THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Nothing we haven't seen before

If anyone had any doubts on Thursday afternoon that they were attending a track meet in North Idaho, it didn't take long to remember just what kind of weather comes with this territory.

Hail, got it.

Wind, got that too.

Rain, oh yeah, tons of that.

FOR SOME, the meet served as a final tuneup before the madness of the final month of the season once schools resume following spring break.

Others, they've already started vacations, with the Coeur d'Alene Viking track team missing nine athletes for the Christina Finney Relays on Thursday at Post Falls High.

Coeur d'Alene track coach Linda Lanker gave her athletes some workouts to do while on vacation.

"The ones that are committed will do them," Lanker said. "We'll find out really fast after break those kids that didn't do them. And they'll pay the price for that when we come back."

Some, like junior Kaitlyn Gunnerson of Coeur d'Alene had just one thing in mind on Thursday.

Being successful during the meet.

"I don't really have any plans for spring break," Gunnerson said. "So I was pretty focused on the meet and not super excited to go anywhere. I'm definitely going to continue to train because we've got a big meet right after break at the Pasco."

The Pasco Invitational is slated for April 19.

BETWEEN A tent flying into the parking lot due to wind during the Inland Empire League meet at Lake City High, and the craziness ofThursday, you really never know what to expect when it comes to a north Idaho track meet.

During last weekend's Border Cross Invitational at Coeur d'Alene, conditions were fairly good.

Funny as it might seem, the sun came out 15 minutes before and after Thursday's storm - though you might not have noticed by the mass exit of teams to head home.

Of the eight teams scheduled to compete, Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint, Moscow and Lake City opted to return home and didn't put their teams back on the track.

Understandable, yes.

Coaches don't want to see runners get injured, especially early on in the season.

It's the same reason why baseball and softball games get postponed with just some wet grounds. One false move, and it could mean the season in some cases.

What's amusing is that this week - while all teams take a bit of a break - chances are that we'll get better weather that of some early season games.

I get that athletes, as well as coaches, need some time to relax and recharge with a frantic finish to the season and school year once spring break concludes.

A short rainstorm shouldn't have been enough excuse to pull the plug though.

Especially in this area.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email atjelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter at JEPressSports.