A week into the outdoor season, the Texas men's track team will stay at home this weekend and focus on next week's Texas Relays, which start on Wednesday.

"We are preparing for the Texas Relays," coach Bubba Thornton said. "We are training hard this week. We are trying to put things into place so we are very productive in the relays next week."

Thornton cited the team's lack of rest through the already busy season as a reason for the team's withdrawl from the Rice Bayou Classic in Houston.

"We decided not to compete this weekend, because we need rest," Thornton said. "We've traveled every weekend all year."

Texas must leave Austin to compete in indoor meets because it has no indoor track of its own. Since the indoor season began in January, the Longhorns have traveled to Houston twice, Fayetteville, Ark. three times, Nebraska for the Big 12 championships, New York City, and even Boise, Idaho - a stretch that saw the Longhorns set a world record in the Distance Medley Relay, win a third-consecutive Big 12 Championship and finish third at the NCAA Indoor championships.

Thornton, who called his team after their performance in last week's outdoor opening Texas Invitational "satisfied" with their indoor accomplishments, was committed to working hard this week in preparation for the 81st Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays (April 2-5) - a meet that will feature over 3,000 competitors and an expected 20,000 fans.

"We just needed to take a break from the competition and traveling, and get ready for the Texas Relay's weekend," Thornton said. "The guys all know how important this meet is, and we all want to be ready to have a good meet."

The Longhorns, who open the outdoor season ranked No. 12 in the first U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Assosiation poll, are taking this weekend off from competition to focus on their studies, too.

"We need to get back to school and catch up," Thornton said. "These guys have been extremely busy and they need the time to get their school work in order."

The Longhorns are not only preparing for the prestigious Texas Relays, but a run at a Big 12 outdoor championship to go with their indoor trophy - the Longhorns are 1 of 8 teams in the conference that are ranked in the first USTFCCA poll, behind No. 10 Oklahoma and ahead of No. 15 Texas A&M, No. 16 Baylor, No. 17 Nebraska, No. 22 Colorado, and No. 25 Texas Tech.

With nearly a third of the nation's top 25 teams in the Big 12, the Longhorns will have a tough road to earning the conference outdoor title.

But this week, the Longhorns are focusing on working hard on the track, preparing for the Texas Relays, catching up in the classroom and resting - a recipe Thornton hopes will lead to success later in the season.

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