We did it!

My friend Tera and I ran the Redding Marathon together this past Sunday.  Here we are just after we crossed the finish line and received our medals:

As a knitter, it gives me an inordinate amount of pleasure that my medal identifies me as a "finisher", and I view it as my first official FO of 2012!  My readers will not be surprised that I can always find ways to apply lessons learned while running to knitting, and vice versa:

• Running the race felt a lot like knitting a sweater.  It was challenging, but in the end, just as the most complicated pattern is made up of simple knit and purl stitches, we finished the race simply by putting one foot in front of the other. 

• Both hobbies allow for an individual sense of accomplishment, while both are even more enjoyable when shared with friends.

• The act of knitting just requires two sticks and a string, and all you really need for a good run is a decent pair of shoes.  Yet the more miles you run or yards you knit, the more you appreciate a few good pieces of gear.  On Sunday, I appreciated my running pants, moisture-wicking socks, and jogging bra almost as much as my Addi Lace knitting needles and a skein of cashmere.

• Both activities are greatly improved with the addition of chocolate!

• Just as it is nice to have your knitting friends ooh and aah over a finished object, it was so fun to feel supported by friends and family before, during, and after the race.  Relatives phoned and emailed encouragement before the race.  During the race my husband and son acted as our support team, meeting us on the trail with extra drinks, cheering us on, and later bringing us home to celebratory balloons and cold beer!

Best of all was nearing the finish line along with Tera (who has motivated me in both knitting and running) and then finding my knitting group pals waiting for us at the end of the race on the Sundial Bridge:

I am so lucky to have such a great group of friends!

I hope to do it again sometime.  Meanwhile, just in case I thought I was done testing my endurance, I'm off to finish knitting my 3rd Citron.  I've added a 6th section, and knitting the ruffle will equal 11 rows of 636 stitches.  So at least I still have a knitting marathon to look forward to.