On July 1, 1999, Penn State opened a new indoor, Multi-Sport Facility that  includes a gorgeous 200-meter track with six 42" lanes -- the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track.  There are also eight (48") 60-meter straight lanes for dashes and hurdles. (By way of comparison, the PSU outdoor track has nine 48" lanes.) MSF/Ashenfelter is an impressive high tech facility, with hydraulically adjustable banking, a sophisticated computer timing/display system, 800 permanent seats, and additional portable seating.  It is one of the fastest indoor tracks in the U.S.; some national year's-best times have already been run there.

The new facility is just behind the Bryce Jordan Center.  It is a $16 million Intercollegiate Athletics facility -- that is, it isn't being paid for out of tuition or state appropriation dollars -- and is primarily intended for varsity and club sports. It is generally available for open recreation to faculty, staff, or students Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, during the Fall and Spring semesters, while the university is in session. But again, PSU teams have priority.  Sign in at the desk on the first floor outside the track. For more information, call 814-865-8887.

By the way, Mr. Ashenfelter is a Penn State grad with a wonderful history.  Born in 1923 in Phoenixville, Pa, he is the only American to hold the world record in the steeplechase, achieving that feat at the 1952 Olympic Games, winning in 8:45.4. The victory helped him win the 1952 Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete.  He also won the 1949 national collegiate two-mile title while at Penn State.  He was an FBI agent after college and during his competitive days, and has been a good and generous friend of Penn State.  

For your training, we've computed a stagger chart for the MSF/Ashenfelter track so that you can calculate distances in any of the lanes. And there's also a pace chart to enable you to pace youself in lane for the Indoor Mile Series.