Mitchell Holman wrote
Even had a water runway next to the tarmac one.

Do a "google" or "wikipedia" for "tarmac". You'll be surprised.
TARMAC is (was) a trademark for a surfacing product that is
not the Asphalt or Concrete that is used in highway or runway
construction today.

During 35 years of military and airline flying, we never used
the word tarmac.

Bob Moore