The distance around a track varies from lane to lane because the turn radius increases in the wider lanes. Knowing the difference in the distance around the track is very important for races that cover at least one turn. For races such as the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash, you must know the distance in order to make sure that each competitor runs the same amount. To calculate the distance for each lane, you need to know the straightaway distance, the turn radius and the width of each lane.
Instructions
1. Measure the distance from the start of the straightaway to the end of the straightaway. The straightaway starts where the turn ends--not where the starting line is for the 100-meter dash--and ends where the next turn begins, not at the finish line.
2. Measure the distance across the infield of the track to find the turn diameter.
3. Divide the turn diameter by two to find the turn radius.
4. Measure the width of each lane. Most lanes are between 1.2 and 1.28 meters wide.
5. Use the following formula to calculate the distance for any lane. S is the straightaway length. R is the turn Radius. L is the lane number. And W is the lane width:
Distance = 2 * S + 2*π (R + (n - 1) * W)
For example, if the straight away is 90.1 meters and the turn radius is 35 meters, lane one would be about 400 meters. If the lane width is 1.22 meters, a lap in lane five would be about 430.65 meters.
Tags: turn radius, each lane, meters lane, would about meters, about meters