Quick answer: a 6:00 mile is 1:29.5 per 400 m lap, 44.7 seconds per 200 m and 22.4 seconds per 100 m. Run it in lane 4 and each lap is 422.37 m, so the same pace takes 1:34.5 per lap and adds 90.0 m over the mile.
How to use it
Choose the distance, from 400 m to 10,000 m, and type the goal time. Short events get 100 m splits, the 1500 m and the mile get 200 m splits, and longer races get one split per lap. If you are doing reps in an outer lane, pick that lane: the tool adds the lap length and the lap time at your pace, which is why a session in lane 3 feels slower than the watch says.
Worked example
An 800 m in 2:40 is 160 seconds over two laps: 1:20.0 per lap and 40.0 per 200 m. Run those laps in lane 2 and each is 407.04 m, so at the same speed a lap takes 160 / 800 x 407.04 = 81.4 seconds. A 5000 m in 20:00 is 12.5 laps at 1:36.0 each, starting with a 200 m at 48.0 seconds.
Lane distances on a 400 m track
Calculated from World Athletics rule TR14: lane 1 is measured 0.30 m out from the kerb, the other lanes 0.20 m out from their inside line, and lanes are 1.22 m wide. Each lane out adds 2 x pi x 1.22 = 7.67 m per lap. Lane 2 adds only 7.04 m because its measuring line sits closer to the inside. These figures are our calculation, not a published table.
| Lane | One lap | Extra per lap | Stagger for 200 m (one bend) | Stagger for 400 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 400.00 m | 0.00 m | 0.00 m | 0.00 m |
| 2 | 407.04 m | 7.04 m | 3.52 m | 7.04 m |
| 3 | 414.70 m | 14.70 m | 7.35 m | 14.70 m |
| 4 | 422.37 m | 22.37 m | 11.18 m | 22.37 m |
| 5 | 430.03 m | 30.03 m | 15.02 m | 30.03 m |
| 6 | 437.70 m | 37.70 m | 18.85 m | 37.70 m |
| 7 | 445.36 m | 45.36 m | 22.68 m | 45.36 m |
| 8 | 453.03 m | 53.03 m | 26.52 m | 53.03 m |
| 9 | 460.70 m | 60.70 m | 30.35 m | 60.70 m |
Staggers
Races run in lanes start from staggered marks so everyone covers the same distance. A 200 m with one bend needs half the per-lap difference; a full lap in lanes needs all of it. Older tracks built before 2004 may have lanes up to 1.25 m wide until they are resurfaced, which makes the outer lanes slightly longer still.
For every mile pace on one page, see the track pace chart. Set interval paces from a race with the training pace calculator, or check any pace on the mile pace calculator. Timing reps instead of laps? Set them up on the running interval timer. Counting laps on the day? Use the Lap counter.
Sources: World Athletics Technical Rules, TR14 (track measurement and lane width); IAAF Track and Field Facilities Manual 2008, 400 m standard track marking plan. Rules checked . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
How long is one lap in lane 8?
453.03 m, calculated from the World Athletics measuring rule. That is 53.03 m more than lane 1.
What are the 400 m splits for a 6 minute mile?
1:29.5 per lap in lane 1. A mile is 1,609.344 m, so four laps of 1:29.5 leave a final 9.34 m.
How much farther is lane 2?
7.04 m per lap, so 407.04 m in total, by calculation from the World Athletics rule.
What lap time is a 20 minute 5K on a track?
1:36.0 per 400 m lap, over 12.5 laps.