Three Iowa distance runners will be competing this weekend at the Meyo Track and Field Invitational on Saturday.

Seniors Mark Battista and James Paul will be making their season debuts for the Hawkeyes in South Bend, Ind. Battista will be running the 3,000 meters and Paul will compete in the mile run.

“They’re coming along OK,” head coach Larry Wieczorek said. “They had good cross-country seasons. It’s going to be an assessment to see where they are at.”

Wieczorek added that he felt this weekend was best for Battista and Paul to start competition because they will be running in more moderate heats.

Sophomore Jeff Thode will be joining Paul in the mile for the Hawkeyes. Thode holds the indoor school record in the mile with a time of 4:03.07.

The rest of the Iowa track and field team will be resting this weekend after a successful trip to Arkansas last weekend.

“The Arkansas trip was a big one in terms of people invested their emotion and effort,” Wieczorek said. “This gives us a couple weeks off to train and get ready for another big meet at Iowa State.”

The whole squad is scheduled to be back in action on Feb. 11-12 at the Cyclone Classic in Ames.

— by Ben Schuff