Spring has finally arrived, and with it brings the Michigan State outdoor track and field season.

Unlike the indoor season, running outdoors opens the gateway for a number of other events. The majority of these events take place in the middle of the day, which allows for athletes that specialize in speed and power to spend the morning physically and mentally preparing for their event.

MSU track and field head coach Walt Drenth believes that one major factor needs to transfer over with every athlete from the indoor to outdoor season: competitiveness.

Coach Drenth believes that the Raleigh Relays are a great opportunity for the athletes to start off the year on a positive note.

“The Raleigh Relays are a favorite to kick off the season because it suits the needs of many athletes,” Drenth said. “Nearly every event is competitive.”

Drenth believes the team has its strengths, but also has room for improvement.

“The team needs to improve in every aspect and every event of the sport,” Drenth said. “Our strengths lie in the more events that the outdoor season has to offer.”

The Raleigh Relays take place in Raleigh, N.C., which is about a 12 hour drive from East Lansing.

Drenth does find away meets to be difficult at times.

“It is difficult to continually travel to away meets, while having very few here at Michigan State,” Drenth said. “It’s harder to attract teams to come to Michigan, rather than go to a different state that has a more consistent climate.”

Despite the drive, coach Drenth believes that the meet will be a great opportunity for the athletes to make an early season impact, and will be a highly competitive display of action.

The Raleigh Relays begin Friday, March 28 and run through Saturday, March 29.

Ashanti Seabron is a multimedia journalist for Impact Sports.

Photo: Alexa McCarthy/Impact Sports