www.sportsturfonline.com

Facility&Operations By Mary Helen Sprecher

12 SportsTurf | May 2009

What you need to knowabout modern running tracks

THE COATESVILLE AREA (PA) HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM features a new synthetic turf surface, a renovated running track and new amenitiesto enhance its football facilities. ELA Sport of Lititz, PA acted as athletic facilities design consultant as well as project engineer. Photo cour-tesy of ELA Sport.

>>

OOKAY, you know a thing or two about tracks. They’re oval inshape. They’re 400 meters in distance. And it’s been a long timesince you saw one made out of cinders. But if that’s the extent ofyour knowledge, consider this your introduction.

Today’s track surfaces may look alike but they can vary greatlyin terms of construction, surfacing, drainage, etc. Ultimately, fac-tors such as site, budget and intended use influenced the selection

decision. Here is an overview of the essentials, including the com-ponents of a track, how they come together, and the best strategiesfor maintaining the facility as a whole.

According to the American Sports Builders Association(ASBA)’s publication, Running Tracks: A Construction andMaintenance Manual, construction begins with site preparation:grading, compaction and drainage. Next comes the installation of a

Runner Illustration courtesy of istockphoto.com

SportsTurf 13www.stma.org

mat with a seal and a polyurethane structural spray top coating, a pre-manufactured base mat witha seal and polyurethane coating applied to the base mat with embedded colored EPDM rubbergranules, and a pre-manufactured, vulcanized rubber product that is installed in a single layer anddoes not require any further finishing for use.

While some uncoated asphalt tracks or unbound natural surface tracks such as cinder, clay,expanded shale or decomposed granite, are still in use, current guidelines and recommendationsare no longer developed or issued for such surfaces.

base of crushed aggregate (limestone or gravel),or of processed or recycled asphalt or concrete.

Paving commences once a base has beenlaid. Asphalt is the most frequently used pavingmaterial. Asphalt is a flexible pavement; it isable to “give” slightly to compensate for theground’s movement due to settling, to theaction of water, and to freeze/thaw activity.However, as it gets older, asphalt shrinks andhardens and is prone to cracking. Asphalt usedcan be either regular highway asphalt, or per-meable asphalt that allows water to drain downthrough the track.

The surface is installed over the pavement.Generally, track surfaces fall into two cate-gories: permeable (or porous) meaning waterdrains through the surface, and impermeable(or non-porous), meaning water drains and/orevaporates off the surface. Which is right foryou depends on the site, weather and geo-graphic conditions and other factors.

A variety of products are used in the con-struction of a track surface. They includeprimers (latex primers and polyurethaneprimers), binders (SBR or Styrene-Butadiene-Rubber latex binder, acrylic-latex polyresinbinders or polyurethane binder), and coatings(water-based coatings or various polyurethanecoatings). Beyond these, the major productused in the construction of a track surface isrubber (black rubber particles, colored rubberparticles and pre-manufactured rubber prod-ucts are used.)

Generally, systems are divided into threecategories, any of which may be suitable for agiven installation:

Latex systems. These consist of rubber par-ticles bound together by a water-based latexbinder that can be broken down into black matsystems, colored binder systems, colored sand-wich systems and full-depth color systems.

Polyurethane systems These can be bro-ken down into polyurethane base mat surfac-ing systems-permeable, polyurethane base matstructural spray systems-permeable,polyurethane sealed base mat structural spraysystems-impermeable, polyurethane base matsandwich systems-impermeable andpolyurethane full pour surfaces-impermeable.

Pre-manufactured tracks. These can bebroken down into a pre-manufactured base

14 SportsTurf | May 2009 www.sportsturfonline.com

Facility&Operations

MaintenanceTracks, like your house, do not hold value

without regular upkeep. Daily, weekly, month-ly, seasonal and annual maintenance will helpkeep a track in good repair. (Yes, this includesall-weather surfaces; just because it has thatnickname does not mean it can withstand sea-son after season without regular checkups andcare).

