Photoessay #673 - Track Town

Continuing on from images from the past weekend.

In the past, present and future, University of Oregon has been known for it's track program Track Town. A big field with huge wooden seating areas is devoted solely to track. Historic Hayward Field. Steve Prefontaine was based in Eugene and died in an auto accident as a young man. 'Pre's status reminds me of how George Washington was referred to in Washington DC.

With the hire of a new dynamic track coach, UO is recovering some of it's previous eminence. The 2008 Olympic trials took place in Eugene last summer. Biggggg deal.

Becky S, the former women's AD, the first softball coach, a strong athlete in her own right and my roommie at the South Carolina regionals nearly two years ago said that she was running in one of the Masters Races prior to the UCLA?oregon men's dual meet taking place on Saturday afternoon. We just had to go watch Becky run. We didn't know exactly how to make it work. Fortunately for us, we were on Hannah's (Oregon player) pass list. Sometimes a softball ticket will get you into the track meet. None of the event staff at the Friday game seemed to know. But Dennis and I decided that we would go watch, even if we (gulp) paid retail to get in. Hayward Field is in the same area as Howe Field so easy to walk there.

Becky solved our problems by dropping by the tailgate before the meet and offered some tickets if anybody was interested. Yes, we were! She gave me her two season passes which is good for all of the track meets and she had some single tickets. Yay! We had tickets (see picture 1).

The next picture is from our seat near the top of the bleachers showing the western seating area and a view up into the hills. Track is a Big Deal in Eugene. My goal was to take pictures of the race. I didn't really know how to do it, my results are so so, maybe not exactly in focus. But I catch Becky starting and ending the 100m race.

We left soon afterwards to go watch the UO softball team lose to UCLA. Apparently the track meet was very close being decided on the very last relay. Go Ducks!

Tonight, Danny is speaking at Parent Group. Dennis and I are both going. I will give a report