400m indoor tracks -- why the ban?

meanoldguy wrote:

There is no ban on 400 m indoor tracks. The question should be why build one? Track is a small sport. Indoor traxck is even smaller. The tracks fit in hockey and basketball arenas. If they didn't, there wouldn't be any indoor track. Unless its you running around your basement.

In 8 years of high school and college track, I ran on exactly two indoor tracks that were built into arenas for other sports (ran at Pitt and Slippery Rock in HS). Every other indoor track I ever ran on was a stand alone track facility.

chasing 400 wrote:

Why is there a ban on indoor tracks over 300/320m for competition purposes (and can someone link me to that rule)?

I think it would be awesome to have more 400m indoor tracks. I know there's that one in Alaska and one in Canada, but it's ridiculous that they can't be used for qualifying times.

I mean, you're running the same distance either way; there's not much of an advantage unless it's just psychological. (Sharp turns, blah blah blah... I don't want to hear it).

You want proof:

You got it.

indoor tracks are banked wrote:

haha so obvious wrote:

It's utterly laughable that you need "proof" that a tighter curve is more difficult to sprint around. Even if you're not sprinting, a miler or 5k guy is going to move slower around a 100m track than a 200m or a 400m track; that should be obvious. If it's not, well, then again, you're a moron.

Indoor tracks are often banked. Banked indoor tracks can be faster than outdoor tracks. If banked 200m indoor tracks are legal, I'm not sure why 400m flat indoor tracks should not be.

No 200m banked track is faster than a 400m track, unless the regular sized track is beat to shit. You sound like someone who has never raced below the mile in your life.

Unless you're 5'1" and in lane 6 in an absurdly banked track, the curves will slow you down.

haha so obvious wrote:

bumping to embarrass this kid

Your little plan backfired. I've now got a lot of good responses to my question. Thanks!

haha so obvious wrote:

No 200m banked track is faster than a 400m track, unless the regular sized track is beat to shit. You sound like someone who has never raced below the mile in your life.

Unless you're 5'1" and in lane 6 in an absurdly banked track, the curves will slow you down.

Whatever. All I know is that I've run just as fast on the banked indoor track at Penn State as I have on any outdoor track.

indoor tracks are banked wrote:

Whatever. All I know is that I've run just as fast on the banked indoor track at Penn State as I have on any outdoor track.

In fact, I just spend a few minutes looking at the results from the last few indoor state meets at PSU and found that the times are pretty similar to outdoor states times in the same state. Usually a 1:52-1:53.xx will win the outdoor 800m. The same times tend to win the indoor meet. High schoolers are running 47.xx on the indoor track.

indoor tracks are banked wrote:

meanoldguy wrote:

There is no ban on 400 m indoor tracks. The question should be why build one? Track is a small sport. Indoor traxck is even smaller. The tracks fit in hockey and basketball arenas. If they didn't, there wouldn't be any indoor track. Unless its you running around your basement.

In 8 years of high school and college track, I ran on exactly two indoor tracks that were built into arenas for other sports (ran at Pitt and Slippery Rock in HS). Every other indoor track I ever ran on was a stand alone track facility.

I ran the national indoor championships in Detroit Cobo Arena, the Portland Indoor. They were around Hockey and Basketball. I ran Pocatello, which is a stand alone, I ran Idaho indoor track - 300 m around a football field. Fast as heck. I ran Washington where the track went under the bleachers in the basketball arena. Your head was just under the light bulbs, but they weren't on, so it was dark.

Most indoor tracks are assembled in places where there are seats. Madison Sq Garden eg.

They are all fun.

I like the idea of more 400 meter indoor tracks for the outdoor season :).