Final answer:
A modern outdoor running track typically covers a distance of 400 meters for one complete circuit.
Step-by-step explanation:
The measurement is standard and allows for consistent comparison of running times and distances across different tracks. As the modern outdoor running track typically covers a distance of 400 meters for one complete circuit.
For example, if a runner completes one lap around a modern outdoor running track, they would have covered a distance of 400 meters.
Usually, a 400-meter running track has 8 lanes of 1,22 meters wide (4 ft) and the track requires a total area of 157,092 square feet or 14,594 square meters.
Generally, surfaces that offer more texture, such as rough-textured concrete and synthetic running track surfaces, provide a better grip. This added grip allows runners to stabilize their bodies much quicker and gives them sufficient friction to make their next stride faster, resulting in improved run times.