No racing lately (and not much blogging), but lots of running. Winter is coming fast, so this is the time of year when I try to sneak in as many trail and mountains runs as I can before there's too much snow to run on them.
I also discovered an exciting new trail in Asotin Creek Canyon that's only about an hour drive from me. Sadie and I plan to explore the canyon much more in the spring.
I had a nice holiday break in Salt Lake City and Boise, and despite eating more pie than was probably good for me (Who am I kidding? It was SO GOOD for me!) I was able to put some good miles in.
Sadie hurt her front left leg a few weeks ago - I think it was from chasing the tennis ball - so she got several days off and skipped three Saturday long runs with me. She hasn't limped for two weeks and seems to be doing fine after 50+ miles last week, so I think she's all healed up now.
Next up on the schedule are the two
Pullman Winter Ultra 50k's and a trip to Texas for the Christmas/New Year holiday that will include running a marathon with my sister on
New Year's Eve.
Enjoy some photos from the past few weeks:
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FlfFfgpHcwM/TtaxPKYKvCI/AAAAAAAAN2c/jio9q0FCh8w/s320/Photo+Nov+05%252C+9+44+47+AM.jpg) |
First snow on Moscow Mt.
Lower sections nice and clear still. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSCfS5hy_gc/TtaxP2pwI-I/AAAAAAAAN2k/l1BMvV3uIdc/s320/Photo+Nov+05%252C+9+53+07+AM.jpg) |
Higher sections much snowier. |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1mfsB4bCBgQ/TtaxQ5THBMI/AAAAAAAAN2s/06CSGfSr8TI/s320/Photo+Nov+05%252C+10+09+10+AM.jpg) |
Sadie loves snow more than any dog or human
I've ever seen in my life! |
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qi_zHNAyD64/TtaxWxdcl_I/AAAAAAAAN3k/P15oBnb8EW4/s320/Photo+Nov+12%252C+11+32+39+AM.jpg) |
Enjoying first tracks on a Saturday morning mountain run. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OqGBXoJ_5kE/TtaxSoXGWQI/AAAAAAAAN28/eEWtR1SNQGk/s320/Photo+Nov+06%252C+10+07+30+AM.jpg) |
Bighorns on my first trip down to the Asotin Creak canyon trail. |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yuwWjl47vxI/TtaxT2wedmI/AAAAAAAAN3E/bjdLAgnBPZ4/s320/Photo+Nov+06%252C+10+38+27+AM.jpg) |
First impression. Not bad. I expect to put some
good miles on this trail next year.
(You can see snow at the top of the canyon.) |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Tm2dS3tMQM/TtaxR7pDraI/AAAAAAAAN20/fV7KiVFlLIU/s320/Photo+Nov+06%252C+1+20+17+PM.jpg) |
Beautiful weather at the trailhead. It's deceptively winter though;
only a few miles in and a thousand feet gain there is snow covering the trail. |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0yqwSyy3uA/TtaxVp5jF9I/AAAAAAAAN3c/85DJ1UiT7qo/s320/Photo+Nov+10%252C+7+18+06+AM.jpg) |
This is how dark it is when I get off work now. |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7o01UXo8iHM/TtaxUgng7XI/AAAAAAAAN3M/NqMIFo_viy4/s320/Photo+Nov+10%252C+5+03+03+PM.jpg) |
My new favorite trainers for the off-trail days: Brooks Pure Flow.
Two huge thumbs up. |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jkUTX2v0Jc/TtaxVGxHQ7I/AAAAAAAAN3U/3dMMpWbN0ps/s320/Photo+Nov+10%252C+6+02+32+PM.jpg) |
What's winter without a seasonal porter?
Palouse Falls Polar Porter is tasty. |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IDmifke4ikQ/TtaxYOnWdkI/AAAAAAAAN3s/t3SNNgCeHI0/s320/Photo+Nov+20%252C+3+53+49+PM.jpg) |
Q: What's the first thing you do after hours of
driving to get to your dad's place in Utah?
A: Give him a hug and say hi.
Q: What's the second thing you do?
A: Take Sadie for a run below the Wasatch Mts. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRCYZ3hZjLo/TtaxanT1qNI/AAAAAAAAN4E/TcxG5nGclWA/s320/Photo+Nov+21%252C+9+23+38+AM.jpg) |
Early-morning visit to the mountains. |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gtQ6F5YbtLk/Ttaxcog3BVI/AAAAAAAAN4M/BJvhobn3q2k/s320/Photo+Nov+21%252C+9+36+10+AM.jpg) |
Wasatch mountain running. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HP6oG8bWyYE/Ttaxes0FrjI/AAAAAAAAN4U/uXGMfEsc-aA/s320/Photo+Nov+21%252C+9+38+08+AM.jpg) |
Wasatch mountain running. |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pupo48BRYek/TtaxfnYqKwI/AAAAAAAAN4c/2d63i5u5Pw0/s320/Photo+Nov+21%252C+9+43+17+AM.jpg) |
Looks like I'm not the biggest cat on the mountain. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b2pn30azBQ8/TtaxZ_87bOI/AAAAAAAAN34/_AWgVxeqsgQ/s320/Photo+Nov+21%252C+1+28+07+PM.jpg) |
Pure Mud. |
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E_CokgG_cjo/TtaxYw557OI/AAAAAAAAN3w/kSefvFM7XYA/s320/Photo+Nov+21%252C+1+26+18+PM.jpg) |
And I was trying to avoid the mud puddles. |
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JOFvXLWGNZk/TtaxgVvXcrI/AAAAAAAAN4k/uOT-35BzWos/s320/Photo+Nov+27%252C+2+45+56+PM.jpg) |
With dad in the mountains. Hard to beat this. |
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p4F_jx2nuSg/TtaxhFBWEsI/AAAAAAAAN4s/q-zmjJWoKfE/s320/Photo+Nov+27%252C+2+46+25+PM.jpg) |
Dad pointing to his favorite trails. |
Keep running!
-Scott