The Longhorns began their 2013 Texas Relays campaign Thursday afternoon when the 400-meter hurdle preliminary race took place.

Junior Danielle Dowie clocked a preliminary best time of 58.22 and has made herself the favorite heading into finals Friday evening. Close behind her, however, was Iowa State’s Eseroghene Okoro, who ran a 58.24 in the preliminary race.

In the 3000-meter steeplechase later in the day, junior Brittany Marches broke the school record by running a 10:31.59. Her time earned her a fourth-place finish and was good enough for the fifth-fastest time nationally in the event. Marches’ strategy of keeping calm and running at a steady pace propelled her to an
impressive performance.

“Keeping my breathing under control is the most important thing for me,” Marches said. “[Coach Stephen Sisson] just told me to relax and catch people, and that’s just what I did.”

Between a few scratches and events in which they didn’t participate, the Longhorns have yet to really showcase what they have in their arsenal. That will change Friday as the women’s 4×100-meter relay kicks off in the morning.