Freehold Township High School’s track is about to be replaced, and after years of frustration surrounding the running surface at our school, the track and cross country teams alike rejoice at the much needed fix.

Caitlin Poss, a senior on the track and cross country teams, has been dealing with this poor running environment for four years. “The track was literally falling apart as we ran on it,” Poss said. “It wasn’t even a track; it was basically asphalt with a paper-thin layer of rubber on it,” she continued.

“We could easily pull up huge pieces of track from the ground,” said Amanda Whittaker, a senior at FTHS. “It was unsafe for us because the pieces that were unintentionally pulled up were hard to see and could easily be tripped over and running on such a hard surface all of the time without any cushion can cause injury,” she added.

The track’s construction has been in progress since early August, and will be completed around late October. The track will feature a new and refreshing color— red— that contrasts greatly with the plain and dull black of the previous track. Since it is new and not worn down by spikes and running shoes, it will be springier and softer, a must-have for any serious runner.

Senior runner Ciara O’Donohuge expressed her excitement towards the new track. “We can finally have meets at our school now. In past years, home meets had to be rescheduled to a different location because other teams refused to deal with our track. It could have been damaging to other runners because it was worn so thin,” O’Donohuge said.

Another senior, Sabrina Healy, feels the same way about the situation. “I’m so grateful for this new track. It will be a great addition to the running program and make the school a better place to train,” Healy said excitedly.

Jackie Hall, yet another senior runner, asserts these positive comments. “We finally feel as if the track program is important at our school. This change has definitely placed an emphasis on the betterment of our runners as a whole, and it feels good to be recognized,” she beamed.

With numerous state and national titles, the track team is one of the most successful teams in the school. It only makes sense that they have the best facilities to compete and practice on. The teams looks positively toward the future and are excited to start out on the right track.