Purling Sprite

Tired or Sick?

I think I am getting sick or over training or both. I have had headaches for about a week now and they don't go away. I am tired all the time and get upset quite easily...I have been sleeping in a lot just to catch up on some rest and see if that improves my mood but to no avail. I have been chugging the water too just in case my headaches are hydration related.

My training has been shady this week, I have gone but not really been there all the time. Today for example I was scheduled for a 4 mile run, 1hr bike ride, and some weight training. All I got done was the 1hr bike ride! It was 6pm and I was starving and I knew that if I went to run I wouldn't eat til about 1hr later. It was my fault for being unprepared and for skipping lunch too. But, I guess tomorrow is a new day and I will try again, unfortunately, tomorrow brings another Masters Swim session....ugh!

Despite my terrible mood, I did sit down on Monday to knit a little something. I have had a skein of Tilli Tomas Rock Star yarn for the longest time and I didn't know what to do with it. One skein doesn't stretch very far and I just couldn't bear to do anything silly with it. At the end, I sat down and opened one of my favorite stitch pattern books and created a little something. The one skein of Tilli Tomas wasn't enough but I found a gorgeous Blue Sky Alpaca cotton to go nicely along with the no-pattern scarflette. The little scarflette is super soft and the scarf curls around just perfectly. It is not a big ticket item but it brings some color to the wardrobe without being too bulky. 

Out of my head pattern:

Materials (Just eyeballing the yarn, I don't have exact amounts)

• Size 8 needles.
• 1 Skein of Rock Star Tilli Tomas Yarn
• About 80 yards of some contrasting yarn in same yarn weight. 

Directions

Cast on 360sts with Tilli Tomas yarn

Row 1: (right side) Knit

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: *(k2tog) 3 times, (yo, k1) 6 times, (k2tog) 3 times; rep from * to the end.

Row 4: Knit

Repeat Row 1 with Tillit Tomas yarn. Join the new yarn and Repeat Row 2-4 with this new yarn.

Next row:*k2tog; rep from * to the end of row.

Next row: *k2tog; rep from * to the end of row. Cut the yarn and work the Bind Off with the Tilli Tomas yarn. 

Tip: I find placing stitch markers every 18 stitches helpful to work the pattern on Row 3. 

I wanted to share another pretty something that graced our home for a little bit. Hubby made this firetruck  for his school when he finished the firefighting program. Isn't it cool! I love it. It took him a lot of hours to put it together but I think it was well worth it. Definitely, a one of a kind gift.

On training

Look at me! I am sporting my brand new banner, designed by GreenCouchDesigns! Cynthia is the best graphic designer I have encountered. I giver her a general idea of what I want, she asks me my favorite colors and then she turns around and gives me a complete theme. Thank you Cynthia!

I love my new banner! It wraps everything about my blog-life, triathlon training and knitting. Hubby was being funny and saying that instead of it saying "swim, bike, run, knit" that is should read "swim, bike, run, eat" hehehe. He is so cheeky! 

What do you all think of my new banner?

The last week has been spent on training. Running, cycling, swimming, lifting weights has taken over my life. Even hubbers tells me that all I talk about lately is training and all I ever do is head to the gym. Even my daughter this morning pointed out that it wasn't so cold outside so I could probably run outside but that I didn't have a babysitter so I would have to run on the treadmill. I am tired, very tired! Each day around 8pm I feel that I am just going to drop dead on the bed and sleep, then if I don't go to bed then I get my second wind and I stay up til 1am. Some afternoons, I have even taken advantage of cat naps on the couch. I guess being tired is a true signed of training season being in full swing.

Today, I attended my first Masters Swim class. I signed up with one goal in mind, to become more efficient and learn better technique. Well, I am going to get just that, no icing on the cake either. The coach is great, she knows what she is doing, I on the other hand, don't know anything about swimming. I know how to get from one side to the other and back and forth over and over but not efficiently, so I was told. I have a lot of work to do to get better. On the upside, I have only one way to go--up! Humble-pie doesn't taste very good but it may make me a better swimmer. It is difficult un-learning everything and learning a new technique.

Cycling will increase this coming week and since the weather in Cache Valley is still nasty, I am doomed to the trainer. I don't know how I am going to survive 2+ hours on the thing. I have tried movies, I have tried music but 1hr is the most I can make it. Tomorrow, I am supposed to cycle for 2hrs, I am instead going to go to two spin classes back to back.

In the running department, it is a little tricky. The half ironman is only a half marathon distance, however, I have a marathon mid May so I have to train for that first. I guess I will be running a little more than what the half ironman distance calls for, but it should help in the long run.

On knitting news: the new Lexi bag pattern is over at LoomKnit.com and the new free Pattern of the Month is up!

Downtime...

Training was supposed to kick off on Monday, I was good and started the week off right. I lifted weights, did my spin class and a Body Pump Class. Tuesday came and I was good again, I knew I had a doctor's appointment at 9:30am so I woke up early went to the gym to put in 2000 yards at the pool, I was a good trainee and put in 2150. After my swim, I went for a 5 mile run which was completed at a pace of 8:45min/mile.

My training was on track, then 9:30 arrived and I got to my doctor's appointment. It was just a check up on this dumb cyst I have had on my back for a year. She looks at it and says "well, we can take it out right now, it will take 15 minutes tops!" The dilemma was presented: take it out now or wait a full year and get it out during off season. I calculated and figured that season is just starting and I prefer to get things done sooner rather than later. So under the knife I went and I got my first stitches. 32 years old and my very first stitches.

My back hurts like hell and I can move very little without making it hurt. It feels like a truck dumped a ton of rocks on a single little spot. I am sure I have a bruise the size of Texas. The worst is yet to come though,  I have a big @$$ band-aid back there that needs to come off and I am sure tears will be shed when I tell hubby to rip it off, perhaps I should call my doctor for a sedative before I rip it out.

Anyways, my training is now on hold for 10 days. I am not allowed to swim for any reason whatsoever, less I risk infection. I cannot lift weights, this by itself is killing me as I love lifting weights. I can bike and run but I have to take it easy for at least 48 hours to allow the cut to heal a bit and I don't rip out the stitches. Taking it easy is difficult. How do you take days off without feeling guilty and feeling the training slip away? To pass the time, I have been hanging around in Tri forums and websites trying to learn as much as I can...at least in theory.

Another way to pass the time, knitting! I pulled these sockies out and I finally finished the second sock. (I know, it took me almost a whole year to finish the poor mate). Now, I don't know what to do with them. I don't wear any of my knitted socks....weird, but I don't want to ruin them and frankly I can't wear them to run or to train so I'll have to see what I do with them...any ideas?