Track and Field Events Explained: A Beginner’s Guide

Track and field is the collective name for athletics events held in a stadium, grouped into running events on the track, jumping and throwing events on the infield (the “field”), and combined events that score several disciplines together. A standard outdoor track is 400 metres around, so a single lap is the 400m race. Road events such as the marathon and race walking are usually counted as part of athletics but are held outside the stadium.

The groups below follow the way governing bodies and results tables organise the sport, which also makes results easier to read.

How the track itself works

A standard outdoor track has two straights and two bends, and between six and nine lanes. Because the outside lane covers more ground on a bend, races that stay in lanes use a staggered start so everyone runs the same distance. That is why the 200m and 400m start lines look scattered. For races that begin in lanes and then merge, such as the 800m, runners follow the lane markings only to a marked break line.

Athletes also use different starts. Sprinters crouch in starting blocks and react to a gun; distance runners use a standing start. A false start in a sprint can lead to disqualification in international competition, so reaction is never rewarded at the cost of accuracy.

Sprints

Sprint events are short and run flat out: the 100m, 200m and 400m. The 100m is a straight-line race, the 200m starts on the bend, and the 400m is one full lap. Sprinters start from blocks and stay in their lane for the whole race. The 400m sits on the border with middle distance because it needs both speed and the ability to hold form as fatigue builds.

Middle distance

The usual events are the 800m (two laps), 1500m (three and three-quarter laps) and the mile, although the mile is not part of the Olympic programme. Athletes start in lanes for the first bend of the 800m, then break to the inside. Races are tactical: runners jostle for position, and a strong finishing kick often decides it. Training for these events mixes endurance work with speed, a theme covered in the 400m and 800m training basics.

Long distance

Track events longer than 1500m include the 3000m, 5000m and 10,000m. The 5000m is twelve and a half laps; the 10,000m is twenty-five. Pacing is the central skill, because starting too fast costs time in the closing laps. Cross-country running and the marathon, which is 42.195 kilometres, are related disciplines outside the stadium.

Hurdles and steeplechase

• Sprint hurdles: 100m for women and 110m for men, with barriers placed at fixed intervals so that athletes take three strides between each.
• 400m hurdles: one lap with ten hurdles for both men and women.
• 3000m steeplechase: a distance event with fixed barriers and a water jump, which athletes clear by stepping on the barrier and landing in the water pit.

Relays

Teams of four pass a baton. The 4x100m and 4x400m are standard in major championships. A mixed 4x400m relay, with two men and two women, joined the Olympic programme at the Tokyo Games. The baton must be passed within a marked exchange zone, and a dropped or badly passed baton can mean disqualification.

Jumping events

There are four, each with its own technique:

1. Long jump: run along a runway, take off from a board and land in a sand pit; the distance is measured from the board to the nearest mark.
2. Triple jump: a hop, a step and a jump in sequence.
3. High jump: clear a horizontal bar without knocking it off; the bar rises after each round.
4. Pole vault: use a flexible pole to clear a high bar.

Throwing events

The four standard throws are the shot put, discus, hammer and javelin. The shot is pushed from the shoulder rather than thrown, and the hammer is a metal ball on a wire with a handle. Each athlete gets a set number of attempts, and the best valid throw counts.

Combined events

The decathlon, for men, has ten events over two days. The heptathlon, for women, has seven. Athletes earn points for each event according to a scoring table, and the highest total wins, which rewards all-round ability over any single specialism.

Reading results

Track results are usually given in times, field results in distances or heights. How these appear in a table, including wind readings, record abbreviations and qualifying marks, is explained in the guide to how to read track and field results.

Frequently asked questions

How many events are in track and field?

It depends on the competition. The Olympic athletics programme has roughly fifty events for men and women combined once road events and relays are counted, and national championships and school meetings use different, often smaller, programmes.

What is the difference between track and field?

Track events are races on the oval. Field events are jumps and throws held in the infield and in runways beside the track.

Which event suits a beginner?

There is no single answer. School and club coaches often let new athletes try several disciplines before specialising. A good start is to try a few and then talk to a qualified coach.

Where to begin

Pick two or three events that interest you and watch full races, noting how the different disciplines use speed, technique and strength. Joining a local club gives access to qualified coaches and safe equipment, which matters most for throws and vaulting.