The ISU track and field teams are heading west this weekend to compete in three separate meets beginning with the Mt. Sac Relays in Walnut, Calif.

The teams will be staying in the same place but going separate ways to compete in the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., and the Beach Invitational in Cerritos, Calif., as well.

“This trip is a great trip and a difficult trip all in one because there is a lot going on,” said ISU coach Corey Ihmels. “It’s a great opportunity for our squad both on the men’s and women’s side because we get two or three opportunities for each athlete to compete.”

This will be the third time in less than one month the teams have traveled to California during the outdoor track season.

“It’s usually ideal conditions in southern California and it will be a long weekend before it’s all said and done,” Ihmels said. “At the end of the day it’s worth the hassle.”

Senior runner Rico Loy placed first at the Mt. Sac Relays last year in the 1,500-meter run.

“I was going into the race thinking I can do the same or maybe a little bit better than last year, but I haven’t been feeling very well the last couple of days,” Loy said. “I already qualified for regionals from my 5,000-meter time and this weekend will give me a chance to qualify in the 1,500-meter run, but we will see.”

With the Big 12 Championships just a few weeks away, the Cyclones will only get a few more meets in before they compete in their biggest outdoor meet of the season.

“All of these meets are part of the plan, you have to progress toward the Big 12 Championship, you can’t just show up and run well,” said senior sprinter Ian Warner. “These meets are just as important in the sense that you, if you don’t perform well and do what you need to do now, it will make it that much harder when the Big 12 Championships come.”

The Mt. Sac Relays will begin on Thursday, April 18, 2013, with distance events and end on Saturday, April 19, with the relay events. The Bryan Clay Invitational will be Friday in Azusa, Calif., and the Beach Invitational will be Saturday in Cerritos, Calif.