RALEIGH - We see them. We stare in wonder from our air-conditioned cars as they cheerily chug down the sidewalk on a summer day hot enough to melt underwear, or watch in awe as they forge ahead like animated icicles on frosty winter mornings.

Who are these people? And where are they running off to?

Chances are, some are members of the N.C. Roadrunners Club, and they run, speed-walk, and in some instances shuffle for the sheer joy of it.

"People are always asking me, 'Did I see you running on Duraleigh Road the other day?' " said Teri Saylor, a club member and spokesperson.

There are several running clubs in the Triangle, but the NCRC is the largest and is one of the biggest in the Southeast, said club president Mike Walsh. It was born in 1979 inside Hackney Sporting Goods in Raleigh.

"I'm told about a dozen people were the founding members," Walsh said.

The club has grown to more than 700 members from all walks of life. Seven members are past the age of 70, including Iris Vinegar, who finished the New York Marathon last fall at age 80. Kids who have just started to walk are also counted as members through the club's family membership program, Walsh said.

With most members 30 to 50 years old, nix any images you may have of svelte athletes with buff, Olympic-style bods. Club members happily run around in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life. Most of the huffers and puffers live in the Triangle and the eastern part of the state. In addition to running together over hill and dale, along sidewalks and down winding country roads, members swap running tales and travel to races together.

Saylor readily acknowledged running's health benefits and the sense of accomplishment after running long distances. But she also noted social benefits.

"I have made a lot of friends through running," Saylor said. "You form really strong bonds after running with someone for three or four hours."

When the members aren't running around together, they slow down for quarterly club meetings that normally feature a guest speaker. Other gatherings include dinners, cookouts and social runs.

Membership in the club also has its privileges. Members receive a bimonthly newsletter, "The Running Account," discounts from some area sporting goods shops and firsthand information about the best Triangle running spots.

"It's a healthy way to get out and breath fresh air," Saylor said. "With the weather warming up, it's a great thing to do outside."