These top three pictures were taken NINE years after the original pictures near the bottom. Government can throw money at stuff fast, unless it's for kids...then it's just a long, slow drag.
As of July 19, 2014 they are finally starting to do some work on our track. Let's hope it doesn't stop at this point.
Long and triple jump area with no pit which allows grass to grow into the sand. A hard landing area can cause injuries.
Our other triple jump boards.
The approach to our pole vault area. We haven't had pole vault in 10 years due to not being able to afford a mat. The "box" was rusted out and has been filled in.
One of many stains all over our track caused by people driving cars out on the track and who knows what else.
Another view where you can see some more of the failing patches we put on the track this spring.
Patches on patches and a gash where something took a chunk out of our track. You can also see where the cracks are already winning the war against the patches.
Kids in this lane get the benefit of feeling where the relay exchange zone ends. "Just feel for that clump of grass that's causing you to fall and break your fibula."
I can't get grass to grow in my yard. Maybe I should use hunks of the track as fertilizer.
This is our discus or shot put circle (not even sure which). The kids have to walk half a mile to get to the ones we use, which makes it tough on them when they have to stop and return to the track for another event.
Notice no bleachers and no fence. Nothing to keep cars off of the track when no one is around or fans off during a race. We've actually had spectators crash into athletes during races on the rare occasions that somebody agreed to come run on our track. Also notice that it would be impossible to hold a night meet with our pathetic little lights we have.
Broken ankles will occur if a kid steps off the side of the long and triple jump runways. Or in this case if they step on it.
One of our triple jump boards.
A typical section of our long jump runway.
A couple of the tar repairs that led our kids to call the track, "Patchy." It's hard to tell from the photo but the tar is actually sinking into the cracks or coming out and the repairs are only 3 months old.
This is the corner of our high jump area which is illegally small so many athletes actually start on the grass and have to step up on the asphalt as part of their approach. No wonder they're often injured.
The fringes of our track are being taken over by plants (and in some cases even the lanes). It won't be much longer before this process destroys what's left of the track.
If you go to Google earth and zoom in on our track you see patches like these from outer space.
You're probably tired of seeing pictures of the patches. Suffice it to say that it's like this all the way around.
Simply Lovely
It's hard to tell from the image, but if you run a race in land six you'll have to duck your head to dodge the branches.
Some of our distance runners acting out the way they feel after a workout on our track.