Anyone know of any 400 meter tracks in the Seattle area (including Shoreline, Kenmore, and other outlaying areas) that have public access during the week, from like 5pm-7pm? I was using the field at Nathan Hale High School, but they just started their track practice.
Thanks!
I would guess Shoreline stadium, as there isn't a school attached to it any more. Edmonds-Woodway HS would probably be available too after practice. Maybe try some JR highs as there practices wouldn't run as late?
pnwrunner, I've been wondering the same thing, and was going to ask the boards as well.
A friend of mine recommended Roosevelt High School at 65th and Roosevelt, but perhaps there is the same access problem with track practice? At any rate, if you get any good leads let us know. I've been using the dirt track at Greenlake and a different surface would be nice.
Northgate State wrote:
I would guess Shoreline stadium, as there isn't a school attached to it any more. Edmonds-Woodway HS would probably be available too after practice. Maybe try some JR highs as there practices wouldn't run as late?
Shorewood and Shorecrest use Shoreline Stadium. Shorewood has a dirt track, so I think they are at Shoreline a lot, especially for field events. Shorecrest got their own all-weather track, so I don't think they are over there as much. But I think both school's soccer teams use it, especially for games.
Pretty much any rubber track is going to have a high school team practicing there after school. And most of the dirt tracks will be filled up once the junior high season starts. They're usually out of there by 5 or so, but what will kill you is the soccer games/track meets/club soccer practices/whatever else the facility is rented out for.
Sorry to be vague, I don't know what facilities keep their gates open after practice and which ones don't, but with all of the soccer/track/other competitions/practices going on in the spring I think it's going to be hit and miss wherever you go.
Bump...anyone got any more information?
Sounds like you're on the north end like me, so this might not be helpful but Chief Sealth, in the south end of West Seattle, has a good track. I think there is a soccer field next to it (rather than inside it) which might reduce the number of soccer games you have to compete with.
Closer to you, Ingraham HS has a track at about 155th and a few blocks from Aurora. Again, I think that soccer games don't take place inside the track (practices might). Both of these tracks will host HS practices and meets but it wouldn't surprise me if they had fewer HS athletes on non-meet days than some of the others you've mentioned.
There's also Edmonds stadium off the 220th exit of I5, just west of Aurora. I would guess it gets a ton of HS use though.
There's also Husky stadium. If you look around you can usually find an open gate. Obv, you'll have the husky track team there and you might have spring football there. However, there have been many times when I have been surprised to find it completely desserted.
You might check with Seattle Pacific University. I've used their odd shaped (but accurate 400m for the innermost lane that goes all of the way around) track several times. I'd think that most University teams would be done with practice by about that time.
West Seattle Stadium. In the same direction of chief sealth. Its the location of where SPU holds the last chance meet every year.
Dr. Fraunkensteen wrote:
Sounds like you're on the north end like me, so this might not be helpful but Chief Sealth, in the south end of West Seattle, has a good track. I think there is a soccer field next to it (rather than inside it) which might reduce the number of soccer games you have to compete with.
Closer to you, Ingraham HS has a track at about 155th and a few blocks from Aurora. Again, I think that soccer games don't take place inside the track (practices might). Both of these tracks will host HS practices and meets but it wouldn't surprise me if they had fewer HS athletes on non-meet days than some of the others you've mentioned.
There's also Edmonds stadium off the 220th exit of I5, just west of Aurora. I would guess it gets a ton of HS use though.
There's also Husky stadium. If you look around you can usually find an open gate. Obv, you'll have the husky track team there and you might have spring football there. However, there have been many times when I have been surprised to find it completely desserted.
I think all of the Seattle Public Schools that have real tracks have FieldTurf soccer fields on the inside and are scheduled heavily with school and club soccer. I could be wrong though.
SPU is a good suggestion. Other than their track practices, there is not usually much else going on except intramural softball and maybe some other intramural sports. If you ever trekked out there and the track was unavailable, you could just walk up to Queen Anne Bowl and get some dirt track action.
I can't believe I forgot about West Seattle Stadium. Yeah, it's packed with schools this time of year, but later in the evening it ought to be less crowded. It is owned by the Seattle Parks Department (though they are trying to get rid of it) not the Seattle Public Schools, so it is officially open for public use anytime it is not reserved (and not in the middle of the night obviously). Even if there were team there later in the evening, I would think you would be OK as long as you stayed out of their way. The parking sucks though.
I was coaching at King's in Shoreline up until December when I got married and had to move away, and I can tell you that they have started locking the track whenever it is not being used, so that would be tough. One of our coaches is usually there on the weekends around 3pm or so, if that is your neck of the woods.
Ballard HS just finished their track, same issues as all the other schools, but that is another rubber track to keep in mind.
If you head over to UW, you might try Dempsey Center in the evenings too. As the varsity teams start heading outside, the facility starts to open up. If you are just running around the track and there aren't any varsity teams in there, they'll usually leave you alone unless the person is coming who locks things up at night.
Here is another good suggestion: Lakeside High School. They are just off I-5 and 145th. They have a 6 lane rubber track. There is no fence around it, so it should be really easy to access in the evenings, and you can park on the street right in front of it (or they have a parking lot). They have a really sweet mix of pullup bars, parallel bars, etc over by the pole vault pit too.
seattle track wrote:
West Seattle Stadium. In the same direction of chief sealth. Its the location of where SPU holds the last chance meet every year.
Used to. Last year they combined with UW and held the meet there, and it looks like the same thing is happening this year.
Mountlake Terrace HS has a track that is always open. I used to run weekend workouts there. I am not sure what their weekday evening usage is...
If you don't mind a dirt track i would suggest the track at Lower Woodland by Greenlake. Admittedly it isn't great but is in a great area for warming up and cooling down and is always open.
I don't mind dirt, but the only problem with the Greenlake track is that large, deep puddles tend to form on the back straight and turn. Some problem with the dirt track by my house; it doesn't drain and turns into sloppy mud.
Thanks for all the ideas so far; keep 'em coming please.