Without an outdoor track facility capable of holding a collegiate meet, the occasions where the ISU men’s and women’s track and field teams can compete within the state of Iowa are rare.

Of course, the annual Drake Relays are in Des Moines, but other than a few smaller meets such as the Jim Duncan Invitational and Kip Janvrin Open, the teams usually have to travel out of state during the outdoor season.

However, this weekend will bring a change as the Cyclones will head down I-80 to the Musco Twilight meet Saturday in Iowa City. The meet, which is in its 12th year, will boast athletes from universities such as Minnesota, Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois.

With three weekends of outdoor competition left before the Big 12 Outdoor Championships in Norman, Okla., the Cyclone sprinters and hurdlers are coming down the homestretch of their outdoor season.

“At this time of the year you start getting a little bit sharper as you approach your season best and personal best,” said sprints and hurdles coach Nate Wiens. “The main thing is that we go out and compete and everyone stays healthy all the way to [the Big 12 Championships].”

One of the stars in Wiens’ sprints and hurdles group this outdoor season has been junior 400-meter hurdler Kianna Elahi. Elahi is currently ranked eighth in the nation at the 400-meter hurdles after running a 57.07 time at the Sun Angel Classic earlier this month.

“When you get running as fast as she is, you look for tenths and hundredths, not seconds. Seconds would be nice, but at the same time she’s really running up to her capability right now,” Wiens said about Elahi.

Also at the Sun Angel Classic, senior thrower Britta Christofferson broke the school record in the hammer throw with a throw of 195 feet, 8 inches. Christofferson battled illness following the event in Tempe, Ariz., but she’ll return to competition this weekend in Iowa City.

“We’re getting to that point in that season where we’re starting to back off a little bit, so if we can catch the weather there it should be alright,” said throws coach Grant Wall.

Wall will get his first chance this outdoor season to see the six throwers — Danielle Frere, Hayli Bozarth, Mike Zika, Zack Richards and Laishema Hampton — who are redshirting this outdoor season, compete unattached at the meet.

The meet’s sponsor, Musco Lighting, which is headquartered in Oskaloosa, provides the lighting at the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track. Wall is looking forward to both the well-lit environment and the opportunity to be closer to Ames than usual this outdoor season.

“They’re putting on a great meet, and I’m just glad we’re in Iowa for a weekend,” Wall said.

Field events at the Musco Twilight are set for a 2 p.m. start while track events are scheduled to get underway at 3:30 p.m.