A single lap around an average outdoor track is 400 meters or a quarter of a mile. Therefore, 200 meters is half of a single lap.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which sets track size standards for international and elite competitions, set the standard for tracks to be 400 meters around. Although most tracks do not expect to host such competitions and do not have to meet IAAF guidelines, most tracks do follow the basic layout of 400 meters around. A 200-meter race is a common event in track and field, where runners must combine endurance and speed while managing a curve and a staggered start.
