Plourde Recreation Center's indoor track gets a face lift

By now many of you have probably heard about, or exercised on, the new track in the Plourde Recreation Center here at Assumption. The track was officially opened at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, January 20. Many students did not expect the addition of the new track to the Plourde. Students may be wondering why the school decided to replace the track rather than some of the other equipment in the gym that is also slightly out of date. Jaron Rider, the director of recreation, explained the necessity of a new track as a good start to the updating process. The college did their research and chose a top-of-the-line surface. According to distributed material at the ribbon cutting ceremony, the track is made by Mondo and is Super X performance flooring. The surface of the track is known for its "greater durability, superior slip resistant surface, even under wet conditions, high shock absorption and excellent energy return." This type of track is used in 132 countries and is preferred by coaches and athletes all over the world.

Many, if not most Assumption students have run on the old track in the Plourde. The Track was aged and definitely in need of repair. According to Rider, the track was causing unnecessary strain on the students who used it. "The surface itself was slick especially when wet, which can happen just from participants perspiration, and the material used had hardened over time so that participants felt they were running on concrete. This is especially taxing on the knees and joints and can lead to shin splints," said Ridar. Although the old track was still getting the job done it was causing some problems and was high on the priority list for Rider since his hiring as director of recreation.

Rider specified why the school decided to spend money on the new track, rather than replacing some of the weight and cardio equipment. Rider said that although the weight and cardio equipment do need replacing they are not causing injury to students and are safe to exercise with. The school also took cost into consideration when they chose to replace the track. "The cost of new weight and cardio equipment is far more than what the track cost. These differences in cost and the more immediate need of the track led the College to move forward on this project," said Rider.

According to John Conley, a first year student and runner, the new track was a welcomed change. "I enjoy the new surface, definitely makes running on the track much better," said Conley. He had heard of a few cases of shint splints and other injuries that he believes may have been caused by the old track, and he has personally experienced joint pain running on it.

However, Conley and others on the team feel that the track is meant to benefit the entire Assumption Community rather than the actual team itself. The team has rarely used the track up to this point in the season other than for warming up. The coach tells the team members that as soon as the snow is off the ground they will be using the outdoor track at WPI. Conley said he hopes to see an outdoor full-sized track that the track and cross-country teams could use for conditioning and practices.

Sarah Roos, is a weight room supervisor in the Plourde, personally loves the track. "I'm glad the school did it; it really makes a difference in the gym," said Roos. Dean of Students, Bob Ravenelle, also in attendance at the ribbon cutting ceremony on January 20 said, "I was excited to be a part of the opening of the new track. Visually, I loved the new look with the blue and gray lanes. I was especially impressed with how comfortable it was to run on the track. I don't run a great deal due to the toll it takes on my knees, however, I had no pain or discomfort running on the track. It sort of felt like I was running on a solid mattress."

Replacing the track was part of a series of repairs that are taking place at the Plourde. The school acknowledges that the majority of students on campus use the Plourde for physical activities. According to Rider in the next several years the school hopes to replace the weight and cardio equipment. There are also plans to install a new rubber floor that is suitable for weight training. Assumption College is supporting all of these changes and is very dedicated to making them happen. Students and faculty are welcoming the new track with open arms and we can all expect more updates in the future.