Spring = Track

The coming of spring means outdoor track season in Nebraska is in full swing despite the weather. Spring track season means getting out the rain gear while keeping the snow gear handy. It means getting out the lunch cooler, stocking up on the sports drinks, energy bars, gum and sun seeds. It means purchasing more sunscreen. It mean locating the summer sunglasses. It means pulling out the umbrellas and dusting off the folding chairs. It means learning to keep enough extra clothes and outdoor gear in the vehicle from March-May because a person can never could out guess the weather.

This will be the first time in eight years, the track guy in the family won't have one of his girls participating in the meets he coaches. He coached plenty prior to their high school participation but this will be different and he is a bit nostalgic about the whole thing. From strictly the parental side of the situation, I won't have to attend a single track meet. Yippee. No offense to the girls, and they know this already, out of all their activities, track was my least favorite. Outdoorsy I am not and never will be. (Yeah I know my GS buddies are thinking that statement is all too true and are having a good giggle.)

I have attended track meets at Benkelman where the wind was screaming so much - the team tents could not go up but the meet went on. The out of town parents were huddled at on the northern end retaining wall just to stay out of the wind.

I attended a district track meet at Southern Valley which started the off with rain and mist, changed to rain, lightning, thunder and hail - enough to postpone the action for awhile - to have the wet stuff turn to snow. Then to have the day end with a screaming wind out of the north as the sun tried to peak through the clouds.

I have worn enough layers of clothes, none of which matched, and definitely embarrassed my children just to try and stay warm. I also learned early on not to drink too much at those meets because some of the tracks have the worlds smallest bathrooms - specifically Elwood's every small and drafty bathrooms. (In their defense I think there were trying to upgrade.)

I have attended meets in Alma that either just finished or were shut down due to those pesky, severe weather warnings. I have also baked at a track meet or two despite the sun screen, hats, and umbrellas.

There are those of you out there that love track, I do get that. Best wishes to all you crazy fools that love to run in circles, jump in the sand and throw against the wind. More power to you but I am looking forward to sitting this season out.