race site was even colder. In our defense, we did run almost as far on our own later that day (15K is 9.3 miles, and our run turned out to be 8.5).

The 20K (12.4 miles) race was this past weekend. You'd think I'd have used my split as an excuse (I used a cold and the cold as excuses... and my cold wasn't that bad and it wasn't that cold), but no. Even though the forecast was depressing (wind, rain, dropping temperatures), we did it! It was definitely our slowest race ever--not surprising, since Kevin decided to run with me and I haven't been doing any speed work lately and have been running slower and slower and slower and slower as a result... also, there were hills.

But I was really relieved that I did it, since we're signed up for a half marathon in 2 weeks. Plus, when I go too long without a long run, I start to worry that I'm just going to stop running entirely. It's so easy to skip it on any given day, thinking "I'll go tomorrow," but string together enough days of not running, and eventually you don't run anymore. (Do you think this is the same thing that happens to those mysterious people who used to knit, or don't knit when it's warm, or only knit at knitting group? They confuse me!)

Speaking of just not doing things, I signed up for 2 yoga classes at work, and finally went for the first time last week. One of them is fine, but the other instructor managed to say everything that drives me crazy. There were only 2 of us in the class, so she asked us to explain our previous yoga experience and any other exercising we do. Then she lectured us about the dangers of running and other styles of yoga (of course! I will be condemned to misery and pain unless I take only her class!), interspersed with overall wackiness (she thinks I'm flexible because I'm composed of fire and air... she likes to talk ALOUD to her endocrine system, to let it know she appreciates it... ). So I may not go back. The trouble is that if a third person doesn't register, the class will be canceled and I'll get a refund (there are no refunds otherwise). My going or not going doesn't affect that, as long as I'm registered and have paid, so I'm not taking anything away from the other person my skipping it. But if I don't go back, how will I know whether it was canceled? If it's not canceled, which will be more annoying: having paid but not going, or going and being lectured (and not allowed to stretch fully into any pose because, being composed of fire and air, she thinks I need to work on strength rather than flexibility)? Can I over-think this any more?