The sun is out ... and it's not freezing cold!

Beautiful day! Your track club board is going to spend the day in a windowless room in the government doing 'strategic planning' for the year. That's the way the cookie crumbles ... :-)

Yesterday. Temps were in the single digits at 7:15 a.m. when we left from the RAC. But without wind, it really wasn't too bad. I understand the air quality wasis very bad ... a reading of 111 ('soot and particulates'), with a reading of over 100 making it dangerous for susceptible groups, which includes athletes. Thank you to Roger Heil and son Jon for being our water stop guys. Really appreciate it! It was one thing to be running yesterday, another to be just standing there for an hour or so. And I've been noticing the birds are coming back as we can hear their songs again. ;-) Run pix below. I've been lamenting my lack of training lately, especially long runs, due to injury. Well, I somehow managed 18 (slow, ugly) miles yesterday. No pain, but lots of fatigue. I would have have tried to eek out a 20 had I not had to get to church to do a wedding. Boston runners putting in the long miles yesterday: Woo and O'Leary (26), Mike Schmitt and Marilee Hardyman (20), Jen Bradt (18), Kit Hawkins (16).

U.S. Indoor T & F today 4-6 on ESPN2 (channel 32 on Charter cable in Roch.)

Thank you to Larry Pederson and crew who will be assembling and mailing the RTC News this week in my absence! If you'd like to help (evening of 2/28), contact Larry.

Welcome to new RTC members: Marie Boyd/Bruce Turlington, Chris Koch/Tabitha Beck, Joy Larson, Priscilla Smith, Johann and Sherry Sonnenberg!

Students running track (and their parents): Do you know that you get 20% off your shoes (trainers and spikes) at Running Room? Just tell them you're a student athlete when you come in to buy your shoes. The staff will get you all set up!

As I posted on the RTC website, RTC News won a national RRCA journalism (small/mediucm club newsletter) award again this year. Kudos and kudos to everyone who submitted articles! The award is presented at the national RRCA convention the first weekend in May, in Cincinnati this year, held in conjunction with the Flying Pig marathon. I'm kind of blowing my travel budget going to FL this week and Boston in April. I'll see if I can swing a trip out there to pick it up. Else, hopefully they'll mail it. Hmmm, then I wouldn't have to give a speech ...

I hadn't read one of John Shonyo's posts (dated 2/8) at Jacksonville Marathon, but it's a very good statement about cancer, heroes, and fundraising. Very well said, John.

From K.C. Reed: The Polar Plunge will be on T.V. today at 4:30 on public access TV (Channel 10 on Charter cable in Rochester). They were freezin' for a reason, to be sure!

Registration is open for the Gary Bjorklund half marathon in June, held in conjunction with Grandma's Marathon, on the second half of the course. Registration is open until 8:00 am CST on March 3. Entry is via lottery. Register at Grandma's website. There are still 1,080 spots open in the full marathon.

Spotted at Wal-Mart, King Arhur Flour white whole wheat flour. Great for baking bread. Doesn't have some of the bitterness that regular (red) whole wheat flour has.

That's it! I'm off to FL in a couple days. I might post, ... and I might not! See 'ya.

Let's meet Daryl and Lynn Saari (pictured in the slideshow above), trail runners extraordinaire: Daryl is first.
Family? Wife Lynn, two children, Trent 18, Kayla 15, Belle the dog, 14, Cleo the cat, 4
Hobbies? Cooking, not as good as Lynn, canoeing, camping and showshoeing
Languages you speak? English
How did you get started in running? ran the mile and 2 mile in high school, have ran since. In the last four years I have gotten more serious.
Miles per week on average? 35-40 when not training, 45-60 when training
Your defacto, comfortable as a broken-in shoe training route? 10.5 mile loop out 19th St NW to 60th Ave NW and in on 2nd St. back on Hwy 22 or to Pine Island on a full moon
How often do you run it? 2-3 times per week
Favorite carbo loading food? Wheat bagel with provolone cheese and turkey
Favorite indulgence food? Chips and guac or Thai curry or shrimp gumbo
Next race? Trail Mix in the citiesRunning goals? Finish Western States, grand slam/mountain slam (4 100's in 4 months)
Running dream? afore mentioned

Now, Lynn:
Family? Spouse Daryl, Belle the Dog and Cleo the Cat
Hobbies? cooking, gardening, snowshoeing
Languages you speak? English, enough Spanish to get me around
How did you get started in running? Can't remember a time I didn't run
Miles per week on average? 20-30 in off time, 40-60 when training
Your defacto, comfortable as a broken-in shoe training route? whatever my spouse tells me...just kidding! Multiple loops west of town toward Byron or to Pine Island and back on full moons
How often do you run it? 4-5 times per week
Favorite carbo loading food? Don't really carb load....
Favorite indulgence food? Daryls Thai curry
Next race? Trail Mix
Running goals? Complete my first 100 this year.
Running dream? No work, run every day! Unlimited trail runs!

Thought for the day: "Take away my capacity for pain and you rob me of the possibility for joy." --Ross W. Marrs