How long is a running track? Laps, lanes and distances explained

A standard outdoor running track is 400m long. That's the short answer, but it's only true in lane 1, and not every track in the UK is a standard one. Here's how it works.

How a 400m track is measured

The 400m is measured 30cm out from the inside edge of lane 1, which is roughly the line a runner hugging the inside actually follows. A standard track is made up of two straights of 84.39m and two bends of 115.61m, and each lane is 1.22m wide.

The outside lanes are longer

Every lane further out adds distance, because the bends get wider. One lap is about 407m in lane 2 and about 453m in lane 8. That's why races that go round a bend, like the 200m and 400m, have staggered starts: runners in the outer lanes start further ahead so everyone covers the same distance.

If you're running laps on your own, lane 1 is the only lane where a lap is a true 400m. Run a session in lane 3 and you'll be doing around 15m extra every lap.

How many laps is...?

In lane 1 of a standard 400m track:

• 800m: 2 laps
• 1500m: 3¾ laps
• 1 mile: 4 laps plus 9.34m
• 3000m: 7½ laps
• 5k: 12½ laps
• 10k: 25 laps

Four laps is 1,600m, just short of a mile, which is 1,609.34m. On a properly marked track the mile has its own start line a few metres back from the finish to make up the difference.

Indoor tracks and straights

Indoor tracks are usually 200m, and the 60m sprint is run on a straight rather than round a bend. Some venues have both an outdoor and an indoor track, such as Alexander Stadium's indoor track in Birmingham.

Outdoors, plenty of tracks have more lanes on the home straight than around the bends, so there's room for bigger sprint and hurdles races. A track described as "6 lanes, 8 lane straight" has six lanes all the way round and eight down the straight.

What UK tracks actually look like

We list 650 athletics tracks across the UK, and 525 of them are standard 400m tracks. The rest are a mix: 18 sprint straights of 60m, 14 tracks of 200m, a handful of other short tracks, and 16 still recorded at 440 yards, the old imperial lap of about 402m.

Six lanes is the most common layout, with 233 tracks, followed by eight lanes (163) and four lanes (44). 268 tracks have a straight of eight lanes or more. On surfaces, 358 are synthetic and 246 are listed as cinder.

Every track page on this site shows its distance, number of lanes, surface and whether it's floodlit, and you can browse all tracks by surface and lane count.

Using a track on your own

If you're heading to a track outside a club session, a few basics keep things running smoothly:

• Run anticlockwise, the same way as races.
• Keep the inside lanes for faster running, and use the outer lanes if you're jogging, warming up or walking.
• Look behind you before moving across lanes, just as you would changing lanes on a road.
• Don't stop or stand in lane 1 when you finish a rep. Step off to the side.
• Stay well clear of any throwing areas if a field session is going on.

Not every track is open to the public, so check before you go. Our guide to UK athletics tracks open to the public explains how access works.

The short version

A running track is 400m in lane 1 and longer in every lane outside it. Four laps is 1,600m, 12½ laps is a 5k, and most UK tracks are standard 400m tracks with six or eight lanes. If you want a true measure of your running, stay in lane 1.