Construction Begins on Track Stadium Renovation

Courtesy U.S. Air Force Academy
The $3.8-million renovation is scheduled to be completed on March 1, 2011.

Aug. 18, 2010


USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - Construction crews began work this week on the $3.8-million renovation to the Cadet Track Stadium, the outdoor home of the Air Force track and field team. Once completed, the Cadet Track Stadium, located at 6,980 feet above sea level, will be one of the premier track and field facilities in the nation.

The most noticeable change to the Cadet Track Stadium will be its placement among the Academy's athletic fields. The track oval will be shifted to the North and West, increasing the track's radius by over 10 feet (from 102'0" to 112'6"). The new track will consist of eight 48-inch lanes, as opposed to the 42-inch lanes in the current layout.

The new track surface will be the BSS-1000 system, an IAAF-certified surface that is durable enough to resist the roughest weather and the toughest competition (see features below).

"Our athletes are excited about the surface," Air Force head coach Ralph Lindeman said. "It was engineered to be soft enough to prevent overuse injuries on the track, but will be extremely fast for competition."

Bleachers will be moved to the East side of the stadium, along the straightaway toward the new common finish line. ADA seating will be installed on the Northwest curve, bringing the permanent stadium capacity to 2,500. By moving the track oval, the Falcons will be able to take advantage of the existing hill on the West side, adding an additional, natural, seating area to the venue. In addition, a pressbox to house meet personnel will be built above the new finish line.

"Our coaching staff is really excited about the layout, particularly for the field events," Lindeman commented. "We believe this configuration will be one of the most complete and versatile field event facilities in the country for both practice and competition."

The majority of the field events will now be contested inside of the oval.





Two parallel long jump/triple jump runways will be located along the East straightaway, with sand pits on both ends to allow for simultaneous competition Two high jump pit positions will be located in the North End, while the discus throw ring will be situated in the Northwest corner. The South portion of the infield will consist of two shot put rings, a combination discus throw/hammer throw cage and the steeplechase water jump. There will be javelin runways on both the North and South ends of the stadium, allowing for throws in either direction, depending on the wind.

The pole vault, with dual directional runways, will be located just outside the track's West straightaway. By having a dual front pit in the middle and additional boxes at both ends, two competitions can be staged simultaneously in the same North/South or South/North direction. There will also be two additional pole vault runways and boxes on the North side of the stadium to allow for vaulting in an East or West direction.

"We've been waiting a long time for this renovation," Lindeman continued. "Undersurface water damage made our existing track unusable for home competition since the 2006 season. Typically, a track surface can be expected to last 10 years. Our track was initially installed in 1983 and resurfaced in 1995. So, we've gotten maximum use out of it!"

Air Force already has several exciting meets planned for the inaugural season of the New Cadet Track Stadium. The Falcons will host the first-ever Ris Westen Air Force Relays and the annual Front Range Invitational in April, as well as the 2011 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Championships in May. In addition, the staff is already planning for future events; from more collegiate and high school meets during the outdoor season to Youth, Paralympic, State Games and possible professional competitions in the summer months.

The new track surface should be finished in mid-October, with ancillary construction (bleachers, fencing and pressbox) completed by March 1, 2011.

BSS-1000 Surfacing Features
• Surfacing will be the BSS-1000 system of 13mm "full-pour" polyurethane, with "light encapsulation" of an alaphatic coat to bind SBR rubber granules on the surface.

• BSS-1000 is a product of Beynon Sports Surfaces, owned by FieldTurf Tarkett Company, the same company that installed FieldTurf in Falcon Stadium, as well as USAFA's Baseball and Lacrosse fields.

• Its bio-engineered force reduction layer integrates very fine SBR rubber granules with environmentally-friendly polyurethane to create an impermeable shock-absorbing cushion on contact.

• Recent installations include the University of Oregon (where the 2010 NCAA Championships were held), University of Wisconsin, University of Iowa, University of Missouri, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas-Austin, University of North Carolina, University of South Carolina, Duke University, Rice University, George Mason University and the U.S. Military Academy, West Point.

Keith Conning: I was a member of the U.S. Air Force Academy track team in 1960.