No matter where you go in track and field, the oval is always 400 meters long. What can change, however, is the weather. Whether it’s a cold Hayward Field headwind, a hot and muggy Texas tailwind or sunny California, all have their effect on performances.
The Oregon men’s track and field team will have experience on its side this weekend as it ventures into familiar territory in Texas and California.
The majority of the team will travel to Austin, Texas, the site of the Texas Relays where the Ducks competed three weeks ago. The rest of the team will compete in the Cardinal Invitational in Stanford, Calif., where the team traveled a month ago.
“I like running down in Texas,” junior Micah Harris said. “That’s where I ran my provisional time. It’s good to know what the conditions are going to be like.”
At the Texas Relays April 8, Harris ran into the Oregon record books, running an NCAA provisional time of 13.80 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles. This weekend, Harris, who is ranked 15th nationally, will look for the NCAA automatic mark of 13.72.
Also looking for an NCAA qualifying mark will be junior Simon Kimata in the 800 meters. At the Oregon Invitational Saturday, the transfer from South Plains Junior College came within three hundredths of a second of an NCAA provisional mark at 1 minute, 48.03 seconds. Kimata, who is recovering from a stress fracture injury, has progressed rapidly since joining the Ducks.
“My first race [at Texas], the goal was to break two minutes,” Kimata said. “And I ran 1:53. The next goal was to break 1:50, and I did. I can still feel my Achilles when I run, but I think I will do well.”
A number of personal bests came in Texas from Oregon’s field event personnel. Throwers John Bello and Adam Kriz each posted good marks at the windy Texas Relays. Bello needs only three foot personal bests for an automatic mark in the shot put and a provisional mark in the discus. Kriz, a sophomore, needs only eight more feet for a provisional mark in the hammer throw.
Sophomore Foluso Akinradewo benefited from the strong winds in Texas a month ago as well. The triple jumper leapt his personal best at the Relays and will be looking for an NCAA provisional mark this weekend. Akinradewo sat out at the Oregon Invitational because of a hamstring injury.
“I feel ready to go,” Akinradewo said. “I feel like I could go 52 feet. I’ve had some good practices. I really want to get to the NCAAs because they’ll be here.”
True freshman Trevor Woods is another NCAA contender. At the Relays, Woods equaled the provisional mark at 17 feet, 4 1/2 inches.
“I’ll need to go 17-8 to get in [the NCAAs] for sure,” Woods said. “I slipped over it on my first try at it. I want to hit 18 feet by the Pac-10s.”
Leading the entries at Oregon’s other meet this weekend is senior Michael Kasahun. The Adwa, Ethiopia, native ran an impressive 5,000-meter run at the Oregon Invitational, easily eclipsing the provisional mark by more than 10 seconds with a time of 13:56 in the 12 1/2 lap race. Kasahun faces a tough field at Stanford.
“There will be very good competition there,” Kasahun said. “They’ll have a pace setter who’ll go out fast. I run well when I go out fast. I look forward to it.”
Both meets will mark the home stretch for the Ducks, who have only two competitions remaining before the Pacific-10 Conference Championships May 19-20.