Although the marathon is not an event in Division I Track and Field, members of the ISU Women’s track team may feel as though they are in the middle of one.

Just as one season ends, another begins, and the ISU women’s track team shifts its focus from the indoor season to the outdoor season this weekend when they travel to the Disney Invitational in Orlando, Fla. to begin the outdoor season that will culminate June 6-9th in Indianapolis at the NCAA Championships.

Although the seasons run into each other, the coaches treat them as two separate seasons for the athletes.

“It’s two separate seasons as far as from a time-period standpoint, with our training we have a peak for that indoor meet,” assistant coach Scott Roberts said. “Then we back off and do a little bit more base work and then peak for the outdoor championships.”

With the change in training also comes the addition of events and the changing in others.

For the sprinters the 60-meter dash and the 60m hurdles now become the 100m dash and 100m hurdles, along with the addition of the 400m hurdles. On the distance side of things, the addition of the 10,000m run and the 3,000m steeplechase are the major changes. Field events change dramatically, with everything changing except for the throwing of the shot put. In the outdoor season there is the addition of the javelin, hammer throw and the discus. The multi-event competition also jumps from five to seven events.

Along with the changing events, the weather becomes something runners must deal with. During the indoor season the athletes have the luxury of not having to deal with Mother Nature, a luxury they don’t get in the outdoor season. According to head coach Dick Lee, this and the changing of events mean success during indoors does not always translate to success outdoors.

“The visual cues are different, you’re not in a confined area. Suddenly you can look off and see forever.” Lee said. “You suddenly have to run with [the wind] or against [the wind] or with cross winds, something you don’t deal with indoors. It’s a learning experience – there might be heat and humidity or it could be cold.”

There might not be any other Cyclone as excited as Rebecca Williams to start the outdoor season. Williams saw great success this indoor season qualifying for nationals and garnering a Big 12 Championship in the 60m hurdles. Williams thinks that success will give her confidence, however, she feels as though the lengthening of her event benefits her running style.

“I still feel really good. I still feel like my technique and speed and everything are still in place. We run this weekend and my goal is to qualify for regionals and just run fast early.” Williams said. “For someone like me, I don’t have a lot of flat speed at the beginning and I build up – so outdoor will be longer and a lot more time for me to build up my momentum.”

Roberts agrees with his runner.

“She’s a better 100m hurdler than a 60m hurdler. With her strength and her technique I think she is going to do very well outdoors and I am very excited about that,” he said.