50 track and field terms defined, from stagger and steeplechase to FAT, seed time and wind-aided, each explained in a single line.
Track and field terminology has to cover a running oval, a set of throwing circles and a couple of landing pits, which is why the words associated with track and field can feel like several sports sharing one stadium. Below are the words related to track and field that a first-year athlete needs, together with the abbreviations that appear on a results sheet and mean nothing until somebody explains them. The track and field glossary near the end gives every term one line.
Must-Know Track and Field Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Anchor
- Baton
- Block start
- Crossbar
- Decathlon
- Foul
- Heptathlon
- Hurdles
- Javelin
- Kick
- Lap
- Marathon
- Pace
- Personal best
- Qualifying
- Relay
- Shot put
- Sprint
- Stagger
- Starting blocks
- Steeplechase
- Stride
- Track
- Triple jump
- Vault
- Wind-aided
- Zone
- Photo finish
- Pole vault
- Discus throw
Track and Field Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Anchor | The last athlete on a relay team, the one who runs the final leg to the finish. |
| Athletics | The international name for the whole sport of track and field, including road and cross country running. |
| Baton | The hollow tube handed from one relay runner to the next inside the exchange zone. |
| Block start | The sprint start from starting blocks, driving out low rather than standing up immediately. |
| Crossbar | The bar cleared in high jump and pole vault. Knocking it off ends the attempt. |
| Cut line | The point on the track where runners in a staggered start may leave their lanes and move to the inside. |
| Decathlon | A ten-event competition contested over two days. |
| Discus throw | A field event in which a heavy disc is thrown from a circle for distance. |
| DNF | Did not finish, recorded when an athlete starts a race but does not complete it. |
| DQ | Disqualified, recorded when an athlete breaks a rule such as a lane infringement or a false start. |
| Exchange | The handover of the baton in a relay, which has to be completed inside the marked zone. |
| False start | Leaving the blocks before the gun. Under current rules it means immediate disqualification. |
| FAT | Fully automatic timing, the camera-based system that produces official times to a hundredth of a second. |
| Field events | The jumps and throws, as opposed to the races run on the track. |
| Final | The last round of an event, contested by the athletes who came through the heats. |
| Foul | A rules infringement in a jump or throw, such as stepping past the board or out of the circle. The attempt does not count. |
| Heat | A preliminary round of a race, run when there are too many athletes for one field. The fastest advance. |
| Heptathlon | A seven-event competition contested over two days. |
| High jump | A field event in which the athlete clears a crossbar with a one-footed takeoff and no pole. |
| Hurdles | Both the barriers and the races run over them, at distances from 100 meters upward. |
| Javelin | A throwing event using a long, spear-shaped implement that must land point first inside the sector. |
| Kick | The final acceleration into the finish of a distance race. |
| Lane | One of the marked channels of the track. Sprints and hurdles are run entirely in lane. |
| Lap | One circuit of the track, 400 meters in a standard outdoor stadium. |
| Leg | One athlete's section of a relay race. |
| Long jump | A field event in which the athlete sprints, takes off from a board and lands in a sand pit. |
| Marathon | A road race of 42.195 kilometers, or 26.2 miles. |
| Meet | A track and field competition, from a school fixture to a championship. |
| ND | No distance. Marked on a result when a thrower or long jumper recorded no valid attempt. |
| NH | No height. Marked when a high jumper or pole vaulter failed to clear the opening height. |
| NT | No time. Entered on a start list when an athlete has no recorded time for the event. |
| Personal best | An athlete's own fastest time or best mark in an event. Shortened to PB, or PR in the United States. |
| Photo finish | The finish-line camera image used to separate athletes who cross together. |
| Pole vault | A field event in which the athlete sprints with a flexible pole and uses it to cross a high bar. |
| Prelims | The qualifying rounds held before a final. |
| Qualifying | Meeting the standard, time or ranking needed to enter a competition or advance a round. |
| Relay | A team race in which each athlete runs one leg and passes the baton to the next. |
| Scratch | Withdrawing from an event an athlete was entered in. |
| Season best | An athlete's best mark of the current season. Shortened to SB. |
| Seed time | The time an athlete is entered with, used to sort them into heats and lanes. |
| Shot put | A field event in which a heavy metal ball is pushed, not thrown, for distance from a circle. |
| Spikes | Track shoes with metal pins in the sole, and the pins themselves. |
| Sprint | A short race run flat out, from 60 meters indoors up to 400 meters. |
| Stagger | The offset starting positions used when a race begins on a bend, so every lane covers the same distance. |
| Starting blocks | The adjustable footplates a sprinter pushes off at the start. |
| Steeplechase | A 3000 meter race over fixed barriers and a water jump. |
| Track | The oval running surface, marked into lanes and normally 400 meters around. |
| Triple jump | A field event of hop, step and jump into the pit, taken off the same runway as the long jump. |
| Wind-aided | A mark set with a following wind above the legal limit, normally 2.0 meters per second, so it cannot count for records. |
| Zone | The marked area in a relay inside which the baton must change hands. |
#1 Anchor
The final runner in a relay race, often the fastest or most reliable member of the team. Their performance can be critical in securing victory, especially in close races.
