In what seems like a never-ending winter, high school athletes finally got a chance to get outside and compete at the Austin Invitational Saturday.

Seven teams competed under, of all things, blue skies and sun, a stark contrast from the rain and snow plaguing Minnesota this month.

“It’s just been getting old,” said Austin girls track coach Nancy Jones. “It’s been hard keeping the kids pumped up and even for coaches it’s been hard to write out indoor workout schedules.”

While the day was still relatively chilly, with a light breeze, just seeing the sun itself was enough for coaches and athletes alike.

“We’re just glad to see the sun today,” Jones said. “We’re fortunate not to have snow cover.”

Something many teams in the state can’t say as a foot or more of snow covers a lot of places in Minnesota.

“I’ve coached for 20 years and been an athlete for 10 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said.