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Hi

We are trying to build a wooden runway for the Comm Games 2006 pre-competition meets, and I wonder if someone has any plans?

Cheers

Wazza

Contact Bryan Carrell at Gill Athletics - their number is 800-637-3090. He has a fantastic design that he's tweaked over the years, very fast, light, and solid.

THANKS GUYS!! I have one design and have requested the other, so looks like we will be right!

I built a runway this past summer with the help of some of my vaulters. 17 sections (135 feet long when assembled), each section built from 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood. ABSOLUTELY NO nails, just 2 1/2" decking screws.
It was time consuming because we had to rip 17 sheets on a table saw, each was 7 7/8" wide. You get 6 pieces this way and still get the height you need to sink the box. Chopped 4 of the 6 pieces 43 inches long, giving us our joists and used the other 2 for side runners to attach the joists to. Assembled the joists on a 16" span, overlapping the ends of the top piece (full sheet) 16".
It's a pretty light runway and far superior in performance and strength to runways built with 2x's as joists. You can turn a piece of plywood on it's side and beat it with a sledge hammer and it won't break - ever! Try the same with a 2x4 or 2x8 and good luck.
We finished up with some deck paint to weatherproof it. Cost about $1000.00 for materials. We used it for our street vault in June and it was the most solid wooden runway I've been on.

Ask around and see if you get the plans for the runways we jump on in Reno. I think the guys at Fresno State build them, or even the people at UCS Spirit. I'm pretty sure they use simplest and cheapest method of constructing a solid runway.

Also I think the guys at U. of Washington built a nice runway just like the ones in Reno. Aparently each section is light enough for only one person to carry. That is a huge factor to consider with runways: they're a pain in the a** to move!

For those looking for a portable light weight runway, We make them. We are in Tumwater Washingtion. give us a call at 1-360-357-5543.

I built a new one for this indoor season and cut the end of my finger off. I told my vaulters they were using the most expensive runway in the world (if you count the doctor and hospital bill)

just curious, but how much does one cost to build? i have seen a couple different setups. one with the pits/standards raised to the level of the box and one where they were not. does anyone have cost figures for either design?

We have made two types wooden and now aluminum. While the wood ones cost less in material, the time and labor to get them just right is to high and they are heavy. The aluminum runway is more durable, lighter, and setup and disassembly is faster when using it indoor practice. cost $2750.00

A little off topic, but kinda neat: In the 30s they built a whole wooden track at my highschool so that during the winter runners could train for the spring season. They tore it apart in the 70s and used wood from the track to make picture frames for pictures of runners, and other gifts for retiring track coaches, etc. I've seen a picture of some alum who apparently was the first kid in the league to run a four minute mile, its framed with wood from the track and you can see all the spike marks and everything. pretty cool.

i just got done bulding half of my runway i did its alot like AVC coach's but instead of enough height to sink the box we did 4''wide rips and 36" wide so its 4 3/4" x36"x8' when assemble we used what i call bubka plywood its 14 ply birch ply wood with 4 layers of maple its from russia and used for concrete forms and it has some awsome black finish on it so there super strong. the boxes are super light compared to others i ve seen and super sturdy there so sweet i cant wait to lay em out and put my conveyer belt on