Trackmen Open Outdoor Season Today Against Holy Cross and Northeastern

In the first meet of the outdoor season the Mikkolamen will tackle Holy Cross and Northeastern at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon on Soldiers Field. Although the contest was first scheduled as a regular triangular meet, it will be run off as a practice competition.

Bad weather has slowed up training so much for the three teams that it was deemed inadvisable to test the squads fully at this early stage. Because it is to be a practice meet, no score will be kept, and the number of entries in any one event will not be seriously limited.

Distances Shortened

In a full season of competition it becomes a strain on the runners to go the same distance in every meet. Varying the distances of the races tends to keep up the squad's spirit, and, for this reason, the coaches have decided to change the distances of many of the events. Another possible reason for shortening the length of the races is that the coaches, do not wish to let their charges run the risk of extending themselves over the full distance.

The 100-yard dash, the hurdles, and the relays are the only events that will be run off at the standard distances. The 220-yard dash will be competed over a distance of 180 yards, the quarter will be run at 330 yards, the half at 660 yards, the mile at three-quarters of a mile, and the two-mile run at a mile and a half.

Track Fast

With a slightly better than even break from the weather, an excellent meet should result, for the track is in first rate condition. If it should turn up cold, however, the times will be very disappointing, for the coaches will warn the squads against running at full speed.

Although Holy Cross and Northeastern have been unable to give the Crimson cindermen much competition in recent years, Coach Jaakko Mikkola expects the practice meet to be a valuable sharpener for the difficult contests ahead.

The teams from Holy Cross and Northeastern are usually very uneven, for although most of the team is mediocre there are always a few stars on the squads. This year, Masaryk of Northeastern appears to be the star. As a one man track team, he will do everything in today's meet but take tickets at the gate. It is expected that the Holy Cross squad will show up best in the 330-yard run.

Captain Jim Lightbody will compete only in the 330-yard run, since Coach Mikkola wants a chance to try out Sophomores Ted Meredith and Frank McKechnie in the mile relay. Although Hobie Lerner is back in training, Mikkola will not call on him until he is in perfect condition and will fill out the quartet with Jo Donnelly and Dan Hamilton.

None of the runners will be called on to perform in more than one event save for the hurdlers and sprint men. Don Donahue and Roger Schafer will run in the 100 and 220-yard hurdles, while Charley Smith, George Dana, and Don McSweeney will take care of the sprints.

According to Coach Mikkola it will be impossible to judge the true potentialities of the team until after the Dartmouth meet, for the team will not be at full strength nor will it have been given a real test before that time.

The Yardlings will meet the Holy Cross and Northeastern Freshmen this afternoon. They will be without the services of Doug Pirnie in the sprints, who is out with a pulled muscle.