Cinder track
generally a refined dirt running track for track and field competitions
A cinder track is a type of race track, generally purposed for track and field or horse racing, whose surface is composed of scoria, also called cinders. For running tracks, many cinder surfaces have been replaced by all-weather synthetic surfaces, which provide greater durability and more consistent results, and are less stressful on runners, although the surface temperatures can be much hotter (up to 147 degrees Fahrenheit). The impact on performance as a result of differing track surfaces is a topic often raised when comparing athletes from different eras.
Notable usage
Synthetic tracks emerged in the late 1960s; the 1964 Olympics were the last to use a cinder track.
The Little 500 bicycle race at Indiana University is still run annually on a cinder track.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Cinder track” is generally a refined dirt running track for track and field competitions. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Cinder, track and generally, not as a finished interpretation.
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The phrase “generally a refined dirt running track for track and field competitions” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 30, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q722354. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1964.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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This entry incorporates text from “Cinder track” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.