Ah-choo!

Girlchild's allergies have been bothering her for weeks, but mine didn't kick in until this weekend. I'm SO glad the sneezing held off until my head had healed - I sneezed a couple of times a month ago and I swear it rattled my healing brain. ("Ah-choo OW! Shit!") Now it's just a normal sneeze, no brain pain. Good thing, too, because I'm sneezing a LOT. Benadryl, take me away. I was about to say I've been a slug all weekend, and I have, except for housework and laundry and taxes and a lot of phone calls and emails and another pass at cleaning the garage. Other than that, I've been a slug.

So, I only walked 8.02 miles last week, but I have to say that Runagogo has been very motivating. Last week's mileage was not impressive, but it was more than I would have done without the motivation of participating and checking in with a group. My normal pattern is to start something with the best of intentions, last three days and start to drift and make excuses, and in two weeks it's over. But this feels different somehow - I've made it through the first week and am still motivated to continue, and to improve my distance each week. Accountability, imagine that, but accountability without pressure.

I am aiming for 15 miles this week, though 20 is possible. I can do at least 3 miles a day M-F this week, I have no other commitments in the form of CT scans or dog neutering to stop me. As my pace increases my weekly total will increase. I doubt I will actually be running by the end, I will turn 49 during this 3 month challenge and my knees are still my knees, they've been a little resentful after 3 miles, but I am sure I can improve my time quite a bit. I plan to hit July 4 in far better shape, and take off the extra poundage that my high stress job and business lunches had put on in the past year. I want to be skinny and healthy and serene. Okay, I want to be skinny (and healthy). I am at the age where eating healthy (most of the time) doesn't even begin to do it, it has to be combined with regular, sincere physical activity, because this middle-aged weight gain thing is like something out of a horror movie.

Girlchild is participating informally as well, she did 6 miles today, then went to work. Showoff.

Knitting - yes, this is still a knitting blog. I am working on four projects right now: another Dulaan hat, the Yankee Knitter pattern Dulaan sweater, a pair of socks for me (almost to turning the heel on sock two) and the endless purple sweater for me - the Barbizon sweater from Morehouse Merino. I'm making it in Cascade 220 from the giant stash, and it is MILES of stockinette. I don't mind stockinette, I like to zone out to it, but combine stockinette with size 5 needles and a loose-fitting sweater worked seamless, and damn, that's a lot of stockinette. It's taking forever, but it will be worth it. It has "favorite sweater" all over it. I hope to wear it before I'm in the nursing home.

I'm going to go take some Benadryl, then probably fall asleep on the couch. Party on!