In my column in today’s Roanoke Times — remember, my columns now run Fridays; my Outdoors page Sundays on the back of the Business (Sunday Ticker) section — I had a little fun with this new wave of zany fun runs, such as the Warrior Dash, Spartan Race and Muddy Buddy.

One of the newest is the Great Bull Run, which is supposed to capture the excitement of actual bull runs. Except the race organizers assure us the bulls aren’t aggressive. When a PR rep called to pitch me the story she made sure to mention that, to which I replied, “What fun is that?” Total silence. It was pretty funny.

Anyway, in the column I pitch some ideas for some races that might be exciting AND dangerous. I’d love to hear other suggestions — just make sure the suggestions meet our submission criteria. (Several of my ideas that didn’t make the column certainly WOULDN’T!)

My assignment this morning was pretty good.

First, as part of my ongoing coverage of the Blue Ridge Marathon, I got to connect with Bart Yasso (far right), who was leading a casual shake-out run (below) for runners this morning on the Roanoke River Greenway. Yasso is the Chief Running Officer (awesome title, huh?) for Runner’s World Magazine.

After the run it was time for breakfast, where we were joined by Frank Shorter (far left) and Bill Rodgers.

Shorter won the gold in the marathon at the 1972 Olympics and silver four years later in Montreal. The guy who beat him in Montreal was an East German later implicated in doping. In other words, Shorter is, for all intents and purposes, a double gold winner. As it is, he’s the only American man to win Olympic medals in two marathons.

Rodgers, among many honors, won the Boston and New York marathons a combined six times.  In 1978 he won 27 of his 30 races, including both Boston and New York.

Race co-chair John Carlin then took three, who will be participating in a relay as part of the Run with the Legends contest put on by race sponsor Foot Levelers, on a tour of some of the course.

Roanoke Photographer Kyle Green and I got to tag along. It was a blast.  Shorter was pretty quiet, but Yasso and Rodgers were a hoot. I am actually writing a story about them for tomorrow’s Roanoke Times and hope to capture some of the hilarious back and forth.

Anyway, I tried to play it cool but when Kyle said, “Get in there for a picture with those guys,” I couldn’t help myself.

I was supposed to be out of town this weekend but bailed out of that commitment because I didn’t want to miss covering tomorrow’s event. I wasn’t planning to run but after Monday’s bombings in Boston I broke down and entered the half marathon. I wanted not just be on the outside looking in, but also part of things tomorrow.

I think it is going to be an amazing day.

Today’s Outdoors page in The Roanoke Times featured a listing up upcoming races in the region. There was a long list of running races, and a not-so-long one featuring bike races, triathlons and the like.

This was not a complete list. I had sought input, but some race organizers who didn’t see my calls for submissions missed out. At least on this list. I run events listings in notes columns, the weekly outdoors calendar and the like.

Speaking of running, in an earlier post, hard core endurance athlete and hunter Brandon Lindsey made a comment about Wild Lifers getting together for a post-race photo after the Blue Ridge Marathon, which Lindsey is tackling again this year. I know Ralph Barton has done the half before, as has Steve Stone. I don’t know about Ralph, but I’m pretty sure Steve is running because I’ve passed him in training a few times out there on the road this winter.

Anyone else?

I’ll help Brandon coordinate a post-race photo and be happy to post it here. Unfortunately, I won’t be in it. Nor will I be able to take the shot.  I wasn’t planning to run this year as last year’s half really trashed my legs (the downhill; not the uphill) and, while I love the race, I was worried about that happening again.  I can’t afford that as I train for that July Ironman I’m committed to.

Anyway, as it turns out, some Roanoke Times-related travel  came up and I won’t even be in town. That’s a bummer as I love covering the event.

Even if you’re not tackling the Blue Ridge half or full, take a look at the list and sign up for an event or two (such as the fun Run with Grace, pictured here).Training for a race is a great way to get in shape for hunting season, which will be here before we know it.

You guys know how much I love cougars.

I spotted this one this morning in Missoula, Montana. At the airport.

I’m here for a couple days for business with the Outdoor Writers Association of America, which has its office here.

I know airports are typically rated in terms of traits such as navigability, efficiency, services, cleanliness and whether or not they offer free Wi-Fi.

I think they also should be rated in terms of the number of stuffed animals on the walls. Were they, Missoula’s quaint little airport would be at the top of the heap. Many, many, many animals on the wall here. Definitely not PETA-friendly.

I’m hearing reports that the Bitteroot River is offering some good fishing, but no outdoors rec for me on this visit. I actually probably could have gotten some in yesterday as I got stranded in Salt Lake City. There is skiing just 30 minutes out of town and I probably could have put together a half-day trip if I had the gumption and a couple extra hundred bucks. I had neither so I ran from my motel  through a fairly scary neighborhood near the airport to downtown where I took a break for a walk around the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints compound, which is pretty amazing.

So though I’m not going to be getting outdoors here this time, I will be coming back. Elk hunting in September! Just applied for tags! Details to come!

The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is participating in the Governor’s Regulatory Reform Initiative.

Here are the basics, from the DGIF website:

“The Governor of Virginia has directed that the Commonwealth’s regulations be reviewed for possible improvements. This site solicits your suggestions pertaining to Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF)-administered regulations currently governing

-fishing
-wildlife diversity (wildlife species that are not hunted or fished)
-boating

…that would help to achieve the following results:

Repeal regulations that are unnecessary or no longer in use; and
Reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on individuals, businesses, and other regulated groups.”

