Olympic track distances, explained: How many miles and laps is 10000 meters, 5000 meters and more conversions

With the 2024 Olympics well underway, the track and field events taking place at Paris' Stade de France have left no shortage of excitement and amazing moments.

Every four years, the world’s fastest and most determined runners enter the grand stage in pursuit of gold. The competition never disappoints.

Olympic track and field events are a cornerstone of the Summer Games. From the last-minute bursts in speed from sprinters to win shorter races or the will to push through multiple laps to claim victory in the longer distances, they all create sports moments that will last a lifetime.

Here's a complete guide to each Olympic track and field races by distance, with conversions from meters to laps and miles.

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Olympic track and field races by distance

Olympic track and field races span from 100 meters, or a quarter of a lap, to 10000 meters, which is 25 laps and 6.21 miles.

Olympic track and field length

An Olympic track is 400 meters around, or about 328.08 feet around. The shortest race in the Summer Games is 100 meters, or 0.25 laps.

The 200 meters, known as the half-lap race as sprinters run half of the typical 400 meters, is about 656.18 feet.

10000 meters to miles

The longest race, 10000 meters, translates to is 6.21 miles. Meaning, 25 laps in an Olympic swimming pool is a little more than 6.2 miles, a true test of conditioning, perseverance and resilience for any long distance runner.

The Olympic record for the 10000 meters is 26.43.14 for the men and 29:17.45 for the women.

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How many laps is 10000 meters in track and field?

On an Olympic track, 10000 meters equals 25 laps.

5000 meters to miles

The 5000-meter race is equal to 3.10 miles. That means the 5000-meter race is essentially half the length of the 10000-meter competition (6.21 miles). However, it still requires runners to have impeccable endurance.

The Olympic record for the 5000 meters is 12:57.82 for men and 14:26.17 for women.

How many laps is 5000 meters in track and field?

The 5000-meter race equals 12.5 laps on an Olympic track.

3000 meters to miles

The 3000-meter race is 1.86 miles. The “3K run” requires fewer laps than both the 10000 and 5000 meter events.

How many laps is 3000 meters in track and field?

The 3000-meter race equals 7.5 laps on an Olympic track.

1500 meters to miles

The 1500-meter race is 0.93 miles. The is considered a middle-distance race because it is not a mile in length but it is longer than the 800-meter half-mile.

How many laps is 1500 meters in track and field?

The 1500-meter race equals 3 ¾ laps on an Olympic track.