box tops for your school. good morning. picking up the good morning, picksing up the pieces, severe storms wreak havoc up and down the east coast, collapsing construction, turning roads into sheets of ice, causing nasty flooding. this morning, dylan has a wrap-up of the damage and a look at what's coming next. taking another swing, new york yankees slugger alex rodriguez vowing to you fight his suspension for the 2014 season, the most reserve punishment for doping in major league baseball history. this morning, what some fans are crying foul. all that glitters is gold.

it's the kickoff of the hollywood awards season with the golden globes. who will be named the best in tv and film and who will they be wearing? we'll peer into our crystal ball as we head to the head carpet today, sunday, january 12, 2014. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and erica hill, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> and i'm lester holt alongside jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer. all is calm and clear here in the new york city area after a night of heavy rains and high winds. and we didn't even see the worst of it. >> no, we didn't. in several other parts of the east coast this morning, people are digging out from these nasty storms. look at this video here. just amazing. that's just part of it. dylan is following it closely. dylan is a little under the weather herself.

>> i think maybe being at 50 below for three days straight might have had something to do with it. boy, did we see wild weather yesterday, damaging winds and torrential rains knocked out power and demolished construction across the southeast. up north, extreme flooding and roads covered in ice. all in all, a storm to remember. what a difference a few days make. following the arctic blast that brought some of the coldest temperatures in 20 years, now it's unseasonably warm temperatures and violent spring-like storms. a massive system stretching from maine to georgia marching its way across the east coast saturday. tornado warnings popping up across southern states. >> oh, no, look at that! >> reporter: the damaging winds demolishing these houses being built in raleigh and ripping down trees and branches like twigs. torrential rain turning some of atlanta streets into rivers. thick fog blanketing the mid-atlantic. but perhaps some of the most damaging weather was the freezing rain that turned northeast roads into sheets of ice. cars helpless.

in connecticut, this man's car slid off the road, flipped and landed upside down in a reservoir. >> when i started seeing the water come in, you're going to die or maybe. i was just glad it was cold and the lake was frozen. >> reporter: five people were hurt when a jackknifed tractor-trailer caused a chain-reaction crash involving some 70 cars in maine. and a slippery race track in jersey sent this starting gate car plowing into the horses. several drivers were sent to the hospital, but the horses, remarkably, escaped injury. hard video to look at there. but yes, we are seeing an end to the severe weather. this cold front is moving to the east. it's all clear right now across parts of the gulf coast states. we will see that change today. here we have a cold front. not that much to it now. it's back through the rockies and will move to the south and east. that's going to be the area where we're going to see stronger storms redevelop, especially by tomorrow across the gulf coast states.

you see about three to four inches, especially in new orleans and thunderstorms are likely. we're not going to see the severe threat of storms that we saw yesterday. we could certainly see those strong damaging winds producing some damage possible across the gulf coast. but this will slowly spread to the northeast and east. we will start to see some improvements. but for today, all is clear. anything we need to clear up, we can do so today. it's getting much more frustrating for residents in charleston, west virginia, and the surrounding areas today. hundreds of thousands of them are now in their fourth day without tap water because of a chemical spill. officials say it could be days before clean water is flowing again. luke russert is in charleston with the very latest on the story for us. luke, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lester. since thursday, nearly 800 calls to the west virginia poison control center have been caused by the leak. this as it stretches into the new workweek.

four days later, hundreds of thousands of west virginians have no access to safe tap water. it remains unclear when life will return to normal. >> we have employees that have worked the system, that are extremely knowledgeable of this system, are out collecting samples and looking at flushing activities at this time. but we're talking days. >> reporter: the chemical leak is causing great hardships. at hospitals, elective surgeries have been canceled and water is being brought in for any lifesaving procedures. for moms with infants, it means getting by however you can. >> you do what you got to do when you've got a 9-month-old baby at the house. >> reporter: ordinary tasks like bathing take on a new degree of difficulty. >> it's not fun trying to bathe the baby out of a dish pan. >> reporter: also feeling the pinch, the local economy. the leak has closed many businesses since thursday, which means missed shifts and lost revenue. >> 96% of our economy in west virginia is made up of small businesses.

