Outdoor Track Season Begins (Like a Lion!)

Artist's Interpretation

I have already been to 2 track meets this season, and neither of them were held with the temperature above freezing.  I never remembered any really cold meets like this when I was in high school, but I'm sure running in them was easier than watching them.

With Ohio officials indicting one of my great heroes (Punxatawney Phil), one has to wonder why Al Gore isn't in prison for the global warming thing. What's good for the marmot is good for the former 5-Hour marathoner, I say.

Having a Sprinter/Hurdler/Jumper in the family is mighty strange.  My daughter had her first ever track meet, running the 100 M Hurdles, the 400 M and the 4 x 400 Relay.  She was held out of the Long Jump at the last second, but that will come soon.  I don't think I've ever actually watched a whole long jump competition before.  That will be a weird experience.

And talking about range, how about Beth Shisler mixing it up with both the Marathon and the 200/400 M in the same year!  She's at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships in Landover MD. She placed 8th in the Finals of the 400 M with a very fine 68.3 at age (redacted)! She has several events remaining, and we wish her luck.  I also have her at even odds to be the Women's Golfer of the Year at our Coach Groves Golf Tournament.

Speaking of cold weather meets...   How many of you remember the meets at the old Ice Palace where we had to go outside to get warmer?  We had one meet where it was 9 degrees* inside.  Alan Scharsu has the record with a 4:09 Mile in 9 degrees*!

* I lied, it was really 16 degrees, but who's counting?