With only one home meet on its schedule during the regular season, the track and field team has to spend a lot of time on the road traveling to competitions.

The hectic travel schedule is even busier during the team’s outdoor season: NIU has competed in Florida, Texas, North Carolina and Tennessee. This weekend, distance runners redshirt sophomore Meghan Heuer and sophomore Jamie Burr will travel to California to compete in two events, while the rest of the Huskies get the rare chance to compete at home in the 2013 Huskie Open at 10 a.m. Saturday at the NIU track and field complex.

There is a lot of free time while heading to competitions, and there are a few positives that come from that.

“We bond actually when we’re on the road more,” said redshirt Megan Gregory, senior sprinter and hurdler. “We kinda joke around and try and keep ourselves calm while traveling. Sometimes we’ll kind of relax and do homework.”

Head coach Connie Teaberry said all the time on the road let’s the team have a better chance to know each other.

“Once we get outdoors we travel just about every week,” Teaberry said. “It gives all of the areas, the distance, the jumps, throws, the sprints, the hurdlers a chance to bond with each other and learn each other’s event where they may not be able to do that in the fall. We definitely use the traveling at a time for the ladies to get ready for their events, but then also to cheer on their teammates and hopefully boost them to better competition.”

The Huskies have routinely faced top 25 competition at several of these meets during the outdoor season, meaning the travel might just be something that needs to be done in order to become a better program.

Burr said she is somebody who doesn’t mind facing a higher level of competition even if that might mean having to travel more.

“I really enjoy that because I feel like your true talent and what you really have to give doesn’t really come out until it’s really tested with people who are better than you and who will push you,” Burr said.