and they small businesses hurting. >> reporter: one of the few restaurants open, the adelphia sports bar, sat half-empty on what would be a busy day of playoff football. >> this place is usually bustling with a lot of people, a lot of food going out. not today. our employees want to work. >> reporter: patrons found distraction on a limited menu of drinks and chips. >> we can hold up. we're mountaineers. >> reporter: a lot of questions have arisen of just how safe the storage facility was where the chemical leaked from. tomorrow, a team will arrive from washington to determine just how safe that tank was and what can be done to prevent further accidents in the future. lester? >> all right, luke, thanks for the update. this morning, new york yankees slugger alex rodriguez and his legal team is vowing to fight the most severe punishment in major league baseball

history. he's been sidelined for the upcoming entire season. kristen dahlgren has the details. >> good morning. this begs the question on a lot of people's minds, will alex rodriguez ever play again? as you mentioned, he says he'll fight on in the court system. but experts say the odds really are stacked against him. the suspension severe, 162 games plus the postseason, taking 38-year-old alex rodriguez out of yankee pinstripes for all of 2014, and some speculate, possibly forever. >> this is unprecedented discipline by major league baseball, not just in the steroids world or performance-enhancing drugs world, but really with respect to anything that any player has ever done on a major league baseball field or off it. >> reporter: rodriguez vowed to fight the ruling in federal court, saying in a statement, "the deck has been stacked against me from day one. i have been cleared that i did not use performance-enhancing substances as alleged. no player should have to go through what i've been dealing

with." the yankees say they respect the arbitration panel's decision. rodriguez played just 44 games last season, clashed publically with the yankees front office, handed a 211-game suspension in august by commissioner bud selig for his role in a sweeping doping investigation, despite never failing a test. the penalty was reduced on saturday, still the longest such punishment ever levied. >> the fact that he obstructed their investigation, in some ways blocked their path to finding all the truth in this whole matter, i think that's really what bud selig went after. >> for 20 years, rodriguez dominated baseball's lucrative and hot spotlight. >> number 500 for alex rodriguez! >> reporter: he cracked home runs with ease, dated stars, made for than $350 million. but controversies have tarnished his image and cost him huge, $25 million this upcoming season which has some fans crying foul.

>> i think it's ridiculous. i think he's being used as a scapegoat. >> it's a sad day, because i'm a yankee fan, i've been a yankee fan, i'm an a-rod fan. >> now, a-rod's attorney is expected to seek that injunction in federal court on monday. the last one challenged in the courts was in 1976. erica, that one was unsuccessful. 1976. erica, that one was unsuccessful. new jersey governor chris christie remains out of sight today as questions still swirl about his political future amid the george washington bridge scandal. david gregory is moderator of "meet the press." good to see you. >> good morning, lester. >> if it turns out he's telling the truth here ands had no knowledge of this, does this become a problem as we look toward 2016 or will it be distant memory by then? >> it's difficult to gauge this far out. what i think still continues is a leadership question, a culture question. these are not people who are lower level aides, these are people he's known a long time, been with him a long time who

were responsible for it. this e-mail chain suggests they were covering up what they were actually doing. it raises questions about how this operation springs up underneath his feet, if nothing else. >> does it also serve almost as a shot across his bow that if you want to run for president, it's going to be rough going. >> no question about it. it's something else. a lot of people think it's ideology that will be a problem for him. is he conservative enough? it does come down to persona, that loud volume persona that has attracted so much support to christie because people find him refreshing. does it also cut against him with his image of being a bully or somebody whose operation is responsible for petty politics. that could dog him as well. the question is how is that going to play outside of new jersey where let's remember he was overwhelmingly reelect sgld this story has overshadowed the release of bob gates', former defense secretary's new book. he was a holdover from the bush administration.

he's come out with his book, a bit critical of the obama administration, in particular the afghanistan war. how damaging is it for the president to have someone he kept from previous administration? >> i think it is damaging. there's questions about the president's leadership in foreign affairs, national security affairs. what i think in my own reading of the book is that gates is really critical of how political the obama white house was, how political considerations loomed so large in the debate over afghanistan, whether to send more troops. but he's also highly complimentary of this president for overriding a lot of political concerns and ultimately surging up forces. it's a pretty nuanced view even where he's pretty critical. >> we'll check with you in a bit on what's coming up on "meet the press." jenna has the upcoming stories. >> good morning everyone. two deadly car bombs evenings ploeded in bagdad today in the latest wave of violence in iraq.

