Am I allowed to run on a local public high school track with an open gate?

I want to say it ok to use it.

I graduated from my high school about 4 years ago and I still go there to use the track even during school hours.

Bigrobkerr wrote:

I’m not sure why they would do something like that .

Many good reason and some have already been mentioned. A swastika was carved into a track surface in my town. Wear and tear can be increase by things other than running that people would do (bikes, skateboards, dogs, everything)

We have quite a few problems with vandalism at one local track. At end of winter, the covers over the pole vault were rolled back and they found lots of needles (not from pine trees either). Problem is, the council doesn't have the cash for 24x7 security. So now it's only open on club nights. There may be good reasons to keep it closed.

It's best to ask. If you can get a group together to train at a certain time each week, that's a very reasonable request.

obamaphone wrote:

If you pay your taxes, you have the right to use it.

If you are a voter in the district you have every right to vote for people who support opening the track. And to advocate for in the press and in public. I suspect track access doesn’t move most political needles.

Even a homeless person who pays no taxes has that right. Rights are not distributed because you pay taxes. And policy determines who accesses facilities, it’s not a right in any sense of the word.

TheXCrunner wrote:

I want to say it ok to use it.

I graduated from my high school about 4 years ago and I still go there to use the track even during school hours.

Wow...during school hours and that didn't draw any attention? Usually in today's climate with school safety issues that would have drawn some attention from school security/resource officers.

OK to use as long as the track (or its infield) is not being used.

I know it sounds crazy.

but I know most of the staff who are working the school plus the coaches know me very well. I also have some of the track records in my high school.

What's the worst that could happen? No one would arrest you. you would just be asked to leave. you're just running on a track!

As long as you don't defecate on the track: ?

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20139678/school-superintendent-caught-pooping-on-track/

Future masters champion wrote:

So I drove to the local public high school and noticed that the gate to the track/football field was wide open. Keep in mind that it was 3 PM and school was on summer break so nobody was anywhere near the area. I looked for signs and didn't see any about trespassing but at the same time I didn't see any saying that it was open to the public. Therefore I'm curious to know if I'm allowed to use it to do speed work when necessary.

Even if its gated, My MO was always to just jump it.

Our school track wasn't built with tax dollars, it was built mainly by donations.

So you might want to check first.

Blissful ignorance is always the best policy with issues like this. Use it until you are told not to. What's the worst that could happen? An officer sees a runner running on the track.. The officer issues a verbal warning...

Yes, use it if the gate is open, unless told otherwise.

Your taxes paid for it, so why not?

Also, lots of drivers who see you "on the streets" would prefer you were "on a track," so there you go.

If locked, or signs say no, contact the school and try and negotiate an open day, or open hours night, then promote it to other runners. Hold all-comers meets or whatever.

If that still doesn't work, run intervals around their soccer fields, of if enough ground at the school, put on a Park Run. You paid for it, after all.

The track that my club trains is part of a public school in a sketchier part of town, so it surrounded by some pretty big fences and is locked up when teams aren't using. We rent it during the evening, and sometimes adult runners or even some running clubs train at the same time as us. Technically they shouldn't be there but no one really cares as long as they don't both the younger athletes or jog in lane one.

Once I hopped the fence to get onto another high school's track during the summer, the cops passed by during my run and didn't do anything, so I don't think anyone really cares.

Worst case someone will tell you to leave.

The high school I went to the track is closed but I run on it any ways. My senior year our coach asked the AD if he could open the track so we could do workouts after school ( my team had no actual practices for indoor we did workouts on our own). The AD was angry and told our coach the reason our track is closed it to protect the football field. Now I do my stride on the field.

There are 2 high schools nearby. One totally prohibits non-students. Even though it's never locked up, the security people will kick you off if they see you on it. The other is generally open to the public and the track coach not only let me use it during track team workouts, he made his kids keep a lane clear for me.

I would use an open track during non-school hours until I'm told that I can't. If I am ever told that I can't I would ask for consistency which would mean no public use of the tennis courts, no public use of the ball fields/courts and no use of the playground equipment at the elementary schools. Also, many people use the parking lots to help train their teenagers to drive. That should be prohibited as well.

I dont bother working out at any local school since pretty much all of them employ a security guard to keep watch over the premises.

I asked the coach, "Might i test my fate,

To run on that track with an open gate?"

He said, "Yes! My runners will see

Just how fast a runner may be,

To run the track with an open gait!"