The ISU track and field teams will brave the elements as they leave the indoor season behind and start the outdoor season today in Tempe, Ariz.

The teams will face a few new changes as they make the jump from inside events to the outdoors.

For sprinters, the events will be getting longer. The 60-meter hurdles and dash will move to 100-meters in length. The 400-meter hurdle race and the 4×100-meter relay will also be added.

Distance runners will test their endurance as the steeplechase will be added to the venue.

Throwers lose the weight throw and will toss the discus instead. Also added is the hammer throw.

Qualifying for the NCAA national meet will still be the same. If an athlete meets the automatic standard that is set, he or she will be in the national meet for sure. The automatic standard, however, is very steep and often difficult to reach.

There will also be a provisional standard. Athletes reaching this goal will be added to a list. Those with the best performances will be taken, and the NCAA will go down the list of names until all spots for an event are filled. It is possible one could reach the provisional standard and not be in the NCAA meet.

The biggest difference between them all will be dealing with the weather. Wind can pose huge problems to runners by making times slower.

Women’s coach Dick Lee says that is why they are starting the year off in the Southwest.

“About the only way you are guaranteed to have some good weather is to go to Florida, Arizona or California,” he said.

Lee said he and the athletes are looking forward to the outdoor season but will miss the compact size and crowd noise that the indoor season provides.

He also said the team feels as if it is “starting over a little bit” after being on vacation over spring break. The team also tapered off towards the end of the indoor season.

Runners will need to practice harder to prepare for the longer races, so the meet tonight and tomorrow provide a good chance to get some experience and get used to the competition.

Lee is looking for his team to perform tonight at about the same level it had been midway through the indoor season. The team can build from there toward the Drake Relays.

Men’s coach Steve Lynn also hopes to be in good shape when the Relays roll around.

Lynn said he always looks forward to the Relays because it gives the athletes a chance to perform in a sold-out arena. He also said that the great competition from across the nation and media coverage are great for the team.

He plans to use the meet in Tempe as a chance to get athletes in shape and to discover what some of the team weaknesses are so they can be worked out.

Most importantly, Lynn would like to have his athletes at their top potential so they can have a shot at placing high in the Big 12 conference meet in late May.