www.roanoke.com

Courtesy of Radford University

Radford University junior Raschad Kelso is looking to have a big conference meet this weekend in hopes of catapulting him into another NCAA regional appearance during the outdoor season.

| Chuck Altizer

Special to The Roanoke Times

RADFORD -- Raschad Kelso walked off the track earlier this month in Akron, Ohio, with a new school record and personal best in the Radford University 200-meter indoor books.

As good as that sounds, the junior from Appomattox didn't feel great about it.

"I was happy with my time, but there was no way I ran my best race," Kelso said.

His sprint coach Mark White agreed.

"The 21.60 ... wasn't bad but it wasn't his best race," White said. "He walked off the track and said 'Man, coach, if only I would have done that in the turn,' and all I could say is, 'I know.'

"That's big though. When an athlete can recognize what he needs to work on and focus on it makes his training easier."

Training has been the key for Kelso over the past two seasons that have seen him break school records in the 60-, 200- and 400-meter in indoor competition and the 200-meter on the outdoor side. He is also on all three school record-holding relay teams in both indoor and outdoor.

"This is the third year I have been here and coached Raschad, and we have done things different the last two years than the first year," White said.

"I like the philosophy and I think it fits with our athletes and climate. And it has made a huge impact for Raschad."

"Our training has been different," Kelso said. "It has definitely helped us out a lot to keep a consistent pace. ... This has definitely been my best season, and I'm excited to see what I can do going into the indoor championships and into the outdoor season."

Director of track and field Brent Chumbley notes another reason for the improvement.

"As he has gotten older, he has gotten a grip on school and athletics and has matured like all men and women do," Chumbley said. "Maturity has been the biggest thing. It has been so much fun to watch him grow as a freshman to where he is now."

Just a junior, Kelso is looking to have a big conference meet this weekend in hopes of catapulting him into another NCAA regional appearance during the outdoor season -- a task that has become more difficult with a new format this season.

But Kelso is focusing on how he can get better this week at Virginia Tech.

"I think I can go far, but I am not focusing on that right now," he said. "Right now I'm thinking what I need to do to get better for this week at Virginia Tech and conference meet next week."

White knows things could be better ahead for Kelso but likes his week-to-week approach.

"He is setting himself up to run pretty well outdoors, and sometimes you can't help but look ahead," White noted.

"I have a big picture, and I plan further ahead than week to week. But when we talk, we talk week to week, how we are going to get better this week. Every meet you got to work on something, but you don't want to look past the meet. And I think Raschad has done a good job of that."