#2 Baton
A smooth, cylindrical stick passed between runners in a relay race. It is the physical representation of the team’s collaborative effort and successful exchanges are key to winning.
#3 Block start
The technique used by sprinters and hurdlers at the start of a race to explode out of starting blocks. Proper block starts can dramatically improve an athlete’s reaction time and initial acceleration.
#4 Crossbar
The horizontal bar athletes must clear during high jump and pole vault events. It is both the object of focus and the ultimate challenge, as it determines the height achieved in the event.
#5 Decathlon
A grueling 10-event track and field competition, held over two days, which tests athletes’ endurance, speed, and skill across a range of events. Men’s decathlon is a true test of all-around athleticism.
#6 Foul
An infraction of the rules, for example, stepping over the line in shot put or long jump. Committing a foul leads to the attempt being disqualified, which can impact an athlete’s results significantly.
#7 Heptathlon
A seven-event competition for women that spans two days and measures speed, strength, and stamina across different track and field disciplines. It crowns the most versatile female athletes.
#8 Hurdles
Hurdles is both a type of race and the actual barriers used in the event. In track and field, hurdles races involve athletes running over a series of evenly spaced obstacles called hurdles, which are typically made of lightweight metal or plastic.
#9 Javelin
An event where athletes throw a long, spear-like implement as far as possible. The javelin must land tip-first within marked sector lines to be measured for distance.
#10 Kick
Refers to a runner’s final acceleration towards the finish line. A strong kick often involves a strategic burst of speed, crucial for winning a race or securing a better position.
#11 Lap
One complete circuit around the track, typically 400 meters in a standard outdoor stadium. The number of laps varies based on the distance of the race.
#12 Marathon
A long-distance road running event covering 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles). Known for its grueling length, the marathon is both a competitive race and a popular mass-participation event.
#13 Pace
The consistent speed at which a runner travels during a race, often calculated per mile or kilometer. Maintaining the right pace is vital for endurance races to conserve energy and achieve target finish times.
#14 Personal Best
Also known as a “PB,” it is an athlete’s best performance time in a specific event over their career. Surpassing a personal best is a significant achievement indicating improvement.
#15 Qualifying
The process by which athletes meet certain standards or times to enter a competition. Qualifying can occur through specific trials, meeting entry standards, or ranking positions.
#16 Relay
In track and field, a relay race is an event where teams of athletes compete by running successive portions of a race, each athlete covering a specific segment of the total distance.
#17 Shot Put
An athletic field event where competitors throw a heavy spherical object known as a “shot” as far as they can. The shot put combines strength, technique, and body control to achieve the best distance.
#18 Sprint
Sprints are short distance track races that demand maximum speed from the athlete, usually ranging from 100 to 400 meters. Both quick acceleration and explosive power are essential for success in these fast-paced events.
#19 Stagger
The stagger refers to the varying starting positions of runners in track races that begin with a curve, such as 200m, 400m, and relay races. It ensures that all athletes run the same distance despite the curve.
