Senior runner Joe Morris heads to MPSF Championships

By Jillian Arja in Front Page, Multimedia, Sports on Feb 22, 2013 23:29 / comments

Senior runner Joe Morris made the right choice by transferring to the University of Colorado his sophomore year. In his three years as a Buff, he has accomplished a lot and has many goals left that he is hoping to achieve.

Morris says he tries to follow his teammates’ example, but once he’s on the track, he likes to lead.

Joe Morris of the Colorado track and field team. (Andrew Tawil/ CU Independent)

Joe Morris of the Colorado track and field team. Morris is headed to the MPSF Championships this weekend. (Andrew Tawil/CU Independent)

“I let others take the lead,” Morris said. “When we go up to compete, then I will do my leading, which is performing. Once you start winning, then that is a good leader position to be in.”

He is certainly capable of winning.

Morris will be heading to the MPSF Championships this weekend to compete in the 60 meter, 200 meter and 4×400 meter relay. His personal bests this season are 6.80 in the 60 meter, 21.53 in the 200 meter and 3:15.50 in the 4×400 meter relay.

Morris says it feels good to win, but his biggest competition is not another person on the track.

“I enjoy running faster every time and beating the clock, which is a funny competitor,” he said. “I guess it is what it is.”

There will be around 30 CU athletes going to the MPSF Championships this weekend to join fifteen teams from around the country.

The event will only take the top 24 runners to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships. Therefore, depending on how his times align, Morris could either be running in the NCAA Indoor Championships or racing again in a Last Chance Qualifier to get his times up.

Morris’ best chance to compete is in the 60 meter race, which happens to be his favorite run.

“I like the 60 meter because it is the shortest and for some reason, I am good at that one,” he said. “A lot of people wouldn’t say that for some reason. It is the short one, but if you make one mistake, it can all go downhill.”

He hopes that can get a championship, whether it happens this weekend or in March at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

“I need a championship,” he said. “But you can’t just go out and say it like that. You have to go out and say I want to run a perfect race, as perfect as possible and get a time. The wins will come after.”

As a senior, he is starting to face the end of many things. Rather than being sad, though, Morris is using this to motivate himself to push harder.

“This season has been a little interesting as far as last indoors; to me it is a whole lot of last everythings,” he said. “It is my senior year, and I feel like I have to keep making huge steps and reaching goals. This semester has been full of goals.”

Indoor season lasts through the beginning of March, when outdoor begins. The runners do not get a break, but Morris says that does not matter because it is one thing he is going to use to make himself stronger.

“After an indoor season, you may feel like you want a break, but for me that is another level that I need to step up to,” he said.

Morris has many goals left outside of CU, as well. He hopes to make the USA team and qualify to go to Worlds. He says, though, that he is going to use his coach’s advice before he gets started.

“Other than that, what my coach will tell you, we need to start at the beginning, which is run a time and see if you can improve on that time,” Morris said.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jillian Arja at Jillian.arja@colorado.edu.