at least 13 people were killed, more than 20 wounded. there was no immediate claim of responsibility. more than 70 people have died in sectarian violence in iraq over the past two weeks. thousands of israelis are paying respects to former israeli prime minister aerial sharon today. his body remains in state in jerusalem. sharon died saturday after eight days in a coma. >> tomorrow, vice president joe biden will lead a u.s. delegation to sharon's memorial service. an update on a story we told you about yesterday. it was about the dallas hunting club getting death threats over a permit to shoot an endangered african rhino. the permit sold for $350,000. money the club says will help conserve the rhinos. janet shamlian explains. >> it's i think a message that this animal is worth more rare and dead than alive with healthy populations. that's not conservation.

>> reporter: the winner whose name was not released bid a record $350,000 with all proceeds going to a nah mibian conservation fund. the auction was full of exhibits like these angered some to the point of death threats against club members which prompted tightened security and the fbi getting involved. >> i've had threats on my life, my family's life. our members have been e-mailed, they've threatened our members. >> reporter: with fewer than 5,000 black rhinos in the wild, opponents say there's no valid reason to kill one, those the u.s. wildlife service okayed the permit. for today, janet shamlian, nbc news, houston. three weeks later there was christmas in space. a supply shipped off at the international space station loaded with necessary supplies and also the astronaut's

christmas presents from home. the shipment was delayed because of last month's emergency repairs. how did we know christmas presents were a little late? one of the gifts was a cabbage patch kid. that went over as well as i wrote it. >> it got a chuckle. >> if you didn't get a chance to watch both nfl play-off games yesterday but still want to impress your friends with knowledge, here is said knowledge. the new england patriots advance to their third straight championship game with the win over the colts last night 43-22. how about la gear plunk scored four touchdowns for new england. he was kind of the man. in the earlier games the seahawks beat the saints 23-15. i'm so sorry hoda kotb. they kind of seemed like blowout games unless you're fans of the teams that won. then they were fantastic games. >> dylan is very happy.

>> i am. erica and i had a little thing going. >> somehow i got roped into it. it was really between you and my husband who is a colts fan. >> he's not here to put on the patriots shirt. it's all over twitter if you're looking for something to do. we are going to see a big storm system in the' addle area. it was pouring yesterday. now all the watches and warnings are starting to move eastward into the rockies. we even had blizzard warnings in areas where visibility is extremely poor because of heavy snow and blowing wind. we are going to see this whole storm system continue to move eastward but not before it dumps perhaps one to three inches of rain in seattle. looking at nine inches plus in the higher elevations. moving east a widespread six to nine inches in the lighter blue. also as we look west of denver. some areas could end up with 12 to 18 inches of snow with this storm system over the next 24 hours. it's back behind this cold front

which is going to start to cool temperatures down. we should be nice and mild in the 40s today in minneapolis. but it drops into not much fog right now around the bay bridge but in other parts of the area we're seeing pretty thick fog in spots. you're seeing it in napa and livermore. visibility is down at times in the tri-valley, less than a mile for the morning. throughout the afternoon we'll see the low clouds clear as north winds help to clear out our skies. highs around san jose in the low 60s. 58 near san francisco. mid-60s today in santa rosa, then climbing into the 70s as winds turn offshore for the first half of the week. dry weather continues. that's your latest forecast. lester? >> up next on "today," a family dealing with the loss of their 12-year-old daughter finds comfort and inspiration in a letter the girl wrote to her future self. we'll explain in that remarkable story after this. [announcer] welcome to the all-new intuit quickbooks.

