Well, I’ve been using my new Garmin Forerunner 405 since mid-May. I’ve been meaning to write a review sooner, but life has happened.

Earlier this year I started to run more than 2-3 miles eat a time and wanted an easier way to calculate my distance and pace. Mid-January I got a Nike+, basically because I wanted something but didn’t want to spend too much since I still wasn’t sure how committed to running I was. The Nike+ is cheap. I used it with my kids’ Nano. But I had issues with the Nike+: figuring out how to carry the Nano was always tricky; adjusting volume, or skipping a song, or checking current pace was difficult without messing with my workout; and it wasn’t very accurate even with re-calibration.

As I got closer to the half marathon, I new how committed I was to running, and how much I enjoyed it. REI’s Anniversary Sale was perfect timing. The new Garmin Forerunners had come out by then, and REI had a couldn’t pass up sale on the Garmin Forerunner 405 with heart rate monitor. So mid-May, I finally had my own new fancy GPS watch.

And I love it. I have a math background, with a statistical emphasis, and I’m crazy about data and numbers. Running has been a ton of fun, but now it’s even more fun. There’s so much I like about my Garmin. The size/weight has not been an issue as I feared. It’s not petite. But I’m able to tighten it enough that it doesn’t bounce around. I do have quite a tan line forming, but I don’t care a bit. The other problem I’ve read about the watch is the bezel. But it’s been working for me. I’m mostly used to navigating through the menus by now. And I haven’t had problems with accidently stopping or pausing a workout. It has three separate views of data fields (in addition to the heart rate view) and are totally customizable. I’ve found that having one with lap pace/lap time/lap distance, one with avg pace/total time/total distance and one with current speed/total time/total distance works great for me. The current pace while running seems to fluctuate way too much and just makes me anxious. The lap pace is the view I use the most while running. I have it set up to lap at each mile. So it’s been easy to see if I’m on pace for each mile as I’m running.

I’ve tried to use the interval feature but find that I don’t have the same flexibility when it comes to views. But I can start a new lap by the press of a button. So recently when I did a track workout (400 m with jog intervals in between) I could press the lap button at the beginning and end of each 400 m lap and be able to see all of my splits for each 400 m and each rest interval. Very nice.

The Garmin also has a biking mode which I’ve been using. I think the only difference between the two is that it’ll calculate your calories differently. While biking, I’ll use the current speed view since I don’t have a bike computer. I’m so new to biking that this works for me. But I can imagine adding the cadence accessory some day, once that’s something I think I need to keep track of.

I’ve only used the heart rate monitor once. It took a little getting used to having the strap around my chest. But after a mile or two, I didn’t notice it. I mostly pay attention to my breathing. I know how it sounds when my heart rate is getting to the top. I’m not sure how much I’m going to use the monitor. I think it would be nice to periodically use it for a 10min/mile test and see how my fitness is increasing as I train more.

I know there’s a lot more I can do with the Garmin that I haven’t tried, geocaching and uploading planned routes to the watch are a couple I can think of off the top of my head. I also haven’t taken the time to figure out how to upload workouts to any of the training logs I use. I’ve been using Garmin Connect to view the maps of my workouts. It’s so much fun to see the maps, especially if I’ve been out of town (a lot lately) or taking a crazy route. It’s easy to read all of my data from the workout, splits/heart rate/pace.

So I’m super happy that I got the Garmin. I love the instant feedback as I run. And it’s great to just head out the door and run, and not have to map it out ahead of time.

Project Specs:
Pattern: Designed by me for the WEBS Expert Knitter Program.
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, color 203
Needles: US 3
Size: 36″
My Ravelry Link

It feels so good to have the sweater finished. Even though I had 5 months to work on it, I carefully created a schedule back in January of when I needed to finish each component, I finished it on the due date, only a few hours to spare. What can I say, I’m really good at procrastinating.

There are things I would do differently if I did it over again, but overall, I’m really happy with the sweater. It feels like it’s me.

Not much too this recipe, combine the following:
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1 lime
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp coarse salt
8 Tbls butter, softened

So far we’ve put it on steak, potatoes, broccoli, fiddlehead ferns, quesadillas, migas…I think there were other things. Someone mentioned it would be good on fresh sweet corn. That’s for sure. I think we need to keep a batch of this made up all summer long.

It was once again amazing watching the excitement of the WEBS Tent Sale this year. I especially enjoyed every time more FREE YARN was put out, gone in a flash.

The fronts and back are done blocking for my capstone sweater. But I have two questions, what kind of sleeves should I make and what would be a better name than “capstone sweater”.

Last night I made warm Cumin Hummus and it made me so happy. Blanched some snow peas, baked some pita chips, and I was good to go. I can’t remember where this recipe came from. I usually include the source when I enter it into my recipe database. But I thought I’d share it with you.

4 T Olive Oil
15 oz Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Small Onion
2 t Cumin
1 t Sea Salt
1/2 t Ground Black Pepper
2 T Cider Vinegar
2 T Tahini
2 Cloves Garlic

Heat 2 T of the olive oil in a medium skillet over a moderate flame. Add the chickpeas and onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are just tender, about 4 minutes.

Add the cumin and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vinegar to deglaze the pan and loosen any cumin that has stuck to the bottom.

Transfer the chickpea mixture, being sure to get as much of the oil and cumin as possible, to the bowl of a food processor. Leave uncovered for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until chunky smooth.

Note: if the hummus seems too dry, I add more olive oil at the end until it’s just right. And I usually make a double batch. It’s no extra work. Enjoy!

It’s been almost five months since my last post. I started this blog to keep track of my knitting projects. But with Ravelry, and now Facebook, posting on the blog just hasn’t made it to the top of the list. But I’m ready to give it another shot.

So a super quick update of projects. This is what I’ve finished since the iSock (which I still love).

See, I haven’t just been sitting around doing nothing. Sure I hope to post more complete posts for each project. But with the holidays around the corner, I don’t see a lot of free time coming my way.

Project Specs:
Pattern: another plain weave square using my 6″ x 6″ Weavette
Yarn: The Fibre Company Terra
Size: exactly the size of my iPhone
My Ravelry Link

After weaving the square, I crocheted the seam using a slip stitch. It just happens to be the perfect size for my new iPhone.

I love it when I get to see a knitted gift in use. On my recent trip to Portland, I got to see my niece Mia in her Sweet Pea Sacque.

Perfect! She makes it look so cozy. And check out her cool baby leggings. These were not around when I had babies. Things change so quickly.

Project Specs:
Pattern: just a felted plain weave square using my 6″ x 6″ Weavette
Yarn: The Fibre Company Terra in various colors using scrap yarn
Size: 4.5″ x 4.5″
My Ravelry Link

I had some tiny samples of Terra hanging around and I thought I’d play with my new Weavette. Once I finished one, it seemed too big for a coaster, so I threw it in the wash to felt. It came out just right. I made four more right away. I absolutely love how the woven Terra felted. It’s so soft and still has a nice drape. I dream about buying enough Terra to make a blanket of felted squares.