Cast on for the Colts!

I've blogged before about how I have displaced fan syndrome, being a die-hard Colts supporter in a city of teal and spots. For the most part, I can treat my problem with shopping online (I got my new Dwight Freeney jersey in plenty of time for today's game), checking colts.com ninety times a day, and watching a lot of SportsCenter. There are some things, though, that I can't possibly know about without living in Indianapolis.

Thank God for my Aunt Brenda, Indy native and knitter extraordinaire. The email I got from her today was *almost* as exciting as the Colts victory, and I am so excited about the project that will keep me busy as I wait for this year's SuperBowl and well into next season. Check out what Indianapolis is doing in preparation for their SuperBowl host year (Febraury 2012)...

In February, 2012, Indianapolis will welcome the world as it hosts NFL Super Bowl XLVI in Lucas Oil Stadium. Staging this game – and dozens of related community events – will require the efforts of nearly 8,000 energetic volunteers. In an effort to show appreciation for each volunteer’s good work, the Indianapolis Host Committee is asking the community to hand knit a unique scarf for each of them. This personalized memento, aside from being part of the Official Volunteer Uniform, will serve as a warm “Thank You” for their service, and provide an instant connection between the scarf makers and wearers. Indianapolis has a rich tradition of volunteerism; let’s continue that history with the Super Scarf Project!

If you live in Indy, you can actually pick up scarf KITS at any Marion County Public Library (shoutout to my favorite librarian!!). There are no specific patterns, but they do give you a few samples, and designate that the scarf must be ALL blue and white. Actually, they even pre-selected the exact colors (and I am thrilled to report that my personal yarn stash is stocked in the same Red Heart blue and white that this committee deemed Colts-appropriate).

This will not be the first Colts scarf I've made...

I actually cranked out two of those bad boys (one for me, one for Em) and wear mine pretty regularly throughout the winter (which lasts about 2 weeks here). It really compliments the majority of the rest of my wardrobe...

I can't wait to cast on my first scarf, and then watch with eagle eyes during SBXLVI to see a volunteer wearing it. Blue models it so nicely! (that pic was taken at last week's playoff game!) If you are a beginning knitter and/or a Colts fan, this is an AWESOME project to be involved with. Let me know if you want to join... and in the meantime, GO HORSE!!

Hostile Takeover.

It's no surprise to anyone still reading this that my blog is NOT about knitting. It should be, but it's not. Instead, it's more of a sounding board for whatever hobby is striking my fancy that day. Recently, it's been running.

I made a goal for myself to run a half marathon this year (more on why, etc. in another post). Having two very fabulous besties as marathon vets has made my training pretty easy -- they're there to answer my questions, they understand what I'm going through, and they help keep me motivated. Conquering the weekly mileage has actually been one of the easiest things about training. Let me tell you about some of the ways my body has reacted to the 15-20 miles a week I'm taking it:

-- I am TIRED. I mean, I know the "work retail during the holidays" tired. I've experienced "I just had 3 20 page papers due and I've been up for 72 straight hours" tired. I'm even familiar with the "I just slept for so long I can't possible consider getting out of bed without clocking another 8 hours" exhaustion. But this "running" tired is something I've never known. My body craves sleep -- at LEAST 7 hours a night, but easily 10-11 (especially mornings after a long run) if I'll let it. I've even NAPPED a few times this weekend after my 7 miler. It seems I just cannot get enough rest.

-- I'm STARVING. Am I the only person to actually GAIN weight while burning ridiculous amounts of calories training for a race? I can't get full. I eat all. the. time. I have been pretty good about staying with healthy (ish) foods, but my portions are insane. I swear I ate a 32 oz. container of fat free cottage cheese in 2 days. I made applesauce in the crock pot today out of EIGHT apples and it's halfway gone already. I've developed a serious peanut butter and Eggos addiction. The worst part is, I know I am eating ALL of the calories I'm burning on my runs (and then some), but I can't quit!

-- I'm getting REALLY ANNOYING. All I talk about is running, because it seems like it is all I'm doing. I know balance is important, and I do do (hehe, doodoo) other things (like eat! and sleep!), but I find myself telling people how far I ran, or did you see the new Nike headphones at Dick's, or do you know how to configure my Garmin settings? I'm trying to stop myself from commenting on my sore shins, or the blister on my right toe because I left my socks out of my gym bag and ran 4 miles without them, or bring up how much I LOVE spandex. My apologies to everyone for my irritating running rants (silly, really, because this entire blog post is one of them!).

-- Everything else I do has gone out the window. Sure, I'm keeping up on Idol ("Walkin', talkin', with your pants on the ground!"), I caught the premiere of P. Runway, and I didn't miss a second of this weekend's NFL playoff action. But TV is pretty much the extent of it.

