| Larry Brooks will run in his first professional meet on Saturday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Former UTSA standout 800 meters performer Larry Brooks will compete at the prestigious Reebok Boston Indoor Games on Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center.
Brooks, who was a two-time All-American and four-time Southland Conference Champion from 2004-07 for the Roadrunners, will run against six competitors at 5:35 p.m. (CT). The meet will be televised by ESPN2 from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday.
The school record-holder at 1:48.44 completed a rare double for UTSA in 2007 when he became just the second male athlete to earn All-America accolades at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in the same season. Former standout Justin Youngblood also performed the feat in 2004 in the heptathlon and decathlon. Brooks is one of four All-Americans in Roarunners men’s track & field history along with Youngblood, Brandon Buteaux and Leonard Byrd. The Stafford native won last year's SLC Indoor Championship and captured the outdoor crown in 2004, '06 and '07.
"My training has been going great and I am aheadof schedule compared to last year at this time," Brooks said earlier this week. "I'mexcited to see what I can do in my first professional meet. I'm goingto face some great competition and I've been trying to relax all weekand run the race through my head."
Brooks warmed up for this weekend's race by winning last Friday's Leonard Hilton Memorial in Houston. Racing for the first time since last June, he clocked a 1:53.68 in winning his heat by nearly three seconds. Brooks said his training has been going very well and that last week's race went according to plan.
"The main goal last week was to get a race in and work on some things I will do in Boston," he said. "There were certain points in the race where I was in front and others where I fell back and ran in traffic. I thought it went well, considering it was my first race since last June at nationals."
He said competing at both of last year's national meets should be a advantage when he steps onto the track Saturday night.
"Those meets help in the fact that it gave me big meet experience," Brooks said. "Even though those races were against collegians, you apply the same principles you would in any race. The key is to stay calm, relaxed and poised throughout and not worry about the other guys."
For complete meet information and results, click here.