How Many Laps Is 1 Mile on a Track?
Whether you’re training for your first mile or gearing up for a big race, understanding track distances is essential.
You’ve probably heard people casually say, "just run four laps for a mile," but is that always true?
Let's break it down clearly so you know exactly how many laps make up a mile on different tracks.
Standard Track: 400 Meters Per Lap
On a standard outdoor track, one lap around the innermost lane measures 400 meters.
Since one mile = 1609.34 meters, you can do a quick calculation:
400 meters × 4 laps = 1600 meters
This means 4 laps is almost a mile, but not exactly!
To run a full mile on a standard 400m track, you actually need to run:
4 laps plus an additional 9.34 meters.
That extra 9 meters is often added at the starting line with a slight offset, especially during official mile races.
Indoor Tracks: Shorter Laps
Indoor tracks are often smaller, usually:
200 meters per lap (some are 160m or 300m).
So if you’re running on a 200m indoor track:
1609 meters ÷ 200 meters = About 8 laps for a full mile.
Always check the specific indoor facility size—it can vary!
Quick Summary:
Outdoor track (400m): 4 laps + about 9 extra meters = 1 mile
Indoor track (200m): About 8 laps = 1 mile
Special note: In some U.S. high school meets, a "1600-meter race" (4 laps) is called "the mile," even though it's technically 9 meters short.
Why the Difference Matters
If you're doing timed mile repeats, training for a personal best, or competing officially, knowing the real distance matters.
Those extra meters could mean a few seconds difference—and when you're chasing a PR, every second counts!
Pro tip:
At official track meets, you'll often see separate starting lines for the mile and the 1600m to account for the exact measurement.