I haven't picked up my knitting since I naively started a Christmas gift project at the beginning of December. But I know that balance is important, and you shouldn't always be about just one thing. So tonight, I'm logging in to ravelry. I'm going to pick out some cute patterns. I'm going to post them here. And this week, I AM GOING TO FINISH THAT DAMN COLTS SQUARE (sure to be part of a Super Bowl XLIV Champs blanket). I will find balance between work, running, and knitting. I will fulfill my roles as boss, wife, and dog mom. I mean, I can do this -- I'm not even planning a wedding!

In the spirit of this post, "On The Go" has been updated to reflect part of a playlist I'm working on (working title: "GO. RUNNING. NOW.").

No more posts about running this week, I PROMISE!

6 Miles - CHECK!

It was cold, I was fighting the end of an upper respiratory/stuffiness ick, and I was supremely undermotivated, but I got my butt out the door today and whacked my 6 miles off my training schedule. Time doesn't matter, so I put a smiley over that area, but I am proud to say I did not walk ONCE. My feet may have slowed to a shuffle slower than my grandmother's mall walking pace, but by all definitions, I was not walking. This week I am facing 4 miles on Monday and Wednesday, 2 on Tuesday, an "easy run" on Thursday, and I am supposed to do a "5K race" on Saturday. I haven't found a race yet, so I might skip ahead and do my 7 miles this weekend. We'll see how the legs hold up!

Out With The Old!

Keeping a blog is so handy. This morning, when I was thinking about the new year and if I should make any hollow resolutions, I realized that I couldn't remember what the hell I had wanted to accomplish in '09. Then I remembered my BLOG! So I went back through some past entries, and look at what I penned on 12/30/08...

I've been reading that instead of picking huge, daunting goals (i.e. "I'm going to the gym every day!" or "No more Starbucks, EVER!"), you should focus on small goals that will be easy to accomplish, yet contribute to your overall resolution. On a personal level, I'd like to be more fashionable, so I am going to accessorize more and limit my ponytails to no more than 4 days a week. For my overall wellness, I do have a weight loss goal, but my resolutions are to limit food court breakfast treats to one per paycheck (that's only one trip to Panera every two weeks!) and pack my lunch at least twice a week. I also plan to walk Lilly at least once a week, instead of just turning her loose to run all her energy out in the backyard. As far as my knitting goes, I am thinking of picking a project to work on during this season's American Idol, so that in May, instead of focusing on the countless hours I wasted watching the show, I will have some fabulous knit garment to envy!

I am happy to report that I have been VERY good about accessorizing, and in addition to wearing my hair down most days, I am even alternating between straight and curly (!). That thing about the food court is pretty hilarious... but I did pack my lunch most of the year (until holiday hysteria set in), and Lilly does get walked regularly :) The knitting goal was an epic fail, and I can't think of one single thing I produced this year. So, we'll call '09 a 50/50 for resolutions, and look to the future for more successes...

If I am going to continue with this trend of accessorizing and my new goal of elevating my personal aesthetic, I had to start at the ground level.

By that, I mean ground zero.

The pile of rubble that used to be my closet.

For the most part, I really am a fairly organized person. I am a bit of a "piler", though... I make piles and then ignore them. I have a ridiculously full junk drawer in the kitchen. I hide stuff under my bed. I put handfuls of old receipts into purses I'm not using, instead of into the trash can where they belong. You get the idea. On the outside, the picture of pulled-together-ness, but on the inside, some messy secrets. The one thing that always remains sorted, colorized, and finger spaced, however, is my closet. It is my moment of sanctuary at the start of my day. The place where the ensemble I choose could make me feel fabulous or... fat, and horrible, for the entire day. I understand that this sounds decidedly shallow, but it's true. You can't BE great if you don't FEEL great, and I can't feel great if I don't feel like I look great (whew). The closet situation in this house has never been ideal, and although I have been granted full access of the "master" closet, and given the guest room closet for my outerwear, I still struggle from season to season. I have to stay on top of editing, and if I haven't work it in 90 days, it gets the boot, for good. The tricky part about the climate here in north Florida is that you don't have a seasonal closet changeover -- I have to be ready for a sleeveless dress or a turtleneck sweater at a moment's notice! The finicky weather over the past few weeks has contributed to what I can only call the worst closet catastrophe of my time. Truth is, I never really dug my house out of the post-wedding mess, and then I rolled straight into the holiday season, which meant long(ish) hours and sheer exhaustion. It was all I could do to maintain clean dishes, washed laundry, and fed dogs. When the smoke had cleared and the holidays ended, I took in the true mess that I had let my closet become...

