My annual Monday escape from the first day of deer hunting is almost as big a tradition as Thanksgiving itself. Because I live in a wooden house in the middle of a wooded lot, I feel safer shopping in the city than dodging bullets.

With a steady drizzle giving way to gray skies and puddles, Monday was nearly as miserable for Strip District strollers as it was for rural deer hunters. But Mark, Zack and I braved the elements to hunt down our favorite cheeses, biscotti, sausages and that special Chinese chili sauce in Pittsburgh's ethnic shops.

Monday is also my day to work from home and, therefore, my long run day. After a morning of city strolling and shopping, I was more than ready to change into running clothes for a solitary run.

Mark and Zack chose a pub as a place to wile away an hour and a half. As I pulled on my Gore-Tex cap for my first wet steps, they perused the sandwich menu and ordered beers.

"Have fun," Zack called out, glad to have finished his workout indoors earlier that day.

This day, I chose the trail less traveled, heading upstream from the North Shore Trail's entrance at 31st Street. I watched the lonely buildings of Washington's Landing and then the point of Herr's Island slowly pass out of sight like a barge pushing downstream.

On the inland side of the island, yellow kayaks from Three Rivers Rowing lay belly-up on the boardwalk below the trail. A few ducks bobbed in the shelter of the backwater.

Upriver from Herr's Island, I entered the town of Millvale. A tree canopy between the raised railway bed and a marina full of hibernating boats gave relief from the drizzle. I realized that I had left my gloves in the car and tucked my hands into my jacket sleeves against the chill.

The space between towns had a wildness about it even under the blanket of white noise from Route 28 commuter traffic. I stopped and peered over an embankment toward the river. A few mallards quacked on a gravel bar littered with broken lawn chairs and Styrofoam cups. Suddenly, a blue heron looked up from its fishing, spied me and took silent flight, hoping for a more peaceful landing spot.

My entry into the town of Etna was marked by a plain blue sign on a railroad maintenance shed among the broken axles and rusting equipment. I was reminded that pedestrian rail trails are a very recent invention. For the most part, rails were and are the veins and arteries of transportation hidden beneath the skin and muscle of main streets and commerce districts.

My rail trail dissipated in a tangle of tracks, sidings and access streets. I turned around in an Etna neighborhood of faded but clean two-story brick and frame homes. The one on the corner had a faded Steelers placard in one window and a child's purple swim floatie stored on the back porch.

I turned toward my family waiting in the warmth of the tavern. Out of the mist, the lights of a double-engined Norfolk and Southern train appeared from around the bend. An engineer tipped his hat from the head of the long line of open hoppers hauling coal to power plants upstream in Reedsdale or Homer City. I found my homeward steps falling into the rhythm of the squawks and groans of steel wheels on steel rails.

Back at the tavern, Zack and Mark finished their pints as I shook the rain from my jacket. The bartender asked, "How was the run?" with a look that implied, "Are you crazy to be out in weather like this?"

"It was good," I smiled. "It's all good."

Saturday, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. 724-898-2525 or www.runpa.comSaturday, 9 a.m.: Jingle Bell Run-Walk for Arthritis, Allison Park. Music, food, prizes, holiday costume contest. Leashed dogs welcome. 412-566-1645 or sshields@arthritis.orgSaturday, 9 a.m.: Race for Grace 5K Run-Walk, Woodland Hills. Also mile fun run-walk, starts at Woodland Hills High School. 412-478-0454 or Race.for.Grace@hotmail.comSaturday, 10 p.m.: Holiday 5K Run, New Brighton. 724-495-9417 or jhilfinger@beavercountypa.govSunday, 10 a.m.: Nittany Valley Half Marathon, State College. Starts at Ag Arena, runs through campus and countryside. 814-571-1960 or www.nvrun.comSunday, 10 a.m.: Deerslayer Trail Run, South Park. Choice of 8 miles, 4 miles, or 2 miles, part of Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners series. 724-348-6012Dec. 8, 9 A.M.: Santa Trot 5K Run-5K Walk, Wheeling, W.Va. Out and back on Fitness Trail in downtown Wheeling. 304-2421-4314 or hikewell@comcast.netDec. 16, 9 a.m.: Panhandle Trail Toys for Tots 5K and 10K Race, McDonald. Bring a new, unwrapped toy, choice of distance on level trail. www.eliterunners.comDec. 31, 2 p.m.: Harmony Silvester 5K Run, Harmony. Kicks off celebration including German music, food and drink, fireworks. 724-452-6780, option 2 or www.harmony-pa.usDec. 31, 2 p.m.: Twilight Run 5K and 2-mile, Lakemont Park, Altoona. Run though holiday lights. 814-695-4467 or laurandt@holidaysburgareaymca.org

