Can we really pull this off?

It's a question that has echoed throughout the Dal Ward Center and Balch Fieldhouse in the two years since Colorado's bid to host the 2008 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships was accepted.

The facilities have been upgraded, and the Buffs believe they have a more complete team capable of competing for titles on their home soil.

But can CU really pull this off? Well, there's no alternative now with the conference championships looming May 16-18 at Potts Field.

On Saturday, the program passed an important internal test by hosting the CU Invitational -- which included 411 athletes from 23 different schools -- without any major hitches.

"It's not quite as many athletes as the Big 12 is going to be, but it gives us a good test run with some of the facility upgrades in place," said CU assistant coach Casey Malone, who was the director of Saturday's meet. "There are some upgrades and some things that still need to happen, but it's starting to seem like this is really coming together. You can kind of see that at this meet, with the seating in place and the new facilities, that it's starting to look like a Big 12 Championship venue. That's exciting."

Athletes were able to use the new hammer/discus cage located just west of the track. The old one has also been repaired and is still available for use.

"Before it was just a Little League backstop," said CU's Brandin Williams, who won Saturday's men's javelin. "But now they've got a pretty nice cage up."

Improvements have alsobeen made to the triple and long jump pits, as well as the shot put and high jump areas. A second pole vault runway has been added with a new pit. And the bleacher seating is being erected.

"In the heptathlon and in the decathlon of a meet as big as the Big 12, you often have to have two high jumps going at once or two shot puts going at once. We were not able to do that a year ago," CU head coach Mark Wetmore said. "We will be able to do what we call parallel approaches in the high jump and double shot puts, which will take five hours off of the meet. ...

"The difference between the Big 12 and our usual home meet is large. And so getting our operations up to speed, double checking all our events, using and understanding our new equipment, staying on a strict schedule are going to be doubly important when the Big 12 is here in a month. So this is our last chance to keep fine-tuning things and looking with a critical eye."

Hosting a conference outdoor track and field championship for the first time since 1993 has been in the back of everyone's mind all season. But the reality of the challenge really started to sink in during the CU Invitational.

"To me, as the head coach, it means an opportunity for our athletes to not compete in 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity," Wetmore said. "But to the university, it's an opportunity to have a very visible, very prestigious competition on campus. Honestly, I don't think when our administration bid for this they knew how big and complicated it was. I've had people say to me, 'But we've put on the NCAA skiing (championships).' And I say, 'I'm sorry, but this is 20 different events, Olympians ... this is big and complicated.'"

CU associate athletic director Ceal Barry, who coached 15 women's NCAA Tournament games at the Coors Events Center during her career on the bench, watched Saturday's meet while imagining what the Big 12 Outdoor Championships will be like.

"I think it's as big as hosting any NCAA event that we've hosted for women's basketball or soccer or any sport," Barry said. "This is a big deal. We're going to have 22 visiting teams here, so we need to put our best foot forward."

Barry said there is no shortage of volunteers in the athletic department for this event. Rich Cardillo, a retired CU assistant athletic director, will manage the Big 12 Outdoor Championships at Wetmore's request.

"Rich has done a great job. He really has. He thinks about it every day, 24-7, and he has pushed it along consistently. He's the perfect choice for meet director," Barry said. "And (athletic director) Mike Bohn has committed resources. That's the difference maker. To say, not only are we going to do it, we're going to do it in a first-class way and it's going to be a great meet. Now we have to pray for good weather."

Saturday's conditions were clear but cool. Temperatures, however, should rise with the competition by next month.

The athletes on the Buffs are more concerned with performing well when the big meet is held at Potts Field. CU's rising program includes:

Senior Stephen Pifer, who broke a 22-year-old Potts Field record on March 22 in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:47.75 and had the fastest time in the country by a collegian in the 1,500 and 5,000 entering this weekend's action. The previous track record in the 1,500 (3:48.25) was held by Oklahoma State's Paul Larkins from the 1986 Big Eight Outdoor Championships.

Senior Billy Nelson, the reigning Big 12 3,000-meter steeplechase champion, who was granted sixth-year of eligibility and will have an opportunity to defend his title on his home track.

Jenny Barringer, who should be in the hunt for a another Big 12 outdoor title and possible Olympic berth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. On the men's side, Billy Nelson and Pete Janson are also strong in the steeplechase.

Williams, Kevin Fasing, Brandin Williams and Chase Dukes, who are all capable of stealing the show in the javelin.

Jeremy Dodson, who headlines a talented sprint team that has made tremendous strides under assistant coach Brandon Couts, who is still a world class sprinter himself.

Most of the regional teams competing Saturday -- Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming -- are used to competing at altitude and have seen the Flatirons plenty of times before.

That will not be the case for many of the Big 12 athletes when they pull of the sweats for the first time in Boulder.

"The altitude is going to intimidate some athletes. It's a different experience when you get to sleep in your own bed, eat your own food and you're not traveling on a bus for eight hours," Malone said. "Hosting does give you a little bit of an advantage because you're not traveling to this change of climate and change of scenery."

Usually at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships the Buffs have to adapt to the heat and humidity of a southern rival. This time all CU has to worry about is pulling this off.

"The University of Texas hosts a gigantic meet every year called the Texas Relays, so putting on a Big 12 to them ... the officials understand it completely, they've done it 10 times," Wetmore said. "It's new to us. We know we can do it, we're excited to do it, but we'll be fine-tuning all the way up until the gun goes off."