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tennessee, are struggling with grief. before their daughter taylor succumbed suddenly to pneumonia, the precocious 12-year-old did something remarkable. >> she had written a letter to herself and she would open it when she was older. >> reporter: they found it in a sealed envelope, intended to be opened ten years later. it was little girl's two-page time capsule list to herself, a thoughtful list of hopes and goals that the smiths decided to share by social media. how's life she begins to her older self, life is pretty simple ten years in her past. she instructs herself to go to college, maybe become a lawyer, stay close to her family and her church and closes with words her parents could almost hear her saying. >> it's been ten years since i wrote this stuff. stuff has happened, good and bad. that's just how life works and you have to go with it. >> reporter: the response to taylor's letter in e-mails and comments has been emotional and nearly overwhelming.

>> letters from lots of parents who said just it has encouraged them to love their kids and love each other. >> reporter: grieving parents who are proud of their daughter, of course. >> i want the world to know what an awesome, awesome person she was. >> reporter: and generous enough to share the gift she left them. >> i can't physically resurrect her, i can't bring her back, but i'm so grateful that people have been inspired by her story. >> reporter: taylor left an older brother behind as well as her parents. along with ood meyerers worldwide, moved by the story of her short but meaningful life. for "today," mike taibbi, nbc news. >> an incredible little girl. >> i don't know what to say. so touching. we'll be back right after this. [woman]ask me... [announcer]...if you think the best bed for one of you might be a compromise for the other one... [woman]ask me about our tempur-pedic. [announcer] they're sleeping on the newest tempur-pedic bed...

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the golden globes are tonight right here on nbc. we have a lot of people talking online. >> jenna is in the orange room with more on that. >> hey, guys, missed the joke obviously. i'll get it in a second. the internet is abuzz in anticipation for tonight's golden globes. the biggest trend appears to be what the hosts, tina fey and amy polar, we know they'll be funny but they have vowed not to be mean which for some is a welcome message for tonight's nominees. what do you think? >> that's the beauty of them, they're not mean. they're funny. it doesn't have to be hurtful. >> i'm with you. >> i think they're terrific. >> i think they're just awesome, period. there you go. >> we will have a lot more of the golden globes in the next half hour. plus the four of us will reveal the special cause we're dedicating our efforts to as part of

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me, too! lisa, did i tell you... [ male announcer ] discover all these great progresso light varieties available at walmart. good morning to you. looking live from our emeryville camera at san francisco this morning, and if it feels a little dewier outside, well, that's what i think any way. i'm kris sanchez. rob mayeda is here with the forecast. >> i like that. we're close to the dew point so we have some patchy fog some spots. visibility has dropped to about a half mile in napa and close to a third of a mile in livermore so your 580/680 commute heading toward the sunol grade you'll run into thick fog that we're seeing some spots. high clouds moving over the bay area but the ones that have

brought the light rain have moved on. we'll see temperatures today in the south bay in the low 60s. upper 50s to near 60 closer to san francisco. mid-60s today in santa rosa. then as high pressure builds in, closer to 70 as we start the workweek. we'll also have to watch out for gusty dry winds in the hills picking up later on this evening. we begin with a developing story in the south bay. san jose fire responded to a small exterior fire this morning at a home on the 4100 block of rosenbaum avenue near capitol expressway. this is the same area that has been targeted by an alleged arsonist in recent days. that fire was quickly put out and caused minimal damage. the san jose fire department is urging people to be on high alert following a string of fires, including one that happened yesterday morning as well. investigators believe most of the fires were set on purpose. the fires have all been set on the exterior of the buildings and all have been moving very

fast, putting both residents and firefighters at risk. a $10,000 reward is now up for grabs for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for starting these fires. a sketch of the person of interest has also been released. he's described as a white or hispanic man, 25 to 40 years old. six feet to 6'2" weighing approximately 160 to 180 pounds with dark medium length hair and wearing distinctive large frame glasses. san francisco police say an off-duty female officer shot at another person after a fight following a minor accident this morning in san francisco's bayview neighborhood. the officer was involved in a minor crash on 280 and pulled off the freeway with the other car just after midnight. officers say the two cars stopped in the area of jerrold avenue and bay shore boulevard. both parties got out of their cars and began to fight.