“Most track surfaces are maintenance-free,meaning that the owner cannot do any realmaintenance other than washing the trackduring the dry season and touching up num-bers and triangles when the paint is worn out,”says Luca Reinaudo of Mondo USA. “But inour opinion the emphasis should be on pre-ventive maintenance.”

According to the professionals who design,build and supply materials for those facilities,scheduled maintenance and constant vigilanceare the keys that year after year, result in a greatexperience for athletes and coaches alike whenthey step onto a track.

“It’s the small maintenance items that turninto big headaches when neglected,” says SamFisher of Fisher Tracks.

Problems with a track might be occurringunderneath, but the first place you’ll see themis the surface. Do a walk-through of the facili-ty on a regular basis. Daily is best, but weekly

should be the minimum, particularly whenthe track is in heavy use. Create a schematicshowing the track, and make notes to yourselfto document any irregularities, such as high orlow spots, dings, damage and more. Carry adigital camera and take photos of any areas ofconcern, then e-mail them to the contractorwho put in your track, who can give you a call,or come out to inspect the facility.

Keep the surface clean at all times, and freeof grass clippings, dirt, gravel and other debris.(A leaf blower is a low-tech tool, but it workswonders in this case). Otherwise, once athletesbegin working out on the track, the debrisstarts getting ground in, causing damage.Check gates to make sure they are not draggingon the surface and abrading it. Check, too, tosee that gate latches are working properly.

The fence, including the perimeter fence,fence mazes and the fence separating the standsfrom the track, should be checked regularly.Check all rails for good connections, and lookfor any bulging, sagging or tears in the fencefabric. Have problems fixed immediately.

Ascertain that sprinklers for the field or forthe surrounding landscaping are not sprayingonto the track and overloading it with water.Clean out drains; keep them free of grass clip-pings, leaves, dirt, litter and other debris thatcan clog them and keep them from working

effectively. If you see water ponding on thetrack, alert the contractor.

“A super-saturated subbase will rot theasphalt, creating a great deal of vapor pressureon the underside of the rubber surface andcausing bubbling and delamination,” saysFisher. “In addition, we have asphalt strip-ping. Lastly, there are the sheer cosmetics ofthe discoloration due to the hardness andmineral content of the water itself.”

Another way of protecting the surface?Allow only foot traffic on it. Use boards orrubber matting to protect the surface.Additionally, signage around the track shouldindicate rules concerning footwear (softspikes, etc.) The contractor who put in thesurface will be able to provide more specificrecommendations. Many times, those engag-ing in other sports will run across the track ontheir way to the field, not realizing how muchdamage they cause. Again, putting mats orboards at entrance and exit points can helpsave your surface.

Because many facilities are open for com-munity use, more than runners and walkerswill take advantage, often to the misfortune ofthe facility manager. Dog walkers may use thefield, and parents with children in strollers (orolder children on tricycles and bicycles) andothers may want to use the track. All theseundesirable uses will have a negative effect onthe facility, and on the ability of athletes to useit for its intended purpose. Be vigilant aboutenforcing the rules.

“Seventy-five per cent of damages that wesee on tracks are due to misuse of the facility,and could be avoided if appropriate signs wereposted,” says Reinaudo.

The best maintenance advice? Talk tomanagers and athletic directors who havefacilities you’re particularly impressed withand find out what they do. �

Mary Helen Sprecher wrote this article onbehalf of the the American Sports BuildersAssociation (ASBA), a non-profit associationhelping designers, builders, owners, operatorsand users understand quality sports facility con-struction. ASBA has available at no charge pub-lications aimed at assisting turf managers andothers, as well as their Membership Directory.See www.sportsbuilders.org.

THIS SHOT IS OF MIDDLETON (WI) HIGH SCHOOL’S FACILITY that features a nine-lane trackas well as a portion of the newly installed sports field. Photo courtesy of Rettler Corp., StevensPoint, WI.

>>