30 Must-Know Track and Field Terms, Phrases and Slang

67 track and field terms explained, from stagger, steeplechase and exchange zone to FAT, NH and wind-aided, plus athletes’ slang.

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 below gives every term one line.

Must-Know Track and Field Terms, Phrases and Slang:

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.
Bell lap	The last lap of a distance race, signaled by a bell.
Block start	The sprint start from starting blocks, driving out low rather than standing up immediately.
Break line	The line after which runners in races like the 800 meters may leave their lanes.
Cross country	Running races over open, natural terrain such as grass and mud, usually in autumn and winter.
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.
Dip	Leaning the torso forward at the finish