the officer shot her gun, hitting the person in the lower body. those wounds are not considered life-threatening, but the officer will be placed on paid administrative leave during this investigation. coming up at 7:00 right here on "today in the bay" sochi dreams. a 15-year-old from the south bay looking for a spot on the olympic team. we talk with the bay area native and gold medalist christey am gu -- who called it lights out. ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit hungry ♪ ♪ and there's nothing good for me around ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit tired ♪ ♪ of craving something that i can't have ♪ ♪ turn around, barbara ♪ forever i've been praying for a snack in my life ♪ ♪ and now i have a brownie ending all of my strife ♪ ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪

♪ it's my birthday anld' celebrating it at the plaza. >> left my friends to freeze at the "today" show. >> second time is the charm to be at the "today" show. >> i love the "today" show! we're back on a sunday morning, january 12, 2014, taking a look at some of the pictures there of our fabulous crowd out on the plaza. you're probably wondering why we were throwing the football around the studio. i don't really have a good explanation. >> it's okay. we can let them in on a secret. that's how we warm up in the morning. we throw a few passes. the goal is to never hit a light

because that would be bad. hi to all the folks waving outside. we were talking football, and they're waving at us. i'm lester holt alongside erica hill, jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer. >> we have a lot coming up but we want to get you caught up on the morning's top headlines. residents along the east coast picking up the pieces following a massive storm system which stretched from maine to georgia. now there is more wet weather headed to the southeast. >> some 300,000 residents in and around charleston, west virginia, the fourth day without tap water all because of a chemical spill. officials safe it could be days before uncon tam nated water begins following again. new york yankees slugger alex records vowing to appeal the most severe punishment in baseball history, suspended for the 2014 season and the postseason. what's still to come, which u.s. figure skaters are headed to sochi, the marquis sport of

the olympics. anticipation is high as the women's an men's teams are named today. we are adopting a sit stay. all part of the today's show shine a line initiative. all four of us are teaming up to work on the project together. we'll share the details and tell you how you can help us choose our sut stay. you walk into a sporting good store and there are so many different kinds of sneakers, you don't know what to try on first. some of them can be awfully pricey. we'll have advice on how to pick the perfect affordable pair of sneakers for you. >> looking forward to that. before we get to it, though, if you watch tv, if you wav movies, if you want to talk to anybody to know what's going on in the world, you need to tune in for the 71st annual golden globes, the who's who of hollywood coming together for the biggest party of the year. helping to count us down is e news alicia quarrels who is live from the red carpet. good morning. >> good morning, guys.

miss you in new york, but happy to be in warm l.a. from the small screen to the big screen, everyone is expected to walk this red carpet. it might be quiet right now, but in just a few hours, the 71st annual golden globes is going to be stacked with star power. the golden globes, hollywood's biggest party and a trail blazer for all the award shows that follow. >> the golden globes sets the tone for the rest of the awards season and it's the most fun. >> reporter: it's a chance for your favorite stars to let their hair down a little. >> i beat meryl. >> only at the golden globes do the beautiful people of film rub shoulders with the rat faced people of television. >> reporter: despite the jokes, this is serious business. "12 years a slave" looegs leads

the pack with seven nominations. >> i survived. i will not fall into despair. >> reporter: it's one of the most transformative experiences i've ever had in a movie theater. >> reporter: it faces tough competition from sci-fi thriller "gravity." >> i'm spinning. can't breathe. >> "gravity" was out of this world. new technology to make it a reality. the hollywood foreign press may award them with best director. >> reporter: "american hustle" also has seven nominations t. winner for best comedy or musical is anybody's guess. >> you've got "wolf of wall street" and "nebraska." it won't go to "w068 of wall street." too many f bombs. over 500? no. >> reporter: for "breaking bad" which ended the highly acclaimed run last year, it's their last

chance to win a golden globe. >> say my name. >> i think they may actually win, not for this year alone but for the entire body of work. >> reporter: the big winners remain a mystery, one thing is for sure. >> you can count on a lot of laughs. amy poehler and tina fey will kill. i cannot wait. of course, i've got my own predictions. i'm thinking for best drama, probably "gravity." they love sandra bulluck and george clooney. for best comedy, i think it will go to "american hustle." it's all about the fashion. i can't wait to see what cate blanchett, george clooney, meryl streep, julia roberts will be wearing. lester, are you excited for the fashion? >> i'm always excited about what kind of black tie the guys will be wearing. nobody else around you, you'll have the best position tonight. >> nice and early, lester. >> alicia, good to see you.

