I just came back from some intervall training. I currently do it on my normal road route wich is kind of difficult as I neither have a smart phone nor know-it-all watch.
What really makes me angry is that there is a nice new almost shiny 400 track just five minutes from my house. It belongs to a public (uhm, I'm not from the UK, so public means owned by the city) school. It is fenced in, entering strictly forbidden.
Excuse me but that bloody track was build with my tax money. I own part of it, so to say.
So I went there again after my run tonight and saw someone doing his laps on it. When I asked he said, just climb over the fence at night.
Great! I have to sneak around like a petty thief just to do some running. Makes me almost think our government wants us fat...

How do you know it was paid for with your taxes? Public schools are fee paying schools.

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2013 goals - 500 miles, complete a half marathon, sub 29 5k, sub 1:10 10k
77.7/500 miles
2013 races - Armada Athletics 3k winter series, London 10,00, Plymouth 10k
PBs - 1 mile, (8:28) 3k, (21:31) 5k, (29:59) 10k (1:13:28)
Furthest ran - 11k, target - HM distance

Just buy a smart phone or a know-it-all watch

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If you see me collaspe, pause my garmin.

Just fartlek if you have no means of measuring.

If it belongs to a public school, it is the property of that school's and ergo, that school's pupils... It is meant for the pupil's benefit to improve them as likely it is a sports school/college

Many schools will rent out their tracks, I can't believe you are angry at not being 'allowed' to use it :-/

I pay taxes for public transport, but rarely use it; should I be angry about that?

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Personal Bests
5km 18:39 | 10km 39:48 | HM 1:32:58 | Run Keeper Log | Pint Sized Runner Blog
"What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."

+1 where there's a will there's a way

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Personal Bests
5km 18:39 | 10km 39:48 | HM 1:32:58 | Run Keeper Log | Pint Sized Runner Blog
"What matters is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."

But Sofie, IndigoGirl wrote: 'It belongs to a public (uhm, I'm not from the UK, so public means owned by the city) school', which I think means she is talking about a comprehensive. I'm surprised such a school could have such amazing facilities though, perhaps it is one of these modern acadamies. When I went to school the running track was painted white lines on a normal, slightly bumpy playing field!

I know that; but a public school isn't funded by tax payers. The parents pay to send their children there.

__________________
2013 goals - 500 miles, complete a half marathon, sub 29 5k, sub 1:10 10k
77.7/500 miles
2013 races - Armada Athletics 3k winter series, London 10,00, Plymouth 10k
PBs - 1 mile, (8:28) 3k, (21:31) 5k, (29:59) 10k (1:13:28)
Furthest ran - 11k, target - HM distance

Public schools in Germany are what comprehensive schools in the UK are. Schools for everyone, no fees. The are financed by tax money only.
I guess what the equivalent to UK public schools is called private school over here.
Just to make clear that it is not private property but something owned by the city.

I can understand that they don't want all and sundry using their track arbitrarily. It could get damaged or vandalized. Maybe they could have some public sessions though where a fee could be charged for clean up, maintenance and wear and tear. Public swimming pools aren't free and technically they are 'owned' by the people....

How about enlisting the support of a local running/athletics club or two and see if the track can't maybe be made more widely available somehow? With the Olympics on there's no better time.

Just jump over the fence.. What's the worst that can happen

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If you see me collaspe, pause my garmin.

Sofie, you're thinking "public school" in the British sense. It doesn't mean the same thing overseas.

In the US, "public school" = state school, and what we would call public school is called "private school". I guess it's similar in Germany.

Why do we call it a public school if the public can't go there? I guess the same reason we say " my alarm went off" when quite clearly it didn't -it came on.

Anyways, what happened to just asking for permission?

Over here a public school would be government funded and a private school is for rich kids!

Either way, they obviously need to lock up the grounds at night.

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If you see me collaspe, pause my garmin.