Sprints in the driving snow. Pole vault in the pouring rain.

The spring sports season isn’t typically the postcard of sunshine and warm weather that blew through Kalispell on Tuesday for the Flathead Time Trials.

Temperatures hovered in the mid-50’s and the wind was calm at Legends Stadium for the meet, which saw more than a dozen kids qualify for the state tournament. A few took advantage of the beautiful early season weather to post marks that rival the best in the state this year.

“This is perfect right here. This is my ideal track meet,” said Bigfork senior Josh Sandry, who cleared 6 feet, 3 inches to win the high jump, an event he won at the Class B state tournament last season. Far from just a jumper, Sandry also competed in four other events at state last season and finished seventh in the 100 on Tuesday.

Perfect weather is far from the norm, however.

The Bigfork Invitational, which will run on Saturday, has been snowed out the last two years. A week later in Columbia Falls, they will hold the Iceberg Invite, aptly named for its often blustery cold conditions. The state tournament, regardless of location, tends to be accompanied with monsoons, blizzards and other meteorological events that don’t belong at the end of May.

The wind is tough for everyone, affecting field events as much as it drags and pulls on runners. The rain and snow can make things hard to see and can hurt at full speed.

While classmates who play softball and tennis have the option of slipping on a coat or sweatshirt in the cold weather, there are four pages of restrictions to the track and field dress code.

Undershirts and tights can be worn, but only if they’re in a solid color. If two or more relay members wear any extra clothing, they have to match.

It’s typically just the thin tank top and shorts protecting athletes from the cold.

“You can usually put a long sleeve (top) on, but sometimes you don’t know (the weather is) coming. Then you’re out there running and, ‘Oh, it’s snowing,’” said Bigfork senior Makena Morley, a multiple state champion who has competed in events in all weather both in Montana and internationally.

“The snow is probably the worst, because it’s cold. I like running in snow but when I have a lot of clothes on. When you’re out here in your tank top, it’s not very fun.”

Troy junior Sean Opland was caught in the weather at last year’s Bigfork Invitational while trying to warm up for the 100-meter dash.

“By the time I got ready, it was snowing,” Opland said. Opland placed in four events at state last season, winning the 400.

“There was two minutes of snow and you couldn’t see the lanes. We were just running through it. I didn’t know if I was in my lane but said I’ll just keep going. It was terrible, the wind was blowing right at you.”

With weather so unpredictable during meets that can take eight hours to finish, the key to staying in top form, especially for athletes running multiple events, is to come prepared.

Sweatshirts, blankets, rain gear, umbrellas and tents are all a part of the kit to help stay warm.

“If it’s raining and you’re getting wet, you have to bring a lot of clothes and rain coats, because you want to stay warm,” Morley said.

“You have to put some sweats on and keep moving all day constantly, it’s pretty tiring,” Sandry said.

Morley said she was caught off guard by a blizzard during state track her freshman year and no longer forgets to come prepared, even if, like Tuesday, things seem bright and sunny.

“Now I bring everything. It’s Montana. You have to pack for a hurricane, you never know.”