FORSYTH, Ga. — School is almost out and summer is on the way. Once students at Mary Persons start their summer vacations, the school will start a makeover on the school's track.
Typically, Justin Wachtel isn't leisurely walking on the Mary Persons track. He is making full strides toward the finish line.
"I just love the competitive aspects. It's just you against everybody else in your race, and it's just one on one trying to beat everybody," said Wachtel.
Wachtel won state this year for the 3200-meter run. Since 7th grade, he's worked to outrun all his competitors.
If you go onto Mary Persons track now, you won't see any lines at all.
"We kind of had to be creative, and measure them out ourselves, and you know paint starting lines, and paint our on relay zones," said head track coach, Kip Burdette.
He says all season, his team ran on bare asphalt.
"It's tough on your joints, it's tough on your shins, your lower leg, you have some lower leg issues," said Burdette.
The school previously patched up certain spots on the six-lane track, but the rubber adhesive didn't stick to the asphalt and it started to bubble up.
Monroe County Schools ripped up the track back in October because it was a safety hazard.
So, they are using $300,000 in E-SPLOST funds to give it a makeover, completely resurfacing the asphalt and then putting the rubber adhesive on top.
"It's really been hard to just be on it and not really have anywhere else to go to. It's going to be fun to just be on a real track," said Wachtel.
Once track runners like Wachtel head back for next season, they will have a much smoother run.
Monroe County Schools says they plan to have the track finished by this fall.
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