<B>Butler Turkey Trot 5K, Nov. 3:</B> Logan Elias, 1st Overall M, 17:48; Jonathan Fleming, 2nd Overall M, 17:52; Bradley Cubbage, 3rd Overall M, 17:54; Veronica Kirish, 1st Overall W, 21:16; Lisa Patarini, 2nd Overall W, 21:29; Ashton Dolan, 3rd Overall W, 21:51; Davis Karls, 1st 15-19 M, 18:35; Steel Flynn, 2nd 15-19 M, 18:57; David Dunmyre, 1st 40-49 M, 19:02; Ron Nanni, 1st 30-39 M, 19:04; Franklin Puz, 3rd 15-19 M, 19:24; Bob Cunningham, 1st 20-29 M, 19:45Bill Peace, 2nd 30-39 M, 20:06; Evan Bauer, 1st 11-14 M, 20:21; Brian Shoemaker, 3rd 40-49 M, 21:09; Steve Russell, 1st 50-59 M, 21:27; John-Scott Somora, 2nd 11-14 M, 21:52; Gretchen Geibel, 1st 11-14 W, 22:34; Steve Karls, 2nd 50-59 M, 22:38; Carrie Smith, 1st 20-29 W, 22:40; Ron Hartle, 3rd 50-59 M, 22:45; Cory Vernon, 2nd 20-29 M, 22:54; Jennifer Fennell, 1st 40-49 W, 23:14; Justin Achezinski, 3rd 20-29 M, 23:18; Debbie Deddo, 2nd 40-49 W, 23:29; Amy Formica, 1st 30-39 W, 23:35; Dana Frissora, 2nd 30-39 W, 23:37; Wendy Recio, 3rd 40-49 W, 23:49; Carolyn Dietrich, 3rd 30-39 W, 24:17Jeromee Geibel, 3rd 11-14 M, 24:36; Victoria Sawhney, 2nd 11-14 W, 25:28; Howard Boltz, 2nd 60-69 M, 26:36; Melissa Jungling, 3rd 20-29 W, 27:08; Lucas Zenobi, 1st 10 and under M, 27:08; Cameron Garner, 2nd 10 and under M, 27:09; Martha Braun, 1st 50-59 W, 27:51; Jill Todd, 2nd 50-59 W, 28:42; Michael Johnson, 3rd 10 and under M, 30:26; Debbie Smith, 3rd 50-59 W, 31:50; Katie Sefton, 1st 15-19 W, 31:52; Maggie Hoff, 3rd 11-14 W, 32:22; Marcia Semple, 1st 60-69 W, 34:26; Anna Ihlenfeld, 2nd 15-19 W, 46:05;Tim Karls, 20:09; Kemper May, 20:58; Matt Getsay, 21:05; Matt Drohan, 21:06; Bill May, 21:41; Sean Dolan, 21:52; Rich Landgraf, 23:19; Michael Bruno, 23:29; Andy Weiland, 23:34; Tammy McGaughney, 24:03; Matt Brennan, 24:11; Chuck Moody, 24:12; Michael Cubbage, 24:13; John Reddick, 24:18John Harding, 24:21; Ryan Blum, 24:24; Rita McClelland, 24:25; Darrell Smith, 24:30; Bill Tracy, 24:31; Alan Cubbage, 24:32; Perry Chepelsky, 24:35; Linda Ealy, 24:38; Mark Klopfer, 24:54; Clint Hartle, 24:58; David Griffith, 25:00; Bob Todd, 25:05; Chris Byrd, 25:05; Robert Tritch, 25:06; David Drane, 25:10; Bradley Christie, 25:11; Alan Troyan, 25:28; Craig Adams, 25:43; Barbara Billings-Sawhney, 26:12; Kyle Deddo, 26:57; Jay Dawson, 26:59; Mark Rodgers, 27:03; Darin Gillott, 27:04; Joel Geibel, 27:06; David McFarland, 27:30; Matthew Callihan, 27:37; Margie Somora, 27:45; Joyce Doss, 27:46Jim Filges, 27:47; Lisa Moss, 28:34; Pamela Black, 28:38; Jordan Blum, 28:40; Emily Jones, 28:41; Tammi Landgraf, 28:43; Tyler Stone, 28:44; Christopher Walliser, 29:08; Mary Piroch, 29:17; Amanda Rekich, 29:18; Nate Rekich, 29:19; Joe Paulisich, 29:28; Beverley Filges, 29:30; Shawn Maley, 29:56; Erik May, 29:59; Amy Vernon, 30:08; Denise Shearer, 30:11; Jim Trivoli, 30:14; David Holl, 30:15; Thomas Somora, 30:45; Ben Zenobi, 30:48; Dana James Hogue, 30:53; Cindy Reddick, 31:05Chuck Ryan, 31:07; Tedd Nesbit, 31:08; Evan Deddo, 31:11; Ken Deddo, 31:12; Julie Chwalik, 31:14; Karla Weirich, 31:51; Susie Geibel, 32:01; Maydonna Ravasio, 32:17; Dorie Scheiden, 33:48; Cathy Berger-Reese, 34:11; Jennifer Maley, 34:31; Vicki Young, 34:48; Israel Christie, 34:49; Melinda McConnell, 35:27; Daniel Ferguson, 35:34; Carissa Chilcott, 35:53; Shirley Chilcott, 36:04; Richard Sefton, 37:22; Karen Halstead, 37:31; Daniel Arnett, 38:43; Patti Arnett, 38:59; Dillon Meeder, 40:13; Sandy Meeder, 40:22; Kathleen Geagan, 43:03Beth Holman, 43:36; Allison Graham, 43:36; Dan Daubenspeck, 43:37; Nathan Vavro, 43:49; Tammy Lewis, 44:20; Lenora Lewis, 44:21; Nancy McKee, 44:35; Linda Updegraph, 44:36; Beth Swartz, 44:37; Craig Moss, 45:19; Darlene Callihan, 45:21; Carole Hall, 45:21; Rosemary Keasey, 45:22; May Christy, 45:31; Patty Chiappini, 45:48; Brenda Christy, 46:27; Allison Reese, 50:05; Marsha Collins, 50:06; Mike Reese, 51:43; Christine Cochran, 51:44; Judith Snyder, 52:16; Kim Snyder, 52:17; Daniel Defoggi, 52:38; Regis Brennan, 53:54; Veronica Brennan, 54:00; Amy Brennan, 54:01; Georgeanne Kosusko, 4:40; Kathy Kennedy, 55:32; Erin Burns, 55:34; Christine Holman, 55:35Send comments and suggestions to: 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, Pa. 16056. Phone or fax: 724-352-4395. E-mail: bigp16@connecttime.netPat Neubert is the running columnist for the Butler Eagle.