Go, you chicken fat, go away!

I woke up early.  Which is good, because school is back in session and I would need to get my kids ready.  It was dark out.  As I approached the Floodway I saw a man and his little dog leaving it.  As soon as I got in I could hear a coyote yipping not too far ahead.  I pulled my phone out and started to record some video.  I could hear that I was getting closer and closer, but it was too dark to see.  I knew it must be on the path or very close to it.  I barked and then yelled to try and scare it.  Then I finally saw it about 10 feet away from me.  It was too dark for the video to capture it, and I tried to turn my flashlight on, but for some reason it wouldn't.  Maybe it doesn't work while you have the camera going? (I ask myself.)  I stayed there for a bit, and then ran a little bit ahead.  I watched the video back.  At one point I could have swore I saw someone shine a light, maybe from the other side of the Floodway.  I turned and looked, but didn't see anyone.  So I started running again and after about 4 minutes I thought I saw another light.  I turned around and looked and caught the tail end of a shooting star.  That was cool, but I don't think it was the shooting star that flashed the light.  I guess that will remain a mystery.

I continued on my run and thought about how I never see Jeff anymore.  He had moved down the Floodway closer to University, but who knows where he is now.  As I was getting closer to where I used to see him all the time, I could see an older couple and a dog ahead.  It was still dark, but light enough to where I could see them.  I tried to holler good morning at them so they knew I was coming, but I don't think they heard me.  I said it again as I passed them, and their little dog started yapping at me.  By this time I could see a bunch of stuff where Jeff used to hang out, and wondered if he was there.   I felt bad if the dog's barking had woken him up.

I woke up before 5am, but I couldn't get out the door.  We've got a sickness going through our house, and I might have caught a bit of it.  I had to sit on the potty twice.  I finally got out right after 7am.  It was lighter outside than yesterday.  It said it was 49º, but it felt colder because of the breeze.  I mean, because of the wind chill.  My body feels like I should be running more.  All except for my knees.  They don't want to.  So I might take tomorrow off.  I saw someone coming towards me when I was half way between Adobe and University.  I knew it must be Vickie.  We stopped for our customary smooch and I kept going.  As I approached University, I saw two other ladies running north.  I ran to the other side of the Floodway and thought that if they have to wait for a bit for traffic, we could be entering the Floodway at the exact same time.  Sure enough, we did.  It was on now.  Who would make it to Adobe first?  Actually, I thought for sure they would.  For one, I'm slow.  For two, the Floodway path that I was on winds and turns and goes up and down.  But I noticed I was keeping up with them.  When I got to the half way point I noticed I was slightly ahead of them.  Kudos for me.  I can still outrun people!

Emily came and crawled into bed with us at 4am.  She had another "bad dream."  I think she just wakes up and uses that as an excuse.  I went to the bathroom and then couldn't get back to sleep, so I went running.  But I was in the bathroom for a longgggg time, so it was 5:41am when I started. 

It was dark, and there's not much to say about it.  The moon was bright and lit the way.  I looked at my pace when I was done and was surprised to see that it was about a minute per mile slower than what I have been running.  My first thought was maybe it was because of how dark it was.  But then I remembered that I've been sick the last two days.