How long is a running track?
A standard outdoor track is 400 metres in lane 1, about 437 yards or a quarter of a mile. Each lane is 1.22 metres wide, so a lap in lane 8 is about 453 metres.
| Lane | Lap length |
|---|---|
| 1 | 400.0 m |
| 2 | 407.0 m |
| 4 | 422.4 m |
| 6 | 437.7 m |
| 8 | 453.0 m |
Where the 400 is measured
The 400 metres is measured 30 centimetres out from the inner kerb of lane 1, the line a runner on the inside actually follows. In the other lanes the line is 20 centimetres out from the lane's inner line, so each lane further out adds about 7.7 metres a lap, and lane 2 about 7 metres.
The shape
A standard track is two straights of 84.39 metres joined by two bends with an inner radius of 36.5 metres. Most have 8 lanes; some have 6 or 9. Indoor tracks are usually 200 metres with banked bends.
Sources: World Athletics Book of Rules: Competition and Technical Rules. Updated 2026-10-31.