As you may know, the Indianapolis Colts have built a new state-of-the-art stadium next to the old RCA Dome named Lucas Oil Stadium. Beginning with the 2009 event, the NFL Combine workouts will take place in Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts have installed the same type of surface (FieldTurf) in the new stadium that the athletes competed on the past three Combines. As you know from the times produced during the most recent events, this surface is very fast!

The NFL teams will be evaluating athlete times and performances based on what they see on this field, not on comparisons to other surfaces you may have run on in the past. Since FieldTurf is now the game surface for many NFL teams and is considered equal to grass in most NFL perspectives, times will be more accurate and less likely to be adjusted. In discussing the issue with many NFL team executives, a common belief is that ‘fast athletes’ run fast on all surfaces, and ‘slow athletes’ come up with excuses not to run. Please keep in mind that NFL personnel are experienced at evaluating player speeds on any number of surfaces and are as interested in how athletes compete on a big stage as they are with the actual timed result.

Many athletes have asked what shoes are best to use on the FieldTurf. As each athlete is different, it would be a good idea to test a variety of cleats and running shoes on a similar surface and decide which shoes are the best for you. Please visit the web site listed below to learn more about the actual surface and to find locations across the country of similar surfaces that you can use in your preparation. Track shoes and spikes will not be allowed for any of the testing. We suggest bringing a variety of cleats and shoes with you to have available at your discretion.