The Track Team Looks To Hurdle Over Problems With Their rough Terrain
By: Jessika Morgan
Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: Sports
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The surface of its track is rough and bumpy and in no condition for any runner to compete on, but that was not always the case. This particular track actually came from the 1996 Olympics and the time was taking to constructed within a series of pieces until it was complete, making it one of the finest tracks in Atlanta.
Over time the track reached its current state because of the various events that have been held on it, such as homecoming and the number of events that go along with it such as the concert. There are also large trucks that ride around on the track from time to time and it is not taken care of properly after these events.
Regardless of the track's state, it doesn't keep the medium-sized track and field team from practicing exceedingly hard. Their first meet was unusual for them as they ran an indoor practice meet in Tennessee, where the track was 210 meters in comparison to the normal 200 meters track or the traditional 400 meters. At that point, they had not yet had an indoor season.
According to some of the team members, this past meet was not too exciting and there was nothing to highlight. It was an average performance, and the results of the upcoming season are undecided.
"This season should be interesting because we have a pretty much brand new team," Phyllis Shelman-Ford predicted. "I have not seen any of the new people run under pressure, whereas you have your veterans and you know how they normally run."
Shelman-Ford would like to also express to the CAU campus running track is not easy. "We have talent and we work
very hard," she said. "Track is one of the few sports were we work very hard. We practice five days a week and when I say we work hard, we work hard. I wish our hard work would get recognized."
The next track meet will be Feb. 23 at Fort Valley. The team expects more emphasis going into this meet, because it will be an outdoor meet, which is what they usually run in.
Despite the very terrible circumstance of CAU's track, they are still practicing hard towards a successful upcoming competition as well as a promising season.
