A real Ice Breaker

HAUSER LAKE - For Diane Davis and Nicole Barnhart, running the Hauser 10K Ice Breaker run on Sunday morning was the easy part.

"The hardest part was getting out of the truck to go to the starting line," Davis said after completing the course around Hauser Lake in about an hour. "It was snowing and we were like, no, no, no."

Blizzard-like conditions greeted runners on April Fool's Day. And with temperatures around 40 degrees, most stayed in their cars and trucks as long as possible before arriving at the starting line.

"Once we started going, we were glad we decided to do it and not go home," said Barnhart, a student at Gonzaga University.

Some did turn around and go home rather than face the snow, wind and cold. But about 100 stuck around to complete the 6.2-mile course.

Daniel and Alyssa Shaw of Coeur d'Alene turned in solid performances after taking a look at the weather early Sunday and deciding they had "to do something fun" by racing.

Alyssa Shaw was clocked in 40:04.

"It was good to get a workout, test my legs and push myself," she said. "I've got some work ahead."

Daniel pushed their two children, Payson and Nolan, through the course in their stroller. The boys were protected behind plastic and bundled under blankets, too.

Even with his sons, ages 3 and 1, along for a ride, Dad finished in around 37 minutes and in the top 10.

"All the way out was fine. As so as you started to go back on the other direction, the wind hit you," he said.

Bryan Tevis of Coeur d'Alene was the first finisher in 35:34.

At the finish, most huddled around fire pits under a sheltered area, while hot coffee went quickly.

Ron Brueher of Hauser didn't mind the April snow shower.

"It was kind of tough getting started, but once you got going, it wasn't bad," he said.

The race, a qualifier for second seed at Bloomsday on May 6 in Spokane, was sponsored by the Hauser Lake Watershed Coalition.