In like a lamb

Scenes from February 1st at the Vassar College track facility:

Wait! What in heaven's sake are we doing at an outdoor track on February 1st, anyway?

Sweating a lot and enjoying the weather. That's what.

And no wind! Huh? It's ALWAYS windy at the track. Always. But not today. Calm as can be. February: In like a lamb.

Guys running shirtless. Are you KIDDING me?

Coach Pete not wearing hat and gloves. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

You cannot make this up.

I could coach another 20 years (God willing) and we very well may never, ever, ever, ever, ever ... see a day like this or a stretch of weather like this. In January and February.

No snow on the track? No snow on the turf infield? Guys planning some TRAIL RUNNING for practice tomorrow?

Call it global warming, radiational cooling, North Atlantic Oscillation ... whatever (by the way, those last two terms have absolutely no relevance, they just sound cool and like I know what I'm talking about; which, of course, I don't ...).

This lack of winter could not have come in a better year.

Memo to Mother Nature: NICELY DONE!