Reference
Lane distances and staggers
How far one lap is in each lane of a standard 400 m track, and how far ahead each lane starts in the 200 m, 400 m, 800 m and relays.
How far is lane 8?
One lap in lane 8 is 453.03 m if you stay in the lane, 53.03 m more than lane 1. Each lane further out adds 2π × 1.22 = 7.67 m per lap. From lane 1 to lane 2 the gap is a little smaller, 7.04 m, because lane 1 is measured 0.30 m from the kerb and the other lanes 0.20 m from their line.
That is why lane 8 starts 53.03 m ahead in the 400 m. With the stagger, every lane runs exactly 400 m.
How it is calculated
A standard 400 m track has two bends with a radius of 36.50 m to the kerb, joined by two straights of 84.39 m. The distance is measured along a running line: 0.30 m outside the kerb in lane 1, and 0.20 m outside the line on the inside of every other lane. Each lane is 1.22 m wide, including the line on its right.
In the 800 m and the 4×400 m, runners leave their lanes at the break line and cut across the straight to lane 1. The diagonal is a little longer than the straight, so the stagger adds that extra:
These formulas give the published World Athletics stagger values to within 3 mm.
Worked example
An 800 m runner in lane 5. The running radius is 36.50 + 4 × 1.22 + 0.20 = 41.58 m, which is 4.78 m outside lane 1. One bend adds π × 4.78 = 15.017 m. Cutting across the back straight adds √(84.39² + 4.78²) − 84.39 = 0.135 m. The stagger is 15.152 m, or 15.15 m.
Limits
- Standard 400 m tracks only, with a 36.50 m bend radius. Older tracks with other radii, or with two different bend radii, have different staggers.
- The values are geometry. The marks on a real track come from a survey and can differ by a few millimetres.
- Indoor 200 m tracks have banked bends and their own markings. This page does not cover them.
Sources: World Athletics Technical Rules, Rule 14 (measurement of the track and lane width). IAAF Track and Field Facilities Manual, 2008 edition, data for staggered starts on the 400 m standard track.
Questions
How far is lane 8 on a 400 m track?
One lap in lane 8 is 453.03 m, if you stay in the lane the whole way. That is 53.03 m more than lane 1. In a 400 m race, lane 8 starts 53.03 m ahead, so every lane runs 400 m.
Is lane 1 shorter?
Only if you stay in your lane for a full lap. Lane 1 is measured 0.30 m from the kerb, and one lap there is exactly 400 m. In a race with a stagger, every lane runs the same distance.
Why is the 800 m stagger a little more than one bend?
The 800 m is run in lanes for one bend. After the break line, runners in outer lanes cut across to lane 1, and that diagonal is slightly longer than the straight. The stagger adds the extra: 0.42 m in lane 8.
What is the stagger for the 4x100 m?
The same as the 400 m, because the 4x100 m is run in lanes all the way round: 7.04 m in lane 2, up to 53.03 m in lane 8.
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