Scarf Tying Tutorial (3 Cute Ways!) + Speedwork #3

So, I recently received a really beautiful scarf from my friend Kristin. Being the fashion icon that I am (Ha ha) I had NOT A CLUE on how to make it look cute! My friend Diane, who I know from my bible study, showed me how to tie it so that it looked really adorable! She then showed me a few more methods for scarves, and I asked her if she could bring over some scarves to take photos so that I could make a little tutorial. So, here it is!

(Please forgive the cheesy names. I was trying hard to be creative, and....uuuhhhh....... you see how well that turned out......)

Method #1 (the double loop swoop)

It's going to look like this when you're done:

So, first fold the scarf in half, so that you have the fold in one hand and the loose ends in the other:

Then put it around your neck like this:

(Isn't Diane so pretty? She is a good scarf model :) )

So now you want to put one of the loose ends through the loop on the other side:

Then twist the loop once to make another loop, like this:

Now, stick the second loose end through that loop!

Then just fluff it all out and make it look purty!

Method #2 (the loop around tie front)

Now, this one you want to start with one end of the scarf longer than the other. then, put it around your neck and wrap the longer end around your neck once:

So then it will look like this:

Then, take the loose ends and tie them in a simple overhand knot! That's it!

Now, fluff it up:

Method #3: (the back twist and tuck)

So for this one, Diane used a square scarf and folded it in half to make a triangle. (If you only have a rectangle scarf, never fear, you can use that too! Just don't fold it. Leave it a rectangle and do everything the same.)

So, simply lay it across the front of you and drape the loose ends to the back:

Then take the two ends, and twist them once (or twice if it's a long scarf) and bring the ends back around to the front:

Then you just want to tuck the loose ends in behind the drape that is in front:

They will kind of hang down behind the front portion:

Here is how it looks with a rectangle scarf! So Cute!

Thank you so much to Diane, for showing your scarf skills to all of us! (And also for being the best scarf model in town!!)

Sooo, yesterday afternoon, I did speedwork #3! Thankfully, it was cooler than the last two weeks!!

THE WORKOUT:

• warm up
• 800 @ 5k pace (an 800 is a half mile)
• 400 at long run pace (1/4 mile)
• repeat this for a total of 6 sets
• cool down

WHAT I DID:  (interval, then interval time, then pace)

• warm up .79 miles @9:17
• #1 800- 3:31 @7:02
• #1 400- 2:21 @9:27
• #2 800- 3:51 @7:44
• #2 400- 2:13 @8:56
• #3 800- 3:44 @7:29
• #3 400- 2:23 @9:33
• #4 800- 3:49 @7:39
• #4 400- 2:22 @9:31
• #5 800- 3:49 @7:38
• #5 400- 2:24 @9:38
• #6 800- 3:47 @7:35
• #6 400- 2:32 @10:11
• cool down- walked the last 1/4 mile home

WHAT I LEARNED:

• I am actually learning some stuff about how I feel, and my ability to push myself! I decided not to set target pace for my intervals today, and just shoot for about 80% exertion on the 800's. (Which to me means hard enough that I don't want to run it forever, but if I HAD to pick it up for 100-200 feet or so, I could) The first 800, I went too hard. I felt like I had a really hard time recovering on the 400 afterward. (I had a little conversation with myself and told myself to reign it in. Then I listened to myself. I thanked myself for the good advice) So I paced myself and held back a little more on the remaining 800's, and felt much less out of control.
• It gets easier! I seriously felt like I was much more in control the last few 800's. I felt more tired, for sure, but felt like my breathing, stride, and even my upper body was more in my control. I don't know if that makes sense, other than to say I felt like I could push myself more or hold back more, and not so much like I was just a spaz and trying to go fast.
• It is worth it to me to bring a hand-held watter bottle. I don't know why, but my mouth gets SUPER dry, and I really like being able to swish it out with water on the slower part of the intervals. DON'T make the mistake of drinking a bunch of water, even if you're thirsty. Bad idea!
• You need to practice positive self talk when the end of the interval feels hard. Don't give in to negative or quitting types of thoughts.

So, all that to say, I think I am learning a lot! I already feel like I know better what my threshold is, and how to push myself and recover better. I am also learning a new form of mental toughness- speed is SO much different than endurance. I know how to talk myself through the last 10 of a 50 miler, or the end of an ironman, but this is different. You have to purposefully push out how tired you are, and how much you want to go slower and just tell yourself that it's fine, you'll feel better in a minute on the recovery lap. Tough, but good. Hopefully good practice for Tucson.

So, a funny thing happened today. (No, I didn't see the two guys from last week. I was a little sad about that, I had thought up all kinds of quirky little comments for today!) Instead, when I got to the track, there was a soccer team of teenaged boys (I think Jr High age) in the grass area in the center of the track. They were just messing around before practice. So as I kept running laps, they started to kick the ball into my path, across the track in front of me each lap. At first, this REALLY made me mad. But then I said to myself, "instead of getting mad, just make it a game, and DO NOT let yourself hit the ball." So I began to make sure to speed up or slow down to avoid the ball each time. Then they stopped kicking it and sort of started tossing it. Still, I avoided it. The last time, this little kid totally chucked it. Still missed. So me, being ever-so-shy and humble, said, "HA HA! You guys NEVER got me!" Only too bad for me, because I turned my head to look at them when I said it and didn't realize I was heading into the muddy patch on the track. Ugh. I didn't fall, but I did a crazy not-too-graceful slip and near-fall. In front of all of those boys. Dang.

Why, WHY can't I leave well enough alone??!! Oh well, that's what I get for trying to be a smart alek to those boys. But at least they had a good laugh. Laughing is good. Even if it IS at my expense......

DINNER TONIGHT:

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas  (from the last freezer cooking day)

Salad

Strawberries