How long is each lane on a 400 m track?
Only lane 1 of a standard outdoor track measures exactly 400 m. Every lane further out follows a wider curve around both bends, so a full lap gets longer with each lane. The straights are the same length in every lane; all the extra distance comes from the two bends.
| Lane | One lap | Extra vs lane 1 | 4 laps | Lap time at 5:00/km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lane 1 | 400.00 m | — | 1600.0 m | 2:00 |
| Lane 2 | 407.04 m | +7.04 m | 1628.2 m | 2:02 |
| Lane 3 | 414.70 m | +14.70 m | 1658.8 m | 2:04 |
| Lane 4 | 422.37 m | +22.37 m | 1689.5 m | 2:07 |
| Lane 5 | 430.03 m | +30.03 m | 1720.1 m | 2:09 |
| Lane 6 | 437.70 m | +37.70 m | 1750.8 m | 2:11 |
| Lane 7 | 445.37 m | +45.37 m | 1781.5 m | 2:14 |
| Lane 8 | 453.03 m | +53.03 m | 1812.1 m | 2:16 |
How lane distances are calculated
A standard World Athletics 400 m track has two straights of 84.39 m and two semicircular bends with an inner radius of 36.50 m. Lanes are 1.22 m wide. The official running line — the path a runner is assumed to take — is measured 30 cm outside the inner kerb in lane 1 and 20 cm outside the inner lane line in every other lane.
lane 1: r = 36.50 + 0.30 = 36.80 m → 400.00 m
lane n: r = 36.50 + 1.22 × (n − 1) + 0.20
That difference in measurement line is why lane 2 is about 7.04 m longer than lane 1, while every lane after that adds 2π × 1.22 ≈ 7.67 m.
Staggered starts
In races run in lanes, the starts are staggered so every athlete covers the same distance. For one full lap in lanes (the 400 m), the stagger for each lane equals the extra lap distance in the table above. For the 200 m, which covers one bend, the stagger is half of that. For the 800 m, athletes start in lanes and break for the inside after the first bend, so the stagger is smaller again.
Using the calculator for workouts
- Doing reps in lane 2 or 3? Run the lap time shown for your lane, not the lane 1 time, or you will be running faster than intended.
- Sharing the track: etiquette usually reserves lanes 1–2 for faster runners doing reps; jog recoveries in outer lanes.
- The mile: four laps of lane 1 is 1600 m, 9.34 m short of a mile. Add about 2 seconds at 6:00/mile pace, or start 9.34 m behind the finish line.
- Indoor tracks are usually 200 m with banked turns and narrower lanes; these figures don’t apply.
Set paces first. Use the VDOT calculator to find your interval and repetition paces, then convert them to lap times for your lane here.
Lap times for common paces (lane 1)
| Pace /km | Pace /mile | 200 m | 400 m | 800 m | 1200 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 4:50 | 0:36 | 1:12 | 2:24 | 3:36 |
| 3:15 | 5:14 | 0:39 | 1:18 | 2:36 | 3:54 |
| 3:30 | 5:38 | 0:42 | 1:24 | 2:48 | 4:12 |
| 3:45 | 6:02 | 0:45 | 1:30 | 3:00 | 4:30 |
| 4:00 | 6:26 | 0:48 | 1:36 | 3:12 | 4:48 |
| 4:15 | 6:50 | 0:51 | 1:42 | 3:24 | 5:06 |
| 4:30 | 7:15 | 0:54 | 1:48 | 3:36 | 5:24 |
| 4:45 | 7:39 | 0:57 | 1:54 | 3:48 | 5:42 |
| 5:00 | 8:03 | 1:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 6:00 |
| 5:15 | 8:27 | 1:03 | 2:06 | 4:12 | 6:18 |
| 5:30 | 8:51 | 1:06 | 2:12 | 4:24 | 6:36 |
| 5:45 | 9:15 | 1:09 | 2:18 | 4:36 | 6:54 |
| 6:00 | 9:39 | 1:12 | 2:24 | 4:48 | 7:12 |
| 6:15 | 10:04 | 1:15 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 |
| 6:30 | 10:28 | 1:18 | 2:36 | 5:12 | 7:48 |
| 6:45 | 10:52 | 1:21 | 2:42 | 5:24 | 8:06 |
| 7:00 | 11:16 | 1:24 | 2:48 | 5:36 | 8:24 |
Need other conversions? The pace converter switches between per-km, per-mile and speed, and the pace calculator handles any distance.
- World Athletics. Track and Field Facilities Manual — standard 400 m track geometry and measurement lines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 · Health disclaimer