Last weekend marked a milestone for my entire family when my son played his final college ice hockey game. For me, that meant an end to my career as a waiter —- waiting for practice, waiting for games, tournaments, etc.

I've never had a problem filling that time. In my 15 years as a hockey mom, I've plotted 1-hour-and-40-minute running routes, the length of practice plus locker room time, from every rink in Western Pennsylvania. I've devised endless variations of interval workouts lasting the 45 minutes from player dropoff to game time. I've explored back roads and trails in cities throughout the country.

Fort Wayne, Ind., would not be my choice of vacation destinations, especially in late February, but hockey moms don't get to choose.

I packed my running shoes and clothes for every weather condition possible for a four-day tournament in the second largest city in Indiana.

Although Fort Wayne isn't my idea of paradise, it does offer runners some interesting routes. Like a miniature Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne is located at the confluence of three rivers: St. Joseph, St. Mary and Maumee.

Like our region's river city, Fort Wayne has discovered the health and fitness benefits of developing a riverside trail system.

Rivergreenway is a trail system with 12½ miles of completed paved trails along the city's meandering rivers and links to other regional trail systems.

Each of the Rivergreenway trails marks mileage with granite mile markers on each side of the trail. Miles are measured from the rivers' confluence downtown. Quarter-miles also are marked by pavement lines on most of the trails.

Rivergreenway makes Fort Wayne sound like a great place to run and train. But, like our area, Fort Wayne has been locked in the grip of winter's icy blast for weeks. Last weekend found Rivergreenway trails windblown and slick with ice.

Although trails are plowed and kept open year round, low lying areas are prone to flooding in early spring.

Fort Wayne's trails link several historic sites, schools and recreational parks in the area. Swinney Park and Johnny Appleseed Park are popular locations for runners.

All runners are invited to join certified personal trainer Tammy Behrens or members of Fort Wayne Track Club at 8 a.m. on Saturdays for open group runs. Groups break up according to pace and include walkers, beginners and experienced runners who cover up to 10 miles or more.

Fort Wayne boasts an active running club in the Fort Wayne Track Club, an Road Runners Clubs of America affiliate. The club sponsors several events throughout the year, including the 30th annual Nutri Run 20K and 5K at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Nutri Run race director Jeff Metzger expects 150 participants for this year's event.

The course is pancake flat, but weather can be a factor. Although temperatures typically range between 40 and 60 degrees, wind can be intense for the run across the plains.

For information about the running scene in Fort Wayne, visit Fort Wayne Track Club's website at www.fwtc.org.

For information and printable maps of Rivergreenway, visit www.fortwayneparks.org.

If you'd like to make Nutri Run 20K and 5K your destination race for spring, call Jeff Metzger at 260-436-5632.

<B>Saturday, 8 a.m.:</B> Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. Your choice of pace and distance. Ed's got the coffee on for you. 724-898-2525 or www.runpa.com<B>Saturday, 9 a.m.: </B>St. Malachi Run, Cleveland. Run 5 miles or 2 miles. 216-623-9933Sunday, 10 a.m.: Larry Winschel St. Paddy's Day Run, South Park. Run 4.2 miles, 2 miles or walk 1 mile with Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club. 412-833-0850Sunday, noon: Shamrock 15K Run, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Also 5k run. 330-633-5667March 18, 2 p.m.: Grafton 5- Mile Run, Grafton, W. Va., classic for 32 years, new loop course about 4½ miles long. 304-265-5575March 24, 9 a.m.: American Lung Association Climb Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Ascend 1,080 steps of One Oxford Centre. 724-933-6180, Ext. 2 or lflister@lunginfo.orgMarch 24, 9 a.m.: University of Pittsburgh Campus Classic 5K or 3K, Pittsburgh. Starts at Cathedral of Learning, benefits University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. pittcampusclassic@gmail.comMarch 25, 1 p.m.: Ken Brumbaugh Memorial 5-Mile Race, Altoona. Also a 2 mile race. 814-695-4467 or laurandt@hollidaysburgareaymca.orgMarch 31, 8:30 a.m.: Just a Short Run, North Park. Choice of half marathon, 30K, 5K or half marathon relay. 412-490-0881 or www.justashortrun.netMarch 31, 11 a.m.: Cook Forest Half Marathon, Cook Forest State Park. Scenic out-and- back 13.1 miles or 5K. 814-393-2081 or www.clariontrack.com

<B>Spring Thaw 10-Mile, Feb. 24:</B> Charlie Ban, 1st Overall M, 55:48; Mindy Sawtelle, 1st Overall W, 1:04:07; Herb Cratty, 1st Masters M, 59:16; Ryan Barlow, 1st 16-19 M, 1:02:53; Matt Montellanico, 2nd 16-19 M, 1:03:52; Mark Hunkele, 3rd 35-39 M, 1:04:07; Mark Courtney, 1st 50-54 M, 1:05:44; Scott Pearson, 3rd 40-44 M, 1:08:23; Leslie Kramer, 1st 25-29 W, 1:10:44; Meredith Hubbard, 3rd 20-24 W, 1:11:16; Juliet Smith, 3rd 16-19 W, 1:11:36; Curt Grimm, 2nd 55-59 M, 1:12:26; Cindy Grimm, 1st 55-59 W, 1:14:49; Sharyl Relic, 2nd 45-49 W, 1:21:32;Matt Manna, 1:05:02; Jeff Lynn, 1:10:31; Mitch Radella, 1:11:39; John Miller, 1:13:46; John Limbacher, 1:16:05; Cliff Thornberry, 1:18:42; Todd Ashbaugh, 1:20:29; Mark Blasinsky, 1:22:58; Mark Kay, 1:27:48; Stacy Juchno, 1:28:21: Janine Marcoux, 1:28:32: Darryl Brandon, 1:28:58; Ron Hartle, 1:29:12; Michael Winterhalter, 1:31:01; Michael Esham, 1:31:02; Stephanie Verdecchia, 1:31:06Rick Fairbend, 1:32:09; Chris Cutone, 1:32:20; Marianne Badaczewski, 1:32:24; Mary Morgan, 1:35:48; Jacki Yingling, 1:36:58; Jeff Yingling, 1:36:58; Thomas Murray, 1:37:56; Becki Smith, 1:38:29; Cyndie DeLucia, 1:38:31; Brandee Rentz, 1:41:20; Dana Longwell, 1:45:03; Michelle Minjock, 1:45:04; Denise Cervenyak, 1:45:34; Pamela Norton, 1:56:17<B>Spring Thaw 20-Mile, Feb. 24:</B> Gregory Byrnes, 1st Overall M, 2:03:49; Mindy Sawtelle, 1st Overall W, 2:18:54; Leslie Kramer, 2nd Overall W, 2:21:26; Mark Hunkele, 2:14:24; Mitch Radella, 2:29:33; Cindy Grimm, 2:40:07; Becki Smith, 3:22:28Send comments and suggestions to: 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, Pa. 16056. Phone or fax: 724-352-4395. Email: bigp16@connecttime.net