Track & Field TERMS

Track Events

• Track: a surface made of rubber and is usually 400 meters long.

• Track lanes: boundaries marked with white lines that range from 36” wide, to 48” wide, depending on the facility. 

 

• The following races are run in lanes for our developmental series, and the athlete must stay in their lane at all times. If they take three steps in a row outside of their lane, they can be disqualified.

  • 100M (meters): a sprint down a straightaway of the track

  • 200M: ½ of a lap

  • 400M: one lap

  • **Starting commands in races of 400M or less: On your marks, set, slight pause, then the gun sound.

 

• The following races do not have a lane assignment. The athletes line up on the starting line, and are then allowed to cut over to the inside lanes designated by the official, and when they have achieved a one-stride lead

  • 800M: two laps

  • 1500M: 3.75 laps, and is known as the metric mile. A mile is actually 1609 meters, or four full laps.

  • 3000M: 7 ½ laps

  • **Starting commands in races of 800M or longer: On your marks, slight pause, then the gun sound.

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• Race-walk: a fast walking race where the athlete must keep one foot on the ground at all times and also straighten their leg upon impact to the ground each time. (This race is judged.)

• Relays: four athletes run a percentage of the race and hand a 1-foot long aluminum tube (baton) to each other.

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*Who wins a race: torso first! Arms or feet do not count.

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Field Events:

• Shot put: a round steel ball that weighs 2 kg. for 7-8 yr. olds, 6 lbs. for 9-12 yr. olds & 13-14 yr. old girls the 13-14 yr. old boys use a 4kg (8.8lbs)

• Discus: like a weighted Frisbee

• Turbo javelin: a developmental level spear training tool plastic modified (for safety) that is made especially for young competitors.

• High jump: a parallel crossbar that is jumped over from one foot, landing on three foam mats placed behind the stance.

• Long Jump: a sprint down a straightaway jumping off a white board into a sandpit.

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