Betting on the Track
Now that I’ve spent the last two weeks restoring mileage (26 and 30 respectively) and I’m reasonably settled into an 8:45-9:00 minute pace, it’s about time to level off the mileage and start shaving the speed.
My intervals have always been hampered by a lack of a Garmin or any local trail with markers less than a half-mile apart. So I can run 800s or mile repeats but nothing shorter with any accuracy. Plus the trail is covered in pea gravel, which is like running in soft sand in spots, and God help your skin if you fall. Flayed runner.
So, using my mad research skillz, I tried to find a local outdoor track that allowed public access. You wouldn’t think this would be so difficult, but most of the tracks belong to high schools, who appropriately fence in their facilities and don’t look kindly on strangers hanging around.
I was beginning to despair, until I blundered onto a local college’s track and – miracle of miracles – they let ordinary taxpayers use it! It’s lovely, as you can see:
Soon I’ll be running 200m and 400m repeats and bitching about it right here – just like you guys have been doing for years! I’m so happy to be part of the club.
Wow, I thought most high school tracks are open to the public (as long as you are not using it during the homecoming football game or regional track meet). Hmmm… I wonder if I have been trespassing all these years?
How exciting! You can borrow my track report format!
/stops jumping up and down like a high school girl
Congrats on the track find. Cheers.
The high schools around here also lock up their tracks – unless you can get on some kind of formal group event.
But college tracks always seem to be wide open. Must be due to their liberal attitudes…