How is the Ohio State Indoor Track?

Thee Ohio State Buckeyes!!

It's just a basic 200 meter flat track. Not sure it will make much of a difference either way for a 1600.

ok, thank you!

they used to call it the "4 seasons track" cause it was one heat on every section. i think the back straight used to be really hot

It’s an indoor track, the same as all the other ones at indoor university facilities.

You could also checkout the RPACs indoor track.

Smart move on the indoor track atm, Ohio is freezing and I don’t run outside when it’s below 10 with windchill.

I think one of the JO recs has one too?

AverageForFun wrote:

It’s an indoor track, the same as all the other ones at indoor university facilities.

You could also checkout the RPACs indoor track.

Smart move on the indoor track atm, Ohio is freezing and I don’t run outside when it’s below 10 with windchill.

I think one of the JO recs has one too?

Wouldn't reccomend the RPAC indoor track, really small and tough to go fast enough on it. If you're not doing a meet at the track, it might be hard to get into the track.

OP -

Having raced and coached kids that have raced on OSU's indoor surface over the years, here's my opinion:

KW is right - it's just a basic 200m flat track. The turns are a little tight, and there isn't a ton of space to warm up. The advantage is you can get a good sampling of the better Columbus (and sometimes Cincinnati) area teams, which generally keep the ball rolling in the 1600.

If you are looking to PR, though... look to the 300m tracks over OSU's. There is a reason the NCAA uses conversion factors for oversized (more than 200m) tracks... they are faster.

If you can do it, look to the meets at SPIRE, YSU, Akron (all 300m), and Kent State (292m). Check out the results from the year before; most of the teams you see from 2019 will generally be back from year to year.

If you are looking for a meet, the state coaches association has a schedule here:

https://oatccc.com/indoor-track/schedule.aspx

Good luck!

Back in the early 80s it was great to race at the French Field House and their huge 200m track. A lot of the tracks were 11 laps/ mile.

Oldhio guy wrote:

Back in the early 80s it was great to race at the French Field House and their huge 200m track. A lot of the tracks were 11 laps/ mile.

It was best to run laps there when the giant yoga/fitness class was in session on the infield.

Oldhio guy wrote:

Back in the early 80s it was great to race at the French Field House and their huge 200m track. A lot of the tracks were 11 laps/ mile.

There were not many indoor tracks in Ohio at that time so 200m was a palace. However, I preferred the small tracks because I struggled on the hill on the backstretch at French Field House.