unexpectedly warm!!! And NEW SHOES!!

[limberlou]

After the last few days of really cold and threatened snow I awoke this morning determined to at least get out there. I ran on Monday ( very cold)and managed 3k but today I wanted to do a bit more if possible. Stupidly I didn’t check the weather forecast I just glanced out the window and thought “the ground is wet but it’s not raining at the mo” and I dressed for the 4-6 degrees it’s been lately.

I had long sleeve honeycomb top, neoprene long sleeve jacket over that, thin neck buff, little gloves, and debated a hat but decided against it thinking I can pull the buff up over if my ears get cold and off I went.

I’d had to set up a new set of earphones today as my 3rd set in a row have gone so that only the left ear plays music. I have done everything it says in the booklet, unsynch and resynch them to my phone, restart phone, press and hold buttons to no avail so out came the new ones and I synched those, found DJ Kinelis 5k podcast and off I went.

As soon as I opened the front door I realised I was slightly over dressed as it felt quite warm arm but couldn’t be bothered to change so off I set. Did my warm up walk and then decided to head down over the back of the town for one of my old 5k routes. I used to run it one way but today I ran it in reverse which meant the steepest bit was in the first 15 minutes but then after that it was slightly downhill a lot of the way. The other way round it’s a steady gentle climb for what seems like years and then a manic run downhill at the end. Still not sure which I prefer but it felt good this morning.

There are a new set of press button crossing traffic lights across the road now which makes it a lot easier to cross. I usually look to see if I can cross straight away and if not I run up the road a bit ,and back when they change, to cross. This morning it was in my favour ….red to them and straight across for me.😁. And then the uphill steady climb which I managed for the majority of it then had to walk for a minute before coming out at the top and carrying on. I ran on then past the school and towards the dual carriageway. Again the lights were in my favour and I sprinted through before they changed and down through the Industrial Estate towards the river, then turned back towards the town.

By this time I had shed the gloves and the buff( all in one bulging pocket) and my hair felt really damp. I just didn’t have it in me to faff around with taking my jacket off and trying to lash it round my waist so I sweated onwards for the last 2 k. Coming towards me were several other runners who HAD checked and were running in short sleeve tee shirts. 🤬but they all smiled and said good morning so I puffed my way on .. under the new bridge , over the Swing Bridge, under the subway under the Old Bridge …. And up towards the Park. Then nearing the end of my run I veered round so I finished near the Lloyds chemist thinking I would pop in and see if I could find any of the £1 bargains everyone else seems to find. The answer to that was No but I did get 2 packs of Anadin @30p each and a bottle of Gaviscon Advance for half price so not a complete waste of time.

Then I walked home for my lovely shower. The sun had come out and it was really lovely so I thought I might hang washing out but by the time I was out of the shower and dressed it was torrential rain and so overcast it was nearly dark and I decided against that. I spent the afternoon knitting and binge watching Lucifer with my cats.

Then this evening my lovely daughter popped round to give me an early Mothers Day present ( she can never keep anything a secret)which was a new pair of running shoes. We had gone for a Gait analysis last weekend and he had recommended the Mizuno Inspire 19 ( @ £149 ) but that was too expensive for us so we came home, did some research and she has got the the Inspire 18 which feels just the same and were half the price and a nicer colour too.

So a good day all round

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Wow, that sounds almost perfect and you got a flash if sunshine even if it didn't last. What are you knitting?

A good day Togo out and get it done 👍

Oh the shoes, gorgeous colour, one of my favourites. I started adding a £1 every run to an empty savings account and so far this year have only run 10 times, but the hope is when I need new shoes there will be enough in there to buy some, but what a lovely present from your daughter

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I’ve just finished a rust coloured Aran sweater. I finished it last year but then as I was adapting 3 patterns the neck didn’t quite do what I wanted so I have redone it twice now and am finally happy with it. I wanted one of those necks that is almost a roll neck but crosses over in front but I was winging it and it didn’t turn out right, so first I sewed it down and added two buttons as a feature … then I frogged that and knitted it as a rollneck but there were too many stitches, then I frogged it back partway and decreased a bit before finishing it off. That looked good but then I spotted that I had somehow, with knitting rib on 4 dp needles, that I’d got 2 purl stitches side by side right at the front of the neck where it showed, so I frogged it again back to the last row of decreasing and purled those 2 together and last night I finally finished it up my satisfaction. I AM a perfectionist!!

The annoying thing is I am now a stone lighter than when I started it …. But I do like an oversized jumper so fingers crossed I won’t be frogging it again ….🤞

Great idea about the savings pot for new shoes 👍😁

[Beatlesforever Graduate10 in reply to limberlou]

Wow I'm in awe limberlou. I started an Aran jumper months ago and I've only managed to do the back. I'm quite new to knitting but I really enjoyed knitting some scarfs and hats with nice cables. But this is something else, I feel absolutely exhausted after just an hour of knitting this pattern! Kudos to you, I think it's going to take me about 10 years to finish it 🤣

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to Beatlesforever]

my mum taught me to read and then to knit when I was 3 ( I was hyperactive- slept 4 hours a night) and I did my first Aran for myself when I was 10. Have done many many over the years…. Including a family of mum, dad, 4 year old and 6 year old boys which were requested on dec 2nd for Xmas!!!!! I finished the last one on dec 23rd!! I can knit Aran and watch TV or read a book. But I just could not get the neck to do what I wanted. I started off just going to put a pattern up the front and then decided on the back too… and then thought sod i, let’s do the pattern on the sleeves too. And luckily I had bought plenty of the yarn ( Martinez’s Cotton Blend) as Shaws closed for food while I was knitting it so no chance of any more now. It’s done and sorted now and I’m happy with it.

Knitting has always been my first live but I also crochet now( thanks to lockdown) and I have done so many blankets and recently started on Amugurumi. I’ve made a Dragon, a Mermaid, and 4 seasonal wreaths with 1,primroses and daffodils…2,strawberries, ….3,autumn leaves, toadstoolsand acorns ….4, snowflakes, holly, ivy, and little parcels.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to limberlou]

Rust another if my favourite colours, I don't use a pattern and also find necks tricky,

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

Where were you? It was warm ???? It was snowing and an icy wind here ...:)Snowing now as I write!

You had a super time didn't you, your run sounds really interesting with loads to look at and to take in en route Sunshine, a relaxed afternoon and NEW very sassy shoes... Perfect.

[limberlou Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

I’m in Devon and it was a weird isolated warm day amongst several very cold ones. Strangely today is really sunny too but only 7 degrees high. I have washing out on the line though so 🤞

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Great run and such pretty new shoes! You did them proud 😍