Track and field can sometimes be a sport based all on momentum. Momentum when in the running, jumping and training.

The athletes also use momentum to carry them through the season, both indoor and out. Now, the Iowa State men’s track and field team will try to use momentum carried over from practice for the Big 12 Indoor Championships this weekend.

“Meets prior to the Big 12‘s are about improving and working towards the Big 12’s,” said ISU assistant coach Glenn Smith.

The athletes must find out what works for them, decipher the problems, and move on to the next event. Sometimes that is in the same weekend, but most of the time, it is one event one weekend, and then wait until the next.

No matter when the event is short time of competition pales in comparison to what takes place in practice leading up to a meet.

“You can work all week long for one 7-second race and be done in a weekend,” said junior sprinter Ivan Tamba.

Iowa State will be hosting the eight other teams that make up the Big 12 at the Lied Recreation Center for the conference indoor meet with Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas and Texas Tech all representing themselves in Ames.

The meet is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Friday, beginning with the weight throw and the 800-meter run.

“The Big 12’s is a meet where all the pieces come together,” said ISU assistant coach Jeremy Sudbury. “All athletes are at one place competing as a team more than as an individual.”

The team hopes to build off the high finishes the Cyclones have been putting out in recent meets. Also, the men’s squad will look for Edward Kemboi to grab his first ever indoor Big 12 championship.

He is currently the holder of the fastest 800-meter time in the nation this season.

The Cyclones have already competed against the majority of these teams in prior weekends, but the coaches have stressed to not worry about the opponent and focus on themselves as an individual.

“We tell our kids that the clock doesn’t matter,” Sudbury said. “It is just about going out there and seeing where we stack up in the conference.”

Iowa State will also be looking for junior distance runner Alex Dillenbeck to improve from his top-10 finish in the mile from last weekend’s meet in South Bend, Ind.

“I’m looking to run a smart race,” Dillenbeck said. “The Big 12’s and any big meet forces the mile to be more of a tactical race where I have to run smart and strong.”

Cost for single day admission is $7 for an adult or $3 for a student and $10 for an adult or $5 for a student for both days.

“I’m excited to show how far we have come as a team from last season’s Big 12, it should be a good one,” Dillenback said.