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TRACK CALCULATOR |
NOTE: To use the calculator, a red "Java Enabled" must
appear at right -->
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If the phrase does not appear, change your browser settings to enable
Java (or JavaScript). |
Have you ever been frustrated by having to use the outer lanes of
the local high school or college track. You know what you want to
do in Lane 1 but are not sure how to adapt your plan to the outer
lanes. You could give up on using the track, you could bully your
way onto Lane 1, OR you could use our Track Calculator to
develop confidence in using any lane of the track for almost any
workout. With this Calculator, you can easily perform the following
functions:
FUNCTION - example question that can be answered by the
function
convert distance
to laps - How many laps must I complete to cover 5 miles in
Lane 8?
convert laps to
distance - How far did I go if I just completed 12 1/2 laps
in Lane 3?
convert pace to
lap time - What lap time in Lane 5 equates to a 6-minute/kilometer
pace?
convert lap time
to pace - What was my mile/kilometer pace if my lap time in
Lane 1 was 2:35?
compare lane lap
times - How do lap times vary by lane if moving at the same
mile pace?
If you have questions about the calculator and its calculations,
please see See NOTE 1 and the other notes for answers. If
your workouts are on a track that has an odd shape (e.g., curves
are not circular arcs), please see NOTE 2 before proceeding. Otherwise, let's
get right to the Calculator.
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NOTES: 
NOTE 1 - GENERAL: All conversions to and from the metric
system are based on 1 foot equaling .3048 meters. For lap and pace
time entries, no entry in the minutes or seconds box is considered
to be a zero. All pace times are shown in whole seconds where .5
seconds or higher is rounded up to the next higher second. All lap
times are shown in tenths of a second where .05 seconds or higher
is rounded up to the next higher tenth of a second.
NOTE 2 - TRACK SHAPE: This calculator is only accurate on
tracks that are circular, or which consist of 2 or more straightaways
connected by curves that are arcs of a circle. For tracks of other
shapes, the calculations will be only reasonable approximations
-- though very useable for most people.
NOTE 3 - TRACK SIZE: Tracks are defined by the distance traveled
during one circuit of the primary lane (usually Lane 1). For example,
a "400-meter track" usually indicates that one lap in Lane 1 covers
400 meters. The size of the track should be available from the office
of the athletic staff that operates the track, and may be available
from people who regularly use the track (though caution should be
exercised in taking their word for it).
One indicator of a 400-meter outdoor
track or 200-meter indoor track is the presence of only one arced
starting line. On 440-yard outdoor tracks and 220-yard indoor tracks,
other arcs appear beyond the main starting arc and are marked as
the 200-meter (indoor) or 400-meter (outdoor) starting lines.
One simple method for measuring a track is
to rent a surveyor's wheel from a local equipment rental agency
for a few hours (or borrow one if possible) and actually measure
the length of Lane 1. After resetting the measurement counter to
zero, roll the wheel along a path 20cm or 8" out from the inside
line of Lane 1 (30cm or 12" out from a curb) for about three laps
and divide the total reading by the number of laps measured. If
needed, multiply feet by .3048 to obtain the average distance in
meters. Most outdoor tracks are 400 meters (1312' 4") or 440 yards
(1320' 0" or 402.336 meters). Most indoor tracks are 200 meters
(656' 2") or 220 yards (660' 0" or 201.168 meters). If your own
measurement is fairly close to one of these numbers, you can probably
assume the track is of a standard size. As an example, a 3-lap test
with my wheel yielded an average lap length of 1309' 8" (or 399.19
meters) for a 400-meter track with no curb. The difference comes
from a combination of a less-than-perfect wheel, my measuring the
curves at more or less than 20cm from the inside line, and some
weaving as I tried to maintain the 20cm separation. (Using the same
wheel to measure the width of all six lanes yielded an average lane
width right at 42".)
NOTE 4 - REFERENCE LANE VARIATIONS: A very few tracks are
defined by the length of a lap in a lane other than Lane 1. This
practice often reflects the placement of a track in a very confined
space, and most often appears with indoor tracks. In such cases,
the "reference" lane usually serves as Lane 1 during a track competition,
and the inner lanes are usually considered as practice lanes. When
using this calculator for such tracks, enter the number of the "reference"
lane when entering the track size and the calculator will properly
calculate the distance around all outer (longer) lanes and inner
(shorter) lanes.
It should be noted that the width of
the inner "practice" lanes on such a track might be of a different
width than the outer "official" lanes. If this is the case, this
calculator will be valid only (1.) for the inner lanes plus the
"reference" lane (if the width of the inner lanes is entered), OR
(2.) for the "reference" lane plus the outer lanes (if the width
of the outer lanes is entered). In either case, the track size (which
refers to the "reference" lane) and number of the "reference" lane
should be entered above in setting the track size. On such tracks,
there is a curb only if it exists on the inside of the "reference"
lane.
NOTE 5 - LANE WIDTH: A lane's width includes the width of
one AND ONLY ONE line defining the lane (as illustrated below).
The lane width on the track should be available from the office
of the athletic staff that operates the track, or can be measured
with a measuring tape. If hand measured, it is recommended that
you measure the width of 3-5 middle lanes (including the width of
the same number of lines) and divide by the total by the number
of lanes measured. Note that a metric width of 1.22 meters (48.03")
is very close to the width of a 48" lane, and you may not be able
to (or care to) discern the difference. |
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It is recommended
that you NOT use the inner or outer lanes to make your lane measurements
because the inside line (or curb) of Lane 1, and the outside line
of the outer lane, may not be the same width as the lines between
two lanes. The widths of the inside-most and outside-most lines
are apparently not critical to the proper layout of a track.
Per standards of track design, all calculations
are based on a person walking a path 20 centimeters (about 8 inches)
from the line defining the side of the lane nearer the center of
the track EXCEPT in Lane 1 of a track with a curb where a
person is considered to be walking a path 30 centimeters (about
12 inches) from the curb. See illustration below where the dotted
line is the person's walking path. |
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NOTE 6 - CURBS: By the rule book, curbs are 5cm (2") wide
and 5cm (2") high -- or 6.5cm (2.5") high if raised to permit water
to drain under it. They are installed to help insure that an athlete
does not follow a path inside of Lane 1 during a race.
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I want to thank Dr. Wayne Armbrust for his technical
help in my preparation of this Web page. Wayne is the
president of Computomarx, a firm that provides track and field products
and consulting services -- including support for the proper marking
of track surfaces. For more information about Computomarx, go to
www.computomarx.com.
Please note, however, that any errors in the text on, or calculations
made by, this Web page are solely my responsibility as the Webmaster.
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 FOUND
AN ERROR? |
This page
is intended to serve walkers and runners, novices and world-class
athletes -- anyone who uses a track. If you find ANY errors (however
minor) in the narrative, assumptions, parameters, or calculations
of this Web page, please e-mail me at Phowell222@aol.com. Comments
and suggestions are also most welcome. Phil Howell, Webmaster
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