Hunting and trapping aren’t  included above because they are already being reviewed as part of the DGIF’s bi-annual regulations review process. So, suggestions are welcome on hunting and trapping, too.

The DGIF website page on the issue includes information on how to submit suggestions.

I’d like to write a column about this process to better get the word out about this. I’d like to include examples of regulations that Virginia’s hunters, anglers, boaters and other outdoors enthusiasts would like to see addressed. (Though Sunday hunting is a legislative issue, I don’t suppose it could hurt to include it in your comments.)

I will be disappointed if frequent contributor Walt doesn’t quickly chime in because I know he’s got at least one beef with the current deer hunting rules!

I’ll start: Current regs don’t allow me to take a “conventional” firearm with me when I am muzzleloader hunting for deer. I’d like someone to explain to me why I shouldn’t be able to take a shotgun with me when the muzzleloader deer and firearms turkey seasons overlap. (It would actually be me taking a muzzleloader with me while turkey hunting, but you get the drift.)  I don’t want to shoot a turkey with a muzzleloader, and it’s not like the shotgun is going to give me some kind of advantage in deer hunting. It seems any concern about using buckshot or a slug shotgun can be addressed by rules regarding shot size, etc.

In addition to Walt I’d like to hear from readers about what regs you’d like to see addressed.

The Harrisburg outdoor show may be kaput, but there are still plenty of outdoor expos out there this winter.

The Roanoke Civic Center hosts one this weekend. Virginia Hunfest starts today and runs through Sunday. It’s a pretty modest show, with just over 50 exhibitors — including Brian “Pigman” Quaca –  according to a list on the show’s Website.

I plan to head over shortly to check it out.

Also on the Horizon is the 26th annual Western Virginia Sport Show in Fishersville. It will be Feb. 22-24.

The Greater Virginia Sports and Outdoors Show, which ran for a few years at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, is not taking place this year.

As noted in a comment to the previous blog post, Reed Exhibitions has just updated its web site with a statement (which you can read HERE) noting that it has postponed this year’s show.

As I wrote yesterday, Reed took a political stance. And when you do that, the price can be substantial.

In his comment announcing the move, reader RP wrote: “What a shame for the businesses & economy of Central PA.” He added more context in his follow-up comment.

This show’s economic impact was wide and deep, and went well beyond the vendors. It will be interesting to continue following the aftermath.

I apologize for the delay in reporting from the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas. It’s been all work and no play since I hit the ground. Well, maybe a little play, but no gambling.

I had OWAA-related business until about 2 p.m. yesterday, then finally got to hit the floor. Trying to describe the SHOT Show in writing is kind of like trying to describe the Grand Canyon. Words just can’t do it justice. I tell people to imagine the biggest Bass Pro Shops, then multiply the size by 50. And then add a crowd that makes Black Friday look child’s play. This is not a good place if you have claustrophobia or agoraphobia.

I hit just a few vendors yesterday. Today is the busy day.

Last night I attended the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s State of the Industry dinner, where Elvis on stilts hung out during the reception. It wasn’t all “They are coming for our guns!” fire and brimstone. NSSF president Steve Sanetti had a super speech during which he addressed the challenges ahead as our country’s leaders seek to address gun ownership. The concern is that there is a lot of fear and misunderstanding about guns among non-gun owners and politicians, and that media coverage doesn’t exactly help.

There is no way I can capture everything he said in this brief entry. The summary is that the gun industry supports meaningful and sensible rules that keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them while those of us who own and use firearms responsibly shouldn’t be penalized. I feel the same way, of course.

All for now. Off to the show.

My wife’s stepmom, Faye Whelchel, never tired of this view from her patio over Lake Blackshear in Georgia. Faye was laid to rest on Wednesday.

Since Dec. 29 I have put 2,700 miles on the Taylor Family Truckster.

Our first trip involved a trip to Jacksonville, Fla., for the Gator Bowl to watch my alma mater, Northwestern, beat Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl.

The trip included a stop in Sumter, S.C., to visit relatives, as well as a swing through Cordele, Ga., and Atlanta for more family visiting, including a stop to visit with my wife’s stepmom, Faye Whelchel, in a nursing home.

Well, after two days back in Roanoke we were back on the road Monday and headed to Cordele again, this time to lay to rest Faye, who is in a better place since suffering a stroke in 2011. She was a tremendous fighter. The funeral was Wednesday, and we made the long drive back yesterday. The occasion was sad, but it was good to spend the time with loved ones.

This stop in Roanoke will be brief. Sunday I head out to the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Las Vegas for work.

As I’ve mentioned here previously, I’m the president of the Outdoor Writers Association of America this year. One of my duties is to select the site of our winter board meeting. I feel it’s important for our leaders to spend time networking with other industry professionals so I opted to have our meeting in conjunction with the SHOT Show.

While I will be stuck in a meeting room for a good part of the stay I will get some time at the show. It’s always interesting and this year will be particularly so given the current national focus on firearms.

I will be providing regular dispatches during the trip.

Sorry for not being more active with the blog for the past couple of weeks, and thanks for understanding my circumstances.