We've waited months for the warm days of May for outdoor activities and sun, sun, sun.

But while sun brightens our mood on the run or at the backyard barbeque, it's adding years to our looks and multiplying the risk of developing potentially deadly skin cancers.

Sunlight is necessary for synthesis of Vitamin D in the body and helps regulate our moods and sleep patterns, but the ultraviolet portion of the sun's rays can damage DNA in skin layers, causing a dry, wrinkled or leathery appearance and increasing the likelihood of developing skin cancer.

According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, sunlight is responsible for more than 90 percent of all skin cancers, the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 1 million Americans are diagnosed annually. While the more common basal and squamous cell cancers can be disfiguring, melanoma can be deadly if not treated early.

The risk of developing skin cancer rises with intensity of the rays and time spent in the sun, and the effects of sun exposure are cumulative over a lifetime.

While most of us won't give up our outside time, there are a few things we can do to reduce exposure to harmful UV rays.

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Time. The sun's rays are most intense between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Time your runs or other outdoor activities to avoid these peak hours.•

Shade. Run through a shady park or on a tree-lined street to cut down on harmful sun. You can make your own shade by wearing a hat.•

Sunscreen. Modern sunscreens are convenient combinations of ingredients designed to block UVA or both types of ultraviolet radiation. While water-soluble products feel lighter on the skin, oil-based sunscreens stay in place longer.•

Clothing. Some fabrics, such as unbleached cotton, contain natural UV absorbers while some high-luster polyesters reflect UV radiation. Specialty running clothes with UV protection are now available.For more information about prevention, detection and cures for skin cancer, visit www.skincancer.org.

Send in your race application. Nothing says commitment better than money in the mail. Applications for this year's Butler Road Race 5-Mile and 2K Run-Walk are available now in various locations around town or from www.butlerhealthsystem.org• <B>Day 1:</B> Walk 30 minutes or rest.• <B>Day 2:</B> Walk 5 minutes. Run 1 minute, walk 1 minute; run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute; run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute; run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute; run 1 minute, walk 1 minute. Walk 5 minutes.• <B>Day 3:</B> Walk 30 minutes.• <B>Day 4:</B> Repeat Day 2.• <B>Day 5:</B> Repeat Day 3.• <B>Day 6:</B> Walk 5 minutes. Run 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds; run 1 minute, walk 30 seconds; run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute; run 5 minutes, walk 5 minutes.• <B>Day 7: </B>Same as Day 1.

Friday and Wednesday, 12:15 p.m.: Lunchtime run, Cabot. Run 6 to 7 easy miles with me from St. Luke Church. 724-352-2777 or pneubert@stlukecabot.orgSaturday, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. 724-898-2525 or www.runpa.comSaturday, 8 a.m.: Hot Harry's Group Run, North Park. Run from 7 to 20 miles. Leaves from Lt. Stone Field.Saturday, 8 a.m.: Darlington Derby 5K, Darlington. 724-847-2682 or harrington42@comcast.netSaturday, 9 a.m.: Freeport Flash 5K Run-Walk, Freeport. Benefits Freeport High cross country team. N3wav@aol.comSaturday, 9 a.m.: Arthritis Foundation Arthritis Walk, Greensburg. Choice of 5K or 1-mile noncompetitive walk. 800-522-9900 or www.arthritiswalkgburg08.kintera.orgSunday, 8:30 a.m.: Greenfield Glide, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh. 412-422-8885June 4, 7 p.m.: Strawberry Days 5K, Grove City. First race in Mercer County Twilight QUAD series. 724-458-4435 or smc@runhigh.comJune 7, 9 a.m.: UMDF One Step Closer to a Cure 5K Run and Mile Walk, North Park. 412-793-6477 or www.umdf.org/pittsburghraceJune 7, 9:30 a.m.: Senior Project 5K Walk-Run and Kids Race, Ellwood City. joeandsidney@yahoo.comJune 7, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Butler-Freeport Community Trail Groundbreaking Ceremony and Community Walk, Butler. Noncompetitive event on final leg of rail trail starts at Franklin Field. www.ButlerFreeportTrail.orgJune 14, 5:30 a.m.: Laurel Highlands Ultra, Ohiopyle. Point-to-point 70.5 miles on rugged Laurel Highlands Trail. Also 50K trail run at 8. Rick.freeman1@verizon.netJune 14, 8:30 a.m.: Greater Clarksburg 10K, Clarksburg, W.Va. Also 2-mile run-walk and kids kilometer. 304-624-4100 or www.greaterclarksburg10k.orgJune 14, 9 a.m.: Parkinson Awareness Memorial 5K Race and Walk, Uniontown. 412-629-9292 or www.jerrymahermemorial5k.comJune 15, 7:45 a.m.: Father's Day 5K-10K Run-Walk, River Front Park, Pittsburgh. Benefit for prostate cancer awareness and research. 412-572-6830 or www.fathersday5k.comJune 28, 9 a.m.: Butler Road Race 5-Mile Run and 2K Run-Health Walk, Butler. 724-284-4676 or butlerroadrace@butlerhealthsystem.org

<B>Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, May 18:</B> Retta Feyissa, 1st Overall M, 2:33:34; Donna Palisca, 1st Overall W, 3:07:27; Ben English, 3:20:36; John Armstrong, 3:28:11; Michael Baumgartel, 3:33:30; Chris Singleton, 3:38:07; Robert Mars, 3:38:38; Darlene Lenzi, 3:40:59; Nate Goshen, 3:42:49; Ferdinando Saglio, 3:43:21; Paul Ferraro, 3:48:24; Michael Dubois, 3:51:53; Michael Kawecki, 4:01:43Jeremy Bennett, 4:13:29; Larry Stefanick, 4:20:54; Peter Ekstam, 4:22:01; Betsy Martin, 4:22:02; Gabe Alexander, 4:27:18; Kirk Littell, 4:27:55; Brittany Katz, 4:37:17; Amy Clark, 4:43:10; Wayne Toy, 4:55:44; Nicole Lenzi, 5:27:22; Sandra Ihlenfeld, 6:01:50<B>Cleveland Half Marathon, May 18:</B> Jake DiAlesandro, 1st Overall M, 1:15:18; Tasha Wheatley, 1st Overall W, 1:25:06; Leroy Clark, 1:35:52; Trent Wissner, 1:42:38; Charles Lenns, 1:48:16; J. Movic, 1:51:05; David Guo, 1:52:03; Denise Shearer, 1:52:35; Ed Kush, 1:54:42; Jeff Covelli, 1:56:21; Mark Kay, 1:57:58; Cortney Kush, 1:59:29; John Limbacher, 2:01:27; Julie Bleakney, 2:02:06; Chuck Magro, 2:05:49; Craig Clark, 2:10:32; Kim Bell, 2:12:06; William Foley, 2:12:11; Stephanie Burgh, 2:27:47; Stephanie Merchant, 2:28:08; John Warner, 2:34:12; Laura Palaizzo, 2:34:07; Jenni Loeffler, 2:37:09; Anthony Buzzelli, 3:51:58Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, PA. 16056. Phone 724-352-4395. Email bigp16@connecttime.net