nbc will have complete coverage tonight of the golden globes starting with a red carpet arrival special. hosted by matt, savannah, carson and tamron. tonight a full wrap-up of let's head outside to dylan for a check of the weather. dylan? >> a nice big birthday here. how old are you turning? >> 11. >> you got the lights on the poster board. where are you from? >> boca raton. >> i've got to pull out this. this is full-on science fair poster board. is there a lot to this poster? >> there is kind of a lot to it. >> i got to study up. i'll get to that in a second. we'll looking at nice weather, speaking of the golden globes out in l.a., lots of sunshine. temperatures are pretty mild, too. we'll see pretty nice temperatures across most of the country, above average for most, finally. hard to find a whole lot of

temperatures below freezing, which is always a good sign. we have a cold front moving eastward. that's going to start dropping temperatures and also produce some heavier rain through parts this morning we're seeing some areas of patchy, thick fog. we're seeing it out around napa this morning. visibility down to about a mile, and a mile of visibility or less into livermore, pleasanton and dublin, thick fog for this morning. also high clouds going by so kind of a cloudy tart to the morning. clearing with highs in the low 60s in san jose down towards morgan hill. 59 in palo alto. san francisco upper 50s today, turning breezy in the hilltops later this afternoon. highs today in the mid-60s in santa rosa, then upper 60s to near 70 in the warmer inland locations as we head towards the middle part of the week. to detroit for today's top spot. home of michigan's biggest fishing show. our affiliate, wdiv, local 4. the expo features seminars and demonstrations at a massive

indoor lake and a 5,000-gallon mobile fish tank, easier to catch fish in a mobile fish tank. people can enter to win a fishing trip for four to florida. after all the cold, that probably sounds like a nice deal now, especially if you're in to the whole fishing thing. it all comes together. erica? this morning we continue our countdown to sochi, take a look at the u.s. figure skating championships. quite a night in boston for gracie gold, who took home the gold at the nationals, but just who will go to the winter games? the u.s. figure skating association will name its olympic men's and women's teams later today, but we want to turn to nbc figure skating analyst and olympic gold medalist tara lapinski from boston where she's been watching all the action. good morning. >> good morning. >> a lot of excitement. a lot of surprises even a little bit, especially for the women. what was the biggest surprise to you over the weekend and yesterday? >> last night's competition was so surprising. i didn't know what to think.

to see ashley wagner sitting in fourth place right now, not knowing if she's going to the olympics. and then another surprise was polina edmunds, a little 15-year-old that blew everyone away and ended up in second. >> you mentioned ashley wagner is in fourth place. we don't know if she'll be going to the olympics, but there is a chance. it's not necessarily the top three who are going to make it onto the team. explain to us how that works. >> there's a selection process that will happen today, so everyone is still very nervous. we don't know what's going to happen. they look back over your past year, your accomplishments, what you've done. ashley wagner got the u.s. team three spots to go to the olympics this past worlds. so they take a lot into consideration. >> so, they'll be looking at that. we mentioned three women get to go, but only two men going to sochi. we'll be seeing more of that today. who do you think we're going to see headed to sochi for the mens? >> i don't know. it's so exciting. an olympic year is so different than any other year. everyone is so nervous.

everyone's at the top of their game. jeremy abbott came out in the short program and was incredible. quads, everything you could think of. our defending national champion, not so great, but in the free skate, anything can happen. >> it's amazing to me how i feel every year, it's really every four years, how these spins and jumps just get more and more incredible. some of the stuff you're seeing now, the quads with the men, how often we're seeing them, did you ever think we'd get to that point? >> no, i've never done a quad. to see these men do these jumps, not only are they doing one quad in a program. they're doing three. >> you won gold in '98, let's not forget about that. any picks, any favorites heading in to sochi at this point? >> well, for the ladies, euna kim is incredible, defending olympic champion. she's almost like a robot. she keeps doing these jumps year after year, but she hasn't skated all season. one of her main rivals, mao

asada, who was second at last year's olympics in vancouver, is is skating pretty well. it will be a good competition. tara, nice to have you with us this morning. thanks. nbc will have live coverage of the men's u.s. figure skating championships today. that begins at 3:00 p.m. eastern. still to come this morning, whether you sprint or stroll, the right running shoes can definitely help you meet your goals. the good news is you don't have to break the bank to get the perfect pair. we'll tell you what to look for after these messages. ♪ [ male announcer ] your eyes. even at a distance of 10 miles...

