Seeking a better country...

After church, we ran up Mueller for some family pictures.  Just as we got everyone posed, Jack pooped and started leaking through his pants, of course.  We got through all the shots, and everyone headed home.  I changed and started up to elephant rock at the same time as three guys on bikes.  I passed them right away, and didn't see them until I was 1.2 miles on my way down.  I got back to the road and started thinking about a bathroom.  The church was locked, so I headed to my parents.  After a stop, including Mtn. Dew and a kind offer for a ride home, I left again.  I was getting pretty tired and losing focus when I tripped over an uneven section of gutter and went down hard.  The only thing that broke the skin was my knee.  Unfortunately there were witnesses.  I heard a little kid yell,  "Whoa, that guy just fell down."  I picked myself up and passed them, embarrassed at my clumsiness.  On the bright side, I ran with renewed focus the remaining 2 miles home.

The trail was busy, and beautiful.  The vivid color is working it's way down the mountain.  There is really no reason to head for the hills to find color; all the neighborhoods are bright with yellow falling leaves. 

After my daughters tennis banquet (where she was awarded "Most likely to lick Lexi's armpit"???)  I treadmilled while everyone else watched Biggest Loser upstairs.  2 miles at 6 mph 1.5 incl.  Then 5 @ 7.5 mph 1.5 incl. and 1 mile cooldown.  Go blue team.  I broke out my last pair of Omni 9's for this run.  They are so shiny.  Oh yeah, and last week I got rejected for wear testing for saucony because my feet are 10.5 instead of 10.  Imagine my horror.

Jack fussed at 2:30, 5 and 6.  By six it was my turn so we got up.  Ash heard the noise we made (none) and joined us.  We watched He-Man for a while.  Jack settled down, so we put him in the swing, and he quickly fell asleep.  I left her watching, and went for 6.5.  1 mile warmup, then 5.5 at 7 mph 2% inc.  "24" kept me entertained, along with the parade of kids going back and forth to their rooms and the bathroom getting ready for school.  My 15 yr old was on her cell phone all morning.  I wonder what's so important it can't wait till school?

Random routes about town dropping off bills, checking on road closures and high school football games.  I couldn't resist this run with temps in the mid 50's.  I came home to a pot of wonderful soup my wife made.  It's a bit spicy, so many of the kids don't like it, which means I get to enjoy much more than my share.

Cool to cold miles on Legacy with Andy and Tara.  We headwinded the first half, and had a mile of flurries at the end.  Good run and company.  The only improvement I would recommend for this run would be an absence of low clouds and fog that obscured the fresh snow on the hillside.  On  the plus side, there were several large bird tornados.