And She Knits Too!

Running Update: Shameless self-pity edition

Ball Hockey season is over.  I had a great time.  Team Purple--Hear for Life was full of fantastic, talented and wonderfully supportive women who made me feel welcome and part of the team.  I learned a lot, scored 2 goals (!) got one penality (!) and made some new friends.  We managed to come in second, losing the final in a tough game (they scored the only goal with only 1 minute, 38 remaining!) and I'm really glad I took the plunge and decided to try something new.  And, I can't wait until Spring so I can play in the league again.

The only bad thing?  I got injured.  Nothing too serious, a muscle strain right where the back of my thigh connects to my ass, but an injury that has stopped me from getting any more exercise.  Today, I visited the doctor, and I'm off to physiotherapy to get this strain to stop hurting, heal and let me run again.

[warning: self pity begins]

I really miss running.  I tried to go last week and had to stop and walk home.  That sucks.  I feel like I finally got it right--exercise, eating well, losing weight, feeling great--and now I'm sitting on a magic bag, drinking a rum and coke to relax my muscles (I like booze better than prescription stuff) getting all whiney when I really want to be out destressing with a run.  Wah.

[self pity ends]

I am riding my bike still and that feels not so bad.  I'm also considering dusting off the Jillian Michael's DVD to see if that's less straining, but it's not the same as getting outside and just going.  

At least the Halloween candy is almost gone.

Woot! She Shoots! She....Scores!

If you follow me on Twitter, then you've already heard...I actually scored a goal in ball hockey Monday night!  It was really amazing to put the ball in the net on my second game.  And we won, 2-1 (I scored the first of our goals).

I credit my goal to luck, coming to shooting practice before the game, and to running--I actually have the stamina to get to the net.  That part is nice--it's important to see hard work paying off and being able to take up another sport and have the legs to do it is quite motivating.

Another motivating thing...

Your super, fantastic, fabulous generosity.

I've raised $395 for the Run for the Cure--thanks to all of you.  Amazing.

There's still another week until the run.  My running partner may be walking instead, but I'll be doing the 5km run and I'm feeling energized about it.  

Remember, there are some nice yarny prizes for every $5 donation.  And that $50 gift certificate from Indigodragonfly  yarns.

Cross-Training for the Cure...Hockey-Style

Thanks to everyone who had made a donation to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's Run for the Cure.  I really appreciate it.

And, I have another super-duper-fantastic prize to announce!

Kim the uber-talented dyer behind Indigodragonfly yarns has generously donated a $50 gift certificate so one lucky donater can choose from her selection of squooshly, cleverly named yarns (I'm waiting on my order of 50/50 merino silk in the Edwards discovers woodchippers make good juicers colourway).

A huge thanks to Kim!

If you wish to donate, every $5 gives you a ballot in my draw (see the last post for my fresh from the stash prizes).  My donation page is here (sorry about all the pink--I didn't design it).

And now for an update on my training.  Monday I joined a ball-hockey team.  I signed up in the summer for the Fall League and was on the waiting list (The Withrow Park Ball Hockey League is a huge group of players from 4 years and up that's been around in our neighbourhood for 30 years.  The women's league started 4 years ago and has become very popular.)  I figured that was the end of it (and that I didn't have to contemplate playing a team sport that I've never played before).

On Sunday I got the call that I was on team purple and the first game was Monday.  It was a bit freaky being under the rink lights (we play on an outdoor ice rink surface) running around trying to figure out what I had to do on the right wing.  I didn't suck too much and while we lost 2-0 we had a fun time and all the women were welcoming and helped me get my bearings.

I felt great yesterday, but today I'm a wee bit sore.  Seems that getting into it at the boards trying to free the ball while leaning into an opposing player uses some muscles that are out of practice.  So does sprinting down the rink to get to the net. 

I get to do it all again tonight. 

It does conflict with my weekly knitting time at Lettuce Knit, but only until the end of October.  I'm cross-training for the cure and having some fun stretching myself and doing something new.  I plan to squeeze in two 5km runs in the week just to keep my legs in shape.

I'm on the run!

Remember a long, long time ago when I started running?  It's been over a year and while it was a bit bumpy going over the Fall and Winter, I really go back into it in May and I've been running pretty consistently since then.

It was HELL over the summer.  Turns out that I love the heat when it means laying about at the cottage but it sucks for running.  Now that the weather has turned a bit, I'm really happy to be out running.  I even put in a 9km run yesterday (5.6miles)--my farthest distance ever! 

I'm sort of amazed how good I feel about it.  I've always tried to be active, but I can't say I've ever really settled on something I love.  I can't say that running will be my thing for the next decade, but right now it's awesome.  I just put on my shoes, step out the door and go. I find the stress relief that comes from a 30 minute run amazing and I'm looking mighty fine too.  I've lost 12lbs since last winter, gone down a pant size and my mood is so much better.  It's great.

The next step is to maintain the 3 times a week running habit over the winter months.  I've decided to do a charity run in October to keep up the momentum.  So I joined a team at work to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer foundation.  Yep, I'm running for the cure.

I've done the walking part of the event a few times in the past with Team Knitty and then I stopped because I really really really hated the whole "pinkification" of the breast cancer message and I wasn't pleased with all the stupid pink product placement that tries to create brand loyalty from the perception that these companies are contributing to the cause. 

I'm still not comfortable with it.  But after doing my research, I see that Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation funds important scientific research AND community based initiatives to support women living with cancer AND socio-cultural research that looks at how cancer affects the lives of women and their families.

I can run for that and I hope you can support me.

Here's the deal.  If you would like to donate, visit my donation page here.  For every $5.00 donation you will receive a ballot for fabulous prizes from my stash.  Just email me and let me know how much you donated to enter the draw. 

I think this is a win-win-win solution.  The Run for the Cure raises money, I thin the stash a bit and you get a chance to own some fabulous yarn.

Here are the first three prizes.  I will probably add more once I have time to toss the stash a bit.

A fabulous orange skein of Araucania Ranco Multy:

Socks that Rock Midweight in Gertrude Stein:

Two skeins of Briggs and Little Regal worsted in a nifty purple:

Blogging Back Log - Stitch'n'Pitch Edition

I had a great week of vacation.  I was so busy lazing about that I didn't find time to blog. 

I'm still deciding whether to cram into one long post, or spread it out since I don't have much content on the horizon now that I'm back at work.

Let's see what happens... (added later: one topic it is, I need to get some work done!)

After our lovely time at the cottage we headed back to Toronto to attend the 2nd Annual Blue Jay's Stitch'n'Pitch.  I'm no fan of baseball, but it's still fun to drink overpriced Bud and sit amongst my people watching overpaid men play with bats and balls (both their own, and the equipment of the game).  I brought the whole family and even did some knitting, starting a new generic sock, just 'cause.

Some clever person knit the Mascot his own hat and my guys had a good time watching the action. The Jays managed to win in the bottom of the 9th inning making the whole thing quite exciting. Emma had a blast and was quite the Ham.

She managed to get in almost every picture; even sneaking in while I tried to take one of Emily behind me.

Global news was there and the kids and I were even on the 11 o'clock news. Can't find the streamed video though.  

Thanks to the Toronto organizers for pegging me as a knitting celebrity and giving me a couple of tickets.  It totally stroked my vanity and we had a great time.