My favorite place to run indoors was always Manley Field House in Syracuse NY, (not the PSU Ice Palace!). The track had straightaways that were at most 10 meters long, making the turns about as wide as outdoor tracks. I don't know if that makes records suspect, but so what if it does. Another great part of the whole facility was the huge cemetery across the street for the best warm-up loops ever imagined. (I've always thought cemeteries should contain jogging trails.) And still a third great thing was the huge banks of bleachers that were retracted around the entire circumference of the arena, making it feel like a cozy library with abundant wood paneling. Other PSU runners liked the place as well, as evidenced by the numerous "House Records" held by our athletes:
55 meter hurdles Rick Kleban 6.8 1985
440 yard Mike Shine 47.3 1975
47.3 Mike Sands 1976
1500 meter Larry Mangan 3:44.0 1979
4 X 880 yard (PSU) ? 7:30.9 1976
Distance Medley 10:01.8 1981
Rick Garcia
Gary Black
Mike McCahill
John Zishka
I also set my 5000 m PR there, but will not report the pitiful performance.
Addendum! It looks like it will be a go for the first annual "Horace Award". The manufacturer reports a possible production date for the Golden Putter in Feb. 09. The longest putt on the 18th Green will secure the use of the beauty for a full year.
I remember that race as I smoked your always fast finishing butt in it...well mayb not smoked but still had one of few track wins against you!!! Thanks for the great memory. I would say the warmup and warmdown is an oxymoron as I remember nearly freezing to death on both.
ReplyDeleteIt seems everywhere we run is being renewed. PSU golf course, Manley, Lehigh - addition of the Stadium. I bet Belmont Plateau may be the only place still lefet we ran. OR maybe W&M or Schenley Park. I guess you can not expect 30 years to pass and everything to stay the same...like hairlines, waistlines, and memories! bdb
BDBoyer
I just dug out my splits for that race while looking for other things. I think Ziter wrote them down for me, and I have no idea why those are the only ones I kept. I do remember you beating me that race, and I did try to catch you as evidenced by my closing 60 second quarter. I must have been asleep for those middle laps. Yeah, that it's, I was asleep in the middle. I'll go with that.
ReplyDeleteI also ran Schenley Park a few years ago, and it looked the same, but I can't quite remember the whole course. I'll never run the W and M course again after the last debacle I had there. 6.2 miles warm-up/6.2 mile race/6.2 mile warm-down followed by Kelly O'Brien having "stomach problems" the whole way home.
I always liked Manley, too, and Mike Wyatt helped make it really memorable for me back in 1979. He set the pace that day and I just hung on for dear life. Dave is right about those turns - I think they were even more gentle than an outdoor track.
ReplyDeleteSince my old AW buddy Chris Fox became head coach as Syracuse, I called him up to make sure he wouldn't run any indoor 1500s while he was there!! I may have to make a donation to Syracuse T&F!