Fracking is Safe?

  
Remember when SMOKING was Safe?

 

 
Yea, well, when there's billion$ to be made...lie$ are commonplace, especially from those that stand to profit from increased sales. You might want to check out this piece as well.
  
Nothing has changed. They just sink lower these days...

Anyway, we did a whirlwind road trip yesterday to see our oldest daughter run her first full marathon...yes, the full 26.2 miles. We were hoping to stay in D.C. Saturday night after the race, but some last-minute personal issues popped up that necessitated cutting our trip short.

Except for a water stop and quick curbside change of some malfunctioning running gear, my daughter ran the entire 26.2 miles. I think her biggest fears were that she would be forced to walk at some point and that she would lose complete control of her body & mind to fatigue as she approached the finish line. Neither happened...and here's what we saw as she was within ~50 yards of the finish line.

Her ~4 month training regimen leading up to the marathon seemed to prepare her well. And here's "L-Dubs" crossing the finish line...arms raised on the left.  

In addition to the personal satisfaction of completing the race, there was this memento awarded to all registered participants who finished.

Rather than take a chance of making the wrong choice on the Metro, my wife and I walked from Union Station ( where the runners passed at mile #2 and 14 ) to the finish line. I think I'm done walking for the weekend.

My younger daughter joined her sister at the ~14 mile mark...and proceeded to run 11 miles with her. I sense another potential marathoner in the family in the years ahead. As I was a field-event guy and, at best, a quarter-miler when competing in track...I know they don't get this from my side of our DNA pool.

Here are some pics from the rest of our time in D.C. on St. Patty's Day.

Above: The Capitol from Union Station

Below: One of the many colorful participants in the race @ mile 14.

Below: The first wave of the ~24,000 runners at mile #2.

Below: I saw this runner carrying a USCG flag at mile #2.

 
This is @ mile # ~22.  Call him Sir Stud.

 

Below: As it was St. Patrick's Day, my daughter insisted we stop by one of the more famous watering holes in downtown Washington.

I didn't think they had enough cups or kegs ready.

Then I looked outside.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.