Coming off of two weeks of extensive travel and competition, the Penn State women's track and field team hopes to have a relaxed, fun meet this weekend.

The Nittany Lion Relays, beginning at 11 a.m. tomorrow, managed to obtain the moniker Penn State women's track and field coach Beth Alford-Sullivan has used for laid-back meets all season long: a "train-through weekend."

"Next week, Thursday, is when we wanna be ready to go [for the Penn Relays]," Alford-Sullivan said. "This weekend, hopefully, we get a decent weather day and have some fun out here but not really try to crank it out too much."

Philadelphia's Penn Relays features arguably the most intense track competition in the state, and Alford-Sullivan hopes to use this meet as a springboard onto the higher level the Nittany Lions need to be at for next weekend. Unfortunately, forecasts calling for rain don't seem to allow for Alford-Sullivan's latter wish, but she doesn't expect the weather to push Penn State off course.

"Our training, recovery and work are all focused towards next week," Alford-Sullivan said.

Sprints, jumps and hurdles coach Chris Johnson told his team this is no reason to slack off, however.

"We need to spend time resting up, but we still expect them to be competitive and have good times," Johnson said.

Some athletes who have been pushing hard in the last few weeks will not be competing for the Lions. All-America sophomore Shana Cox, junior Kamilah Salaam and freshman Aleesha Barber will all be among the inactives on Saturday.

"I've been running fast, and I think I'll be able to do it again, I'm just excited for the future," Salaam said.

Junior hurdler Kim Markel dazzled the competition in the 400-meter hurdles on the road, and she is looking to continue her dominance at home. Penn State's last home meet was riddled with wind and may have not been an accurate gauge of times for some competitors.

Also looking for repeat performances will be Penn State's javelin throwers, led by sophomore Heidi Nadeau and senior Diana Bruch. They finished first and fifth, respectively, at the Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., last weekend.

The only confirmed visiting team is Pittsburgh, which will create a drastic contrast from competing at Oregon's famed Hayward Track, California's Mt. Sac Relays and Tennessee, all three of which Penn State has run at recently.

"We're coming off of a couple of weeks of a lot of travel and a lot of racing," Alford-Sullivan said. "It's getting the bodies ready to go and getting the minds ready...again."