Look at that MESS! Hangers everywhere! Short sleeves mixed with long! A pile of jewelry on the floor that, I'm ashamed to say, had been there for WEEKS. In short, a complete disaster. I knew I couldn't start my year as a fabulous looking, feel-good working girl without gutting this thing clean.

First things first -- a nice big pile to take to consignment! I used to have a real problem letting things go. I always thought about how much it had cost, or if someone had given it to me as a gift, or if I might regret getting rid of it, or if I might actually lose 20 pounds and be able to wear it again... Since we've moved into this house, though, I've been much better. If I'm not using it, it goes. If I'm over it, it's outta here. I do have a small area to keep the question marks -- a few pieces, from each bi-annual closet gutting sesh, that I keep in that back of the spare closet. If, within 90 days, I don't go after them, they either get consigned or donated. If I go back for them, and wear them, they get to stay (they hardly EVER get to stay). I was feeling especially editorial today, and ended up with a nice pile for donation/consignment that even included a few "designer" handbags...

After the gutting, it was time to decide on an organization method. I tend to mix this up from time to time, although my go-to is usually to organize my sleeve length, then color (lightest to darkest). Today, I thought about what I wear most and how to make it accessible. I also thought about how I want to layer more, so I ultimately decided on mixing ALL sleeve lengths. I separated cardigans to the most accessible side of the closet (as I wear at least one every day), jackets and Colts gear to the back corner (I know where it is when I need it), all sleeve length tops down the middle, then my few pants and my ever-growing dress collection (currently at 34). Then I decided what needed to be folded vs. hung, and what accessories could stay in the closet vs. what should live on my dresser (costume = closet, quality = j. box). The end result is organized and most ideal for my tiny, tiny, space. I think it will lend itself toward some stellar outfit selection!

By adding VIP spaces for favorites (Betsey bag, Colts spirit beads), I know a little bit of happy will be infused into my attitude every morning when I get dressed. Now I know what I own, what I need (skinny denim), and most importantly, what I DON'T need (a v-neck tee in any color). I'm thinking of holding myself accountable for being stylish by posting some daily outfit pics to the blog. Then again, I've never been one for keeping resolutions...

Coupon QUEEN!

I had a DSW Rewards certificate for $10 that expired Monday. Not one to miss out, I headed over there on my lunch break to sneak a peek at the clearance racks. Sadly, there were oodles of cutesy new styles to choose from, but nothing to write home about in sale town. I had made a vow to not spend massive dolla dollas on new kicks ('tis the season to be buying for others, after all...), but I was determined to not let this coupon go to waste.

I suddenly remembered that I needed some good new socks for running, and spied a 3 pack of ankle length Adidas moisture wicking lovlies right near the register. They were marked down to 10.94, and then another 30% off, so I knew I had to pick up another pair to make the coupon work (something about your total not being able to be below ten dollars). Luckily, there was also a pair of grey knee socks that would fit perfectly under my new booties from Target (which, if you don't already own, I HIGHLY recommend). Add those on, and my grand total came to FOUR CENTS, after tax. That's literally a penny for each pair of socks! DEEEEE-AL!

I was super excited about my purchase -- then I got a huge surprise at work and landed a holiday bonus (first time in my adult working life)! I was a little sad that I hadn't splurged on some new footwear, but there's always the after Christmas sales...

Me Against the Pavement.

Last week was the first official week of half marathon* training according to both Hal Higdon and my carefully color-Sharpie'd DayTimer. If I had to describe week one in two words, they would be EPIC. FAIL. I had great intentions heading into the week, stretching for hours on Sunday in preparation of an easy 3 miler on Monday. As extra motivation, I had even ordered a new toy I had been coveting for months...

Say hello to my newest, and current favoritest, accessory -- Garmin's Forerunner 305. This little lover was on Super Sale on Black Friday, and that deal (coupled with a recently discovered Amazon gift card leftover balance) was too good to resist. It was

delivered to me at work last Monday, and I instantly waved it around in everyone's (jealous) faces. Instead of hitting the gym like I had planned for my 3 miles that day, I headed to historic downtown to knock out my 3 miles.

My first run with Garmin was so fun! I kept forgetting I was running because I was playing with my new toy. Instead of sticking to straight paths that I had previously measured with my car to assure proper distance, I kept ducking down side streets and around blocks, watching the mileage (and calories burned!) rack up. I was loving it! I knocked out 3 miles in just over 30 sporadically paced minutes, and I was happy.

