Posted by Doug Binder April 24, 2008 19:26PM

The two biggest regular season high school track meets -- by most every measure -- happen at the same time on Saturday.

The 44th Centennial Invitational, annually notable for its size and quality, comes with a $500,000 facelift to the Centennial High track this year. The track has been redone, with "D" shaped curves that narrow the oval slightly and are a favorite of distance runners. The javelin area is improved, there is a new discus area, an added long jump pit. Coach Greg Letts has lots to be proud of, and so does the Centennial School District for getting this done.

Of course, Centennial remains a mid-season destination for many.

But some teams are peeling away to take part in the Oregon Relays, formerly the XO Invitational, the brainchild of former Sherwood and Oregon runner Ross Krempley. The enterprising Krempley is full of innovative ideas and has pulled off some good events over the past few years. There is a rock band to play during intermission. There is a ultra-slick website with records and videos of past meets. There are prizes for winning teams.

This year, the event runs over two days and goes side-by-side with college and pro events on the schedule.

And for high school coaches, Krempley's meet provides a great chance to run at Hayward Field ... and what high school track athlete doesn't want to...