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and that little angel says, "weeeeeeeee!" 60% more sheets than charmin. everything you want and the value you love. angel soft. this morning on get fit today, choosing the right run shoes. why does the perfect pair of running shoes always seem to have you sprinting to the bank? janice lieberman has answers for us. >> kind of flashy stuff for you. >> they are flashy. yes. >> when it comes to foot the bill for a new pair of workout shoes, you have to wonder why so much? we went to the source, the makers of brooks running shoes in seattle to find out. this is top secret info. inside this lab is a new generation of shoe. it's brooks' newest creation, the transcend, and it's all pretty high tech.

>> what this does, it allows us to cut the shoe open and be able to test the specs inside to make sure it comes out the way we want it to. >> very cool. so, what is this we are seeing? >> this is super dna foam that will give you all the cushioning, and the heel, you can see the guide rails that go around the entire shoe. >> that's dna? >> that's dna. >> reporter: no surprise these shoes cost a pretty penny. $160 for a running shoe. a lot of people will say what am i paying for. is it worth it? >> this is brand-new technology. this shoe is worth every penny when you put it on, you will absolutely love it. >> reporter: brooks isn't the only company touting glitzy colors and impressive mechanics. adidas has the spring blade razor. >> it's basically a bunch of leaf springs that stick off the shoe. the idea is they return energy to you. >> reporter: and nike, their flying knit lunar one plus. >> nike's fly knit technology is

a on-piece, seam-free upper. it's almost like a sweater. it's really durable material. >> reporter: when it comes down to it, are all the bells and whistles really necessary? >> necessary? maybe not. but some runners find better success with more cushioning and more technologies. others just like the luxury and comfort it provides. >> reporter: stores like road runner sports say you can get quality and a deal. >> some really great tips to save money on sneakers, buy last year's version of the sneaker they're using. it's still going to be the same value. to save money, by two sneakers of the same and rotate. the foam can decompress and last longer. >> reporter: millions of dollars go into the research and development of these shoes. that can last runners up to 600 miles. >> what are you getting for that?

>> you're getting the premium ride here. >> reporter: all this putting more pep in your step, next time you shell out big bucks to treat your feet to something special. the bottom line, if the shoe fits, buy it. that may mean trying on lots of styles. if there's something that bothers you in the store, skip it. the sneaker should feel great right away. >> once you've scored the perfect pair of sneakers, you'll want to put them to good use, right? what if you're not an avid runner. jenna has two simple steps for beginners looking to hit the pavement. >> let's reiterate this is for beginners. these are beginner tips for runners. my first tip, it's an easy one. i'd love you to follow a guided plan. don't wake up, call yourself jesse owens and go out for a 20-mile jaunt around the park. you need to start slow and follow a step-by-step guide. in the beginning. don't be afraid to walk. you should crawl before you walk. try walking four minutes, walking four minutes, running one, slowly decrease your

walking, increase your running. eventually you'll walk one minute and run four until you're running without stopping. bottom line, really ease into it slowly. there's a ton of reading material out there. just search for a beginner's running guide, a plan to ease you into a good running workout. my second tip, honestly, it's about finding your motivation. one way to get yourself out the door, i know this sounds silly, put on your sneakers and lace them up. if you are dressed and ready to go, you are more likely to go for a run than to get undressed and back into a bed. trust me on this. other good motivators, find a good running buddy. find a fun music playlist and run along an interesting route with plenty of things to look at. all these fall steps that seem silly will help you keep going. those are my tips. >> good stuff, jenna. also ahead, our colleagues during the week have been talking about the causes they're focusing on as part of our "shine a light" series. now it's our turn. we'll tell you all about it after these messages. ♪

