Janathon day two: short run, quick knit

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There comes a time in every Athon when you think to yourself “if it wasn’t for Jan/Juneathon, I wouldn’t be doing this”. My moment has arrived on day two. I’ll admit that this is a teeny bit early, even by my standards.

I may have only worked two days in the last fortnight (and they weren’t even consecutive) and yes, every day for the last two weeks has felt like a Saturday, but it’s Friiiiiiiday. I’ve had that Friday feeling all day and all I want to do is get home and commune with some wool. And possibly watch yesterday’s final of World’s Strongest Man….

But it’s Janathon and that means that I have to get off my bum and do something. My broad goals for this month are to get my short runs a bit faster and my long (relatively speaking) ones a bit longer. Tonight’s run involved belting out a mile and I was pleasantly surprised that I did it in 9.45.

It’s not just the running that’s been getting a quick fix, my knitting also had a creative burst last night. Like most knitters, I am a bit of a yarnaholic. As far as I’m concerned, wool can be divided into “wool that is in my yarn stash” and “wool that is not yet in my yarn stash”. In my wisdom, I have decided that I should knit all some a bit of my stash before buying any new stuff. I’m starting with the odd balls that have been bought for me or I have bought on holiday (I love to buy something that I could only get from where we’re staying).

Last night I settled down with a super chunky ball of Shachenmayer Tacoma (bless you) and belted out a dead easy cable headband (using the Winter Morning pattern from While They Play) that can become a dead easy cable neck-warmer when your ears become too toasty. Basically, I’ve made a woolly Buff.

IMG_6298 IMG_6297The wool doesn’t really do the pattern justice, but there was just enough in the ball to make a headband that is nice and snug which is all I really wanted!

Janathon: day one

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I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions, I certainly have no intention of giving something up and then banging on about it to everyone I meet for the next week (I am steeling myself for all of the inevitable diet talk at work tomorrow). However at 7.30 this morning, I was plodding through the village looking every part the January First Enthusiast.

I had no desire to be out at that time, but Ginge was working today and as long as I was back for him leaving at 8.15, I could tick off my run and avoid having to go out at a stupid and as yet unknown time at night. For once, I managed to get myself out of the door without any procrastination or foot-dragging, but then it is only day one.

Oh and Mini-Ginge did his bit to show his support before he completely outgrows it…

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It’s happened again…

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Every year I think, “maybe I’ll not do Janathon this time” and every year I find myself signing up for it yet again. This year is Janathon’s 5th birthday, so it seemed rude not to say yes to JogBlog when she bullied reminded me to sign up.

The reason for my hesitation this year is that I like to do things properly and although I know that the Athons are festivals of activities and excuses, I have three complete, running every day Janathons under my belt and after that, anything feels like a bit of a cop out. As I said to JogBlog, I miss being hardcore. So what was her reply? “You can do hardcore”. And then told me that she and Hels have faith in me.

So I told Ginge about this, fully expecting him to tell me not to be daft, and do you know what he said? He said “you can do it” and then “it might be what you need”. This is despite the fact that my triangle of work, domesticity and childcare is held together by gossamer threads before you throw running every day into the mix…

But it might just be what I need.

Hello stranger.

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Crikey it’s dusty round here. Are those cobwebs…?

I have been absent from the blogging for absolutely ages because of a lack of both time and inclination (I’ve felt like I’ve done nothing of interest that I can write about, but it’s suddenly dawned on me that this has never bothered me in the past). I’ve also gone back to work and am still getting used to the highly skilled art of juggling that this requires; let’s just say that many balls have been dropped during this transition.

Annoyingly, my running has been a bit like a drunk being kicked out at last orders – a definite case of one step forward and two steps back. On the one hand, I have earned my first post-baby bling (which was a bit of an adventure and defintely warrants a post of its own when I get round to writing it just three months after the event),  but on the other hand I still haven’t managed to run more than twice in a week. Or two weeks in a row. However! I am starting again (again). I’ve been inspired in part by Lipstick, Lettuce and Lycra who has managed to sum up my attitude to going back to square one with far more eloquence and positivity that I could ever muster.

My mindset has been shocking. It’s been slow progress, but finally I have gone from actively avoiding running (sample conversation in our house: “Do you want to go for a run?” “No” “Why not?” “There’s no point/I can’t do it/I’m not a runner anymore”) to passively avoiding it (basically letting the day slide away so that, oh look, there’s no time for a run) to actually getting my lazy arse out of the door.

Tonight was only 20 minutes because I had let time slide away so that there was only 25 minutes before Ginge was due to go out. It would have been very easy to let another 10 minutes escape and provide a convenient excuse for staying at home in the warm, so I think that this is progress.