Several weeks into its training phases, the Ball State University track and field team will enter the weekend short-handed.
With numerous complaints over nagging injuries, coach Randy Heisler plans to send less than 20 runners and throwers to the Lenny Lyles/Clark Wood Invitational at the University of Louisville.
"If you can't finish a workout, I'm not going to take you to a track meet," Heisler said. "We've got more people training and trying to get back in shape and get healthy than we do have people competing, and that's tough at this point in the season."
Working with what he has for this weekend, there will be some shifting around in the events that some runners will participate in.
Sophomore Renyae Owsley and freshman Judah Smith will run in the 200-meter dash after running in the 400-meter dash and 800-meter events last week. Senior Brittany Ade and freshman MaryKate Mellen will run in the 1500-meter race for the first time in the outdoor season.
Senior Janna Schmitmeyer will be among the few joining the team this weekend in Louisville, participating in the 400-meter hurdles and the 4x400-meter relay team. She has faced some injuries herself in the previous weeks but understands Heisler's decision to take fewer than 20.
"If you're injured and you're not healthy, you're not going to be competing well," Schmitmeyer said.
Similar to last week's Miami Invitational, the Cardinals will be running against stronger competition. This weekend's meet features teams from Illinois State University, Big Ten member Ohio State University, host Louisville and fellow Mid-American Conference member Central Michigan University.
Schmitmeyer also said that she is excited for the opportunity at Louisville because of the stiffer competition and that it will be good for everyone.
One week after enjoying near-perfect weather conditions at Miami University, the Cardinals will probably have to deal with inclement weather again. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to move through the Louisville area by this afternoon, thus altering the schedule.
The women's 4x100 meter relay will now run at 1 p.m. today, instead of 3 p.m. The second day of events will go as originally scheduled, with the women's javelin throw at 10:30 a.m., Saturday.
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