The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Dual threat: May 6 -- Michael Huff
05.06.2005 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
After taking time off from track to focus on football during the spring season, junior sprinter/safety Michael Huff is getting back into track shape. He has been running the first leg of the 4x100-meter relay and helped them to the Mid-West Region's fourth-fastest time at 39.80. He also just missed a regional qualifier in the 100 meters, when he ran a 10.59 at the Michael Johnson Invitational. He'll be looking for the qualifying mark of 10.50 when he competes at the Big 12 Championships in Manhattan, Kan., May 13-15.
On competing at the Penn Relays: The Penn Relays was an exciting track meet. I got to watch the USA vs. the World competitions when I was done competing, which was fun. Some of the best sprinters in the world were there competing, so it got me pumped up to do well.
On running the first leg of the 4x100-meter relay: I like it because everybody in the stands is watching. It is kind of like football where you have 85,000 watching. I like having the pressure to get off to a good start on me.
On the growth from his first track practice to now: I think the biggest difference is my mechanics. I've been working on how my arms swing and I also needed to get into track shape, because track shape and football shape are two different things. Getting into track shape helps me finish the 100 meters a little better than I did earlier in the season.
On the difference between the 60 meters (indoor) and the 100 meters (outdoors): I think football had me prepared for the first part of a sprint race, but I needed the track workouts to be able to run the last 10 to 20 meters the way I wanted to. Earlier in the year, I would try and muscle the last part of the race, but now I'm trying to use that track form to bring me home.
On the spring football season: I could see how the track speed was helping me out a little. It was good going back and forth from track to football and I know that working out with the track team helped me stay in shape for football.
On what he needs to do to qualify for the Regional: The competition at the conference meet is going to be really strong, so I think the most important thing for me is going to be to stay relaxed. I need to use the form I run with everyday in practice, and if I do that, I should be all right.
