Friday, December 2, 2011

Facilities update: A SUnNY disposition …

On Friday morning, Coach Horton and I traveled to SUNY New Paltz to check out the indoor track facility at Elting Gymnasium. We met our good friend and Marist Running Alum Justin Harris, now the assistant cross country coach for the Hawks.

The indoor track over there is very excellent! It is a raised, three-lane track, painted in SUNYNP blue. It is quite interesting, as the shape is best described as a circle. There are really no straightaways, but also really no sharp turns either. It’s a nice, gradual bend the whole way, and the inside lane is 9 laps to the mile. Lovely, just lovely! We are hoping to finalize a partnership with our Ulster County friends to make use of the indoor track at times during the winter months.

The accommodation of our needs by others in the regional community is something for which we are forever grateful. Our friends at the Land of Fresh (Spackenkill) have always been very welcoming to us through the years. We have truly blessed with the support of Vassar Track Coach James McCowan for the regular use of our higher education neighbor’s fine outdoor facility, and now we hope to forge a similar relationship across the river.

Maybe the long, cold winter will be a little less cold anyway …

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