I wish I could say the rest of the week was as successful, but the truth is... that was my ONLY run last week. Work got busy (post Black Friday fall-out coupled with a major Regional Manager visit) and I was tired, cranky, and working lots of extra hours. With extra work and the holiday season comes lots of sugary treats, which I LOVE, but my energy level HATES. By the time I got home at 6 or 7 at night, I was tired from being on my feet all day, but more importantly, I hadn't fueled (the closest I came to eating a leafy green was a Reese's tree...) or hydrated (apparently, a constant intake of venti caramel macchiatos and Diet Coke actually DE-hydrate you, but I'm still in denial) my body appropriately enough to be able to take on even the most manageable run.

This week, I am determined to do better. Even though February SEEMS far away, I know it will be here before I know it, and I had better be ready for 13.1. Today I was thrilled to see I had planned a 2 mile run (even though all day I was thinking it was 3) and could knock out two easy loops on my road, even after dark. I strapped on Garmin and hit the pavement, and didn't stop running until my 2 were in. I was happy to see that all this time I thought I was running a 1 mile loop, I was actually running 1 POINT OH NINE mile loops. Hah! Sadly, I am also averaging an 11 minute pace, when I thought I was closer to 10:10, which really makes NO sense mathematically, since I am running further than I thought I was... but math was never my strong suit.

Tonight's run was short (22:05) and I even did it with no music (!) as I have benevolently loaned my ipod shuffle to Deane and his no-CD-player truck (he deserves it -- after all, I have a regular ipod and a new fancy schmancy watch). I felt like 2 miles was super easy, and I fought the urge to keep going, telling myself to stick to Hal's plan. I don't think I'll have any problems working the plan this week, and I hope this means I am officially back on track. I'll keep you up to speed on my progress!

*Side note: Donna Deegan was toooootally in my store today. She was rocking the Vera Bradley 2007 "Hope" print tote, the one I use to carry my current knitting project, and the same one I gifted to my mom 2 years ago :)

Mash Ups.

Good golly, I am already the biggest disappointment on blogger. Last week I was supposed to post about "Favorites on Favorites", how my favorite celebrities (I use the term loosely) Tim Gunn and Lady Gaga were showing up on my favorite shows, Biggest Loser and Gossip Girl (I'll let you guess who was on what show). I never got around to it, and the post, along with a snapshot of Gaga (I usually call her "Gags", but when I type that, it reads as "gags", which may be true for several people, but I digress...) went off into bloggy abyss. Meanwhile, I wait by my mailbox for my copy of the new Gaga (thanks Linds!) with bated breath.

Gunn and Gaga weren't the only mash-ups to hit last week. "Glee" featured a ridiculously incredible mash-up of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" by The Police and "Young Girl" by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (I have 50% confidence in the accuracy of the band name, but am waaay too lazy to googs right now). But the most important mash up of all is the arrival of my favorite fall trend...

BOOTS. WITH. SOCKS.

I first saw this look on the cover on an Anthropologie catalog (always the cutting edge of fashion, no?). I love, love, love the knee high sock sticking out above the boot, and I tried to wear some variation of this trend every day this past week.

I failed. Miserably. There were a lot of reasons, but the number one was ill-fitting socks. I have been blessed with water skis for feet, and I have never been a petite girl, and when you roll those two things together, I can't get a knee high sock on my leg without turning my calf into an encased sausage. Seriously disgusting looking. The other problem was, even with the "cold front" in Florida, it's still reeeeally warm, and the socks can get hot during the day. With this, an idea was born!

I am going to try to knit some "sock tops" -- some short, adorable, stretchy tubes (think the top third of a leg warmer) that I can wear with my boots as a total fake-out. The pattern will stick out over the top, giving the illusion of the cutesy trend, but they won't have horrible elastic that squeezes my legs, and they won't cover my entire foot, causing horrible foot heat during the day! I'm pretty excited about this idea. Has anyone out there actually been able to master this trend? I would love to see some examples!

And since we're talking about great tastes that taste great together, I noticed a commercial this week for another favorite invading a favorite. Bravo is premiering a new show, "Launch My Line", where people in other professions (CEO, stylist event planner) get paired with a fashion designed and compete to launch their own clothing line. In one of the teasers, I saw a familiar face -- Dan Karaty, a choreographer who used to be ALL OVER "So You Think You Can Dance". He was one of my favorites, and he hasn't been on in several seasons (I know there's a lot of hate for him out there, so lay it on me in the comments if you feel so inclined). Although I don't think I've ever seen Dan rocking a look that didn't include a blazer and a screen-print tee, I will probably tune in to the premiere of this show to see what he's got.

Mash ups will continue this week as I celebrate the holiday and subsequently consume approximately 189,000 calories in one sitting. Bring on the taters!