Will High Schools let you use there track ovals?

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by car54

I dunno, man...I drive a school bus and I'm at various high schools several times a day and I see the signs posted. These signs even threaten arrest for unauthorized use.

The booster clubs spend tons of money maintaining those natural fields....to avoid damaging them, varsity games are cancelled frequently if the ground is too wet. And the artificial turf fields cost near $1m and have strict rules for their use. The are NOT going to allow the situations that occur on Park Authority fields to happen at high school stadiums.


edit: maybe you're talking about the neighborhood elementary school's field of weeds? Yeah, they probably are much more lax about them...

You're right. I was confusing them with the county parks. I've also seen signs about no dogs.

[KathyR]

My daughter is a member of a track club in PWC, and they met at a local middle school (Gainesville). I use their track while she is doing her thing. Other adults did as well. I did not see any signs warning to keep off, and I plan on going there during the summer. Nice to use a paved track, away from any traffic, as well as the running/walking around the paved school grounds.

[boyd888]

I don't think I've ever seen a high school track that wasn't open to the public during off hours. Drive by and look for a sign on the track with restrictions. Some places don't want people on the track while school teams are using the field/track for practice / games.

You actually can sign up for a mailing list with Arlington County and they will mail you a schedule every month of when their tracks are open to the public (though it may be a bit far for you).

[beatlecrazy]

There are a few middle schools that I will walk or bike to, and then use their track. The tracks are just asphalt and I always make sure no teams are using it first, but they don't have a restriction sign posted anywhere, you just have to be out of there by dusk.

I haven't tried to use any high school tracks, you know, the ones that are much softer on your feet than hard asphalt (not sure of the exact material).

[Forehead]

To the OP, I live in Woodbridge (near Woodbridge High School) and run 3-4 times a week. Woodbridge High School is off limits to casual runners, the fence is usually locked and when I called to ask, they said no. However, Lake Ridge Middle School, across the street, has a track that is in good shape and is open to the public.

Plus side, you don't breathe in fumes. Down side, there are often a lot of people there that don't seem to respect unwritten track etiquette, such as not walking on the inside most lane, or not letting their kids zoom in front of runners on bikes.

Running is a nice outlet for me, but sometimes at that track, I can feel my blood pressure rising and I want to start kicking throats. I prefer neighborhood running, the Oakwood/Antietam/Mohican/Cotton Mill area has sidewalks all over and is a pleasant area to run in.

[Megadell]

Woodbridge hs is close off eh? I went to OP myself due to some weird zoning. Alright, I'll try the middle school.

[weezycom]

I know the Annandale HS track is well used by the folks around the neighborhood when school is not in session and the HS teams aren't using it.