High schools and colleges across America sponsor competitive track teams. In the 2009-2010 season, track's 1,041,300 participants made it the second most popular high school sport in America, trailing only football, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. The running tracks used in competition have very specific specifications to ensure safety, performance and durability.
Length and Measure
Runners on a standard oval track, regardless of lane, must be able to cover 400 meters in one full lap. The International Association of Athletics Federations, which governs the sport worldwide, sets the rules for tracks. A standard track must have eight lanes and measure 9.76 meters wide, allowing for 1.22 meters per lane. The track should cover a space of 176.91 meters in width by 92.52 meters in length.
Layout
The "IAAF Facilities Manual" states that a track is made up of two parts -- a pair of semicircles with a radius of 36.5 meters, and a pair of straightaways with a length of 84.39 meters. When laid out, the track is braced on its inside edge by a kerb, or rail, that is between 0.05 and 0.65 meters high and between 0.05 and 0.25 meters wide. If you were to trace the kerb around one lap, it would measure 398.116 meters, according to the manual. When angles and expansion are calculated, this means the runner in the inside lane can complete 400 meters in one lap. Track designers can then measure and lay out the remaining eight lanes to complete a full track.
Incline
The track does not need to be perfectly flat. To promote good drainage, track builders can pitch the track inwards, declining by 1 percent from the highest point. The track can never incline or decline more than 0.1 percent in one lane.
Runner Safety
The IAAF mandates a 1 meter wide safety zone on the inside and outside of the track to protect the runners. The zones must be flush to the track surface and free of obstacles. There are no medians between lanes, but runners who cross out of their lanes can be penalized or disqualified.
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