#20 Starting Blocks
Starting blocks are apparatuses used by runners for a stable and powerful launch at the beginning of a sprint race. They are adjustable and allow the athlete to push off with maximum force.
#21 Steeplechase
The steeplechase is a track event that features barriers and water jumps over the distance of 3000 meters. It tests an athlete’s endurance, speed, and obstacle-clearing abilities.
#22 Stride
A stride refers to the complete cycle of a runner’s step, from the moment one foot touches the ground to the moment the same foot contacts the ground again. Efficient striding is crucial for speed and reducing fatigue.
#23 Track
The track in track and field refers to the oval-shaped running surface used for sprints, distance races, and relays. It usually consists of lanes marked by lines, typically made from materials like tartan (a type of all-weather synthetic track surface), which provide a consistent footing for athletes.
#24 Triple Jump
An athletic event where the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a step, and then a jump into the sand pit. This challenging sequence tests an athlete’s speed, rhythm, and power.
#25 Vault
In track and field, “vault” generally refers to the Pole Vault event where athletes sprint with a pole and use it to vault over a high crossbar. Success in this event requires a blend of speed, strength, and gymnastics skill.
#26 Wind-aided
A term used when a tailwind exceeds the allowable limit (usually 2.0 meters per second) during a sprint or jump event. Performances assisted by such winds are not eligible for record purposes due to the advantage gained.
#27 Zone
In relay races, the “zone” refers to the designated area where runners must exchange the baton. Precise coordination and timing within this area are crucial to successfully passing the baton without losing momentum or incurring penalties.
#28 Photo Finish
A term describing the use of a finish-line camera to determine the winner of a race when competitors cross the line at nearly the same time. It captures a precise image to identify the positions in which competitors finish.
#29 Pole Vault
An event where an athlete uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to jump over a high bar. The pole vaulter must skillfully combine speed, strength, and agility to clear the greatest height without knocking the bar off.
#30 Discus Throw
The discus throw is a field event where athletes throw a heavy disc, called a discus, attempting to achieve the greatest distance. The discus is a heavy lenticular disc and is thrown from a circle 2.5 meters in diameter.
FAQ
What is another word for track and field?
Athletics. That is the name used almost everywhere outside North America, and by the sport’s world governing body. It also takes in road running, cross country and race walking, not just the events held in a stadium.
What does heat mean in track?
A heat is a preliminary round of a race. When too many athletes are entered to run at once, they are split into heats, and athletes advance to the next round by finishing high enough or by running one of the fastest losing times.
What do NH, NT and ND mean in track and field?
NH is no height, marked when a high jumper or vaulter fails to clear the opening bar. ND is no distance, the same situation in a throw or a horizontal jump. NT is no time, entered on a start list when an athlete has no previous mark for the event.
What is the thing that track runners jump over called?
A hurdle. The barriers used in hurdles races are built to tip forward when struck, which is why hitting one is not itself a disqualification. In the steeplechase the barriers are fixed and do not fall over.
What do you call the thing runners hand off in a relay?
The baton. It is passed from one runner to the next inside a marked exchange zone. If the baton changes hands outside that zone, or is dropped and picked up by the wrong runner, the team is disqualified.
What are the push-off blocks on a running track called?
Starting blocks. They are adjustable footplates fixed to the track so a sprinter can drive out against them instead of slipping. They are used for sprints and hurdles, not for distance races.
They split into the track (lane, lap, stagger, heat, baton, blocks), the field (crossbar, circle, board, pit, foul) and results (PB, SB, DQ, NH, ND, wind-aided). The track and field glossary above explains each of them.
What are some Track and Field terms for beginners?
“Anchor,” “Baton,” and “Block start” are some Track and Field terms beginners should start with. These give insight into relay races, equipment used, and how racers commence.
What are some funny Track and Field terms?
“Shot put” and “Foul” are some funny Track and Field terms that might amuse due to their blunt nature or when imagined literally, they inject a bit of humor into the sport.
What is a famous Track and Field phrase?
“On your marks” is a famous Track and Field phrase, signaling athletes to ready themselves at the starting line, indicating the imminent start of the race and propelling intense focus.
