... a word I coined several years ago when I devised the symbol (a variation of "emoticon" and short for "identification icon").

The symbol itself is intended to represent a runner. You do it the same way you would an emoticon; that is, look at it sideways, squint a little and use some imagination, and you can see the runner's head, arms flying, short body and feet running -- sorta like they do in cartoons.

Running is my other avocation and lifetime form of fitness recreation. I started running seriously in 1959, when I entered my high school's intramural cross-country race shortly after my freshman football season ended. I won the race and was immediately recruited by the track coach. End of football career (probably just as well, since I stopped growing at 5'6"). Over the years, I have run races at distances ranging from 180 yards (low hurdles in high school) to 75 miles (ultramarathon track race). Though I haven't raced since 1996, I still run for fitness, though not as much as I'd like or should.

----- jim o\-S