Testing the Track

I lined my sneaker soles up against the crisp white boundary stripe painted on the running track. After walking over from home this morning, the vast red rubber surface felt entirely different beneath my feet—spongy, firm, and remarkably grippy. I leaned forward into a low runner's stance, resting both hands on the textured surface to steady my balance before pushing off into a determined sprint toward the first curve. Each stride returned a lively bounce, and when I finally coasted to a halt beside the bottom riser of the bleachers, my treads were dusted in tiny red rubber flecks from a thoroughly successful run.