Cold Weather Running

It’s very cold and snowy outside, and it has been for a couple of weeks now.  I haven’t even contemplated running outside and am grateful for my treadmill which allows me to keep up my fitness regime without having to endure windburned cheeks.  I’m getting pretty familiar with my new treadmill’s 17 programs.  I’m able to get a good sweat going, and I hope my fitness is continuing to improve.  Because I am trying to focus on speedwork – something I think a treadmill should take a lot of the thought out of compared to running outside – most of my treadmill workouts are interval based, so I’m only running at my top speed for a couple of minutes or so before I’m in recovery at a slower speed.  My worry about this is the treadmill says I am only going about 6.5 mph, and that is a fairly average pace when I’m outside, not top speed.  Somehow it feels so much faster on my treadmill.  I think tomorrow I might wear my Nike+ while on the treadmill so I can see if it (which is what records my speed/distance while running outside) shows the same pace and distance as the treadmill.  I know my last treadmill thought I was going slower/shorter than Nike+ did, but I use Nike+ during the (rare) races I have participated in and it has been accurate for those distances.  Regardless, it’s supposed to warm up some this week so I might be able to get out and see how my treadmill workouts have translated to outside running – although I think when it warms up it will be with rain, so I may have to prolong my curiosity!

Candy Pinwheels Quilt

Phew, what a wonderful holiday break!  I had a couple of weeks off work, so between that and being a little house bound due to snow I was able to start focusing on my next project.  I really want to get a quilt made for my daughter.  I had made made my son’s first quilt when he moved into his big boy bed, and somehow Layla is nearing that age already and I want her to have one for her first big bed, too.  I really wanted to NOT do a Fresh Lemons quilt design because even though I love Faith dearly as a friend and quilter, I have now done so many of her designs that she might expect to see a little shrine with her picture and candles and all my sewing projects inspired by her the next time she comes for a visit!  However, I had bought a copy of Quilty magazine because she had a pattern in there.  Her pattern ticked all of the boxes – large pieces to display the funner, girly prints I want to incorporate, lots of color, not too difficult, and something I had not already done.  So, color me stalker but I am going with the Candy Pinwheels from Faith in Quilty magazine.  Anna Maria Horner also had an awesome pattern for a feather quilt in the magazine which I was really tempted to do, but it had a lot of negative space which wasn’t right for what I want to do for my little girl.  I think I will be trying that in the future, though!