Wrapped up another year of Summer Track at Myers Park
The tradition of June Summer Track
meets at Myers Park High School goes back; I don't know how many
years. I have been attending them since the mid-90 first as a
participate and now as volunteer.
I still feel the draw of the track
during every meet. I love the feeling of heading off the 2nd
turn and feeling the track turn what feels like downhill.
But I have gotten older and hopefully a
little wiser. But mostly, it is event like this that I don't want to
see disappear.
When the Charlotte Track Club folded,
Tom and Tim stepped in to continue this tradition. They kept a part of
Charlotte Running scene alive and well since that date. When Steve
made his move to Florida a few years ago, I offered up my volunteer
help.
Tim and Tom do a great job but that
doesn't mean an extra hand is needed. Putting on a track meet is 3
hours of work for those organizing it. As participate, I never really
consider what it takes to organize a track meet. The events were
announced, and I ran. This is all that I knew.
From setup time at 5:30 to 8:30, every
one is moving non-stop. Runners need to be signed in. Water table and
coolers need to be setup. Timing equipment needs to be setup.
This is all before any of the events go
off.
Then, there is recording the runners
and their times which have upload to the internet by the following
morning. And, I am just hitting the high spots.
Lastly, as everyone else is making
their way to their cars while discussing their times that they ran and
what they will do next week, those organizing it are breaking down all of the equipment to store it way until the next event.
So the next time, you see either Tim or
Tom, please tell them “Thank you” for keeping a Charlotte Running
tradition alive.
The Cool Down Runner
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