AboutRichard Howland Expertise I am a master USATF Track and Field official and can answer questions about officiating high school (NFHS), college (NCAA), National (USATF) and international in field events. I am not a coach except for other officials. My specialties are the Field events except pole vault.
Experience I delight in meeting athletes from all backgrounds and ages. I have even officiated field events for a one hundred year old long jumper as well as many "Master" and "Senior" athletes. Special olympics is a great event for officials to volunteer and see the essence of good sport on the faces of the athletes.
After thirty three years as a trial lawyer in Massachusetts with a focus on sports law, among others, I retired and devote much of my time to officiating. I referee soccer, time football, officiate swimming and diving, and officiate and start all events in track and field. My special focus in field events.
In high school and college I played soccer, squash and lacrosse, but track was not available in any depth then. Since I was a lawyer I began officiating and training to officiate sports which I could fit into my schedule. I honestly do not remember when I first started track and field officiating, but estimate that I have been very active for at least fifteen years.
I regularly officiate all events and levels.
Question What is the length of a olympic Running Track?
Answer In the terms you phrase your question I am not aware of any specific "Olympic" track requirement. As the Olympics are transitory the rules specify methods for equalizing distances run on oval tracks so that deviations can be addressed on any track of reasonable dimension. The IAAF and USATF prefer tracks of 400 meters and in my experience I have not encountered tracks used for any championship competitions that were other than 400 meters or 400 yards. Tracks of those nearly equal lengths usually have markings so that the track can be used for either distance and remain fair to each runner and consistent with rules.
This should answer your question as I believe you wished. I do not believe any track not approved by the IAAF has been used in any Olympics after the Second War.
Earlier the variations between nations around the world may have led to tracks of slightly different dimensions so I cannot warrant that my answer is valid for than the modern sport of track. There are some straightaway courses, but since they will not account for equalization of wind advantage, I do not believe that they are ever used for high level competition.
Finally indoor tracks are not uniform since they have been constructed over many years and are required to fit interior available dimensions. The smallest I have ever seen indoors is about 200 yards oval and hence the hundred yard or meter event runs into a curve. It will not ever be used for major competitions and is located in a small New England College and was probably built in the thirties. Dick Howland