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but add some sauce, pepperoni and cheese and fold up the crescent dough and presto, tuesday night just became crescent pizza pocket-tastic pillsbury crescents. make dinner pop. he loves me. he loves me not. he loves me. he loves me not. ♪ he loves me! that's right. [ mom ] warm and flaky in 15, everyone loves pillsbury grands! [ girl ] make dinner pop! now to our special year-long series "shine a light."

if you've been watching you know our colleagues revealed the important causes they plan to spotlight in 2014. >> lester, dylan, jenna and i want to show you how we hope to make a difference this year. >> what most people have in common is we're burning the candle on both ends, and it is ruining our health. >> the reality for many people across the country is even small changes can be really tough to do. americans are increasingly stressed. they're worried about having the money to put any food on their table in many cases, finding time to exercise is really difficult when you may be working two or three jobs. >> for me this is such an important thing because i have lost several people in my family at very young ages. my grandparents all died of heart disease when they were in their 60s. my father, i watched him go through diabetes. i don't want to lose my parents

at a young age. i want to live to a ripe old age. >> my wake-up call was a few years ago going to my physical. he handed me the blood results, and the triglycerides are inching up. sometimes you don't see it coming, the results of not living a not perfectly healthy lifestyle. >> i notice a lot with my kids. when i get more sleep, i feel better. when i exercise on a regular basis, i'm more active and have more energy. i want to set a good example for them. i want to be around for a long time. >> a lot of people are overwhelmed by making sweeping changes to their diet, to their health, their sleep patterns. the truth is you don't have to make sweeping changes. yu can do small things. >> we want to be part of what inspires people, to not just talk about a healthy lifestyle, but do something about it. >> we're hoping to partner with a community to shine a light on why it is so important to be healthy, to eat well, to exercise, to get enough sleep.

>> this isn't just a big weight loss program because it's not always about weighted. this is a way to really get people invested in their overall health. i would love to put on a health fair, invite a community, sponsor a health fair, get doctors in there, nutrition counselors and physical fitness counselors and really spur us all on. >> one of the hardest parts, you're very gung-ho when you start something and the first couple weeks come easily. if we challenge a community and we're all in it together, you can go beyond a couple of weeks. >> we don't have all the answers. we don't have all the thoughts. we want to learn from you, you from us and together i think we can really make some strides. >> it's amazing what you can do when you get a group of people together. we're hoping by doing this together collectively, we can have a broader impact and let that ripple across the country. >> and if you live in a community that you think needs a little help getting healthy, we want to hear from you. >> go to today.com or to our

facebook page and leave us a comment and tell us why we should pick your hometown. >> this is going to be an interesting exercise, no pun intended, but for all of us. now we've got to kind of walk the walk. >> sure. we're held accountable just the way we want everyone else to hold themselves accountable. >> it's going to be fun. >> it's easier when you're all in it together and all making these small little challenges and reaching these small goals. it's going to be so much fun. >> we welcome your input. >> i already changed. i'm ready to go. i'll talk to you guys later. >> it's going to be fun. we can't wait to hear from you. hopefully we'll soon partner with a community and get going. we'll take a break and be back with more after these messages. [ female announcer ] you get sick, you can't breathe through your nose...

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let's check back with david gregory to find out what's coming up on "meet the press." >> big week here obviously in politics. coming up on the program, more on governor chris christie and the bridge scandal rocking his administration. republican national committee chairman rans prooef vis will join us. plus the toll of poverty. our colleague maria shriver will be here with her new report, groundbreaking, on the toll on american women. it's all coming up on "meet the press." >> we'll see you then. thanks so much. that will do it for us on this sunday morning. thanks for watching. thanks for everyone who came out on the plaza. >> if you're in the neighborhood, come on down. i will see you later tonight on "nbc nightly news." have a great rest of your sunday everybody.

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nature valley. nature at its most delicious. good morning to you. i'm kris sanchez. coming up next on "today in the bay" another suspicious house fire overnight and now an arson investigation in the south bay intensifies. the man who police want you to be on the lookout for. also an accident on the freeway may have led to a person being shot by an off-duty female officer in san francisco. plus, she's only 15 years old and competing on the national stage. a bay area teenager has a big night on the ice, but will it be enough to punch her ticket to sochi? this is "today in the bay." good morning to you. looking live at a postcard perfect picture of the bay bridge and the beautiful skies