Each and every race is another step forward in the eyes of Penn State men's cross country coach Harry Groves.

The team took its first steps in the right direction last weekend when it sprinted to a first-place mark in the Lock Haven Invitational. The Nittany Lions will try to maintain that level of competition when they host the Spiked Shoe Invitational at 10:45 a.m. tomorrow.

"We're a step higher [than we were last week], the progression has picked up," Groves said. "In other words, you start the year at one pace, and we try to improve as we go."

Last weekend, the Lions faced little opposition and rolled to a 16-point victory over host Lock Haven. Penn State also placed four runners in the top ten of that 10K race.

The Spiked Shoe, though a shorter race at 8K, will be a more challenging test for the Lions, beginning with the level of competition the team will face. Regional powers Yale, St. Joseph's and Buffalo will be among the 27 teams looking to spoil Penn State's first homestand.

"These are better teams [than last week]," Groves said. "Yale's coming in. They've always got a decent bunch of runners. St. Joseph's has been trying to pounce on us the last few years."

Secondly, the team will be running a course that is much different in layout than Lock Haven's, which was an extremely flat course that allowed for open passing lanes.

The Penn State Blue Course constantly shifts in elevation, alternating between challenging peaks and valleys.

"It'll be a little bit different race in that we'll run out a little faster probably," Groves said. "The start is a gradual downhill, so that makes for a faster mile right off the bat."

Groves said that the race finishes on an uphill swing, and the key for the team will be its endurance.

"You have to plan your strategy based on whether you think you can last or not," Groves said.

Another key to the team's success will be continuing to take a group-oriented approach. Last weekend, the team stayed in small groups until the last stages of the race when veteran runners like Chris Nirschel and Dan Mazzocco found some open lanes and earned top-five finishes.

This week, Groves said the team would stay grouped together for much of the race, but he hopes they'll be able to break away sooner.

"Last week they waited too long, past three miles," Groves said. "As a result, they did catch up, but they couldn't catch the leader."

What it comes down to is not necessarily a win or loss in the race but moving in the right direction early in the season and putting a group of runners in a position to place well.

"What you're trying to do ultimately is get five guys up close at the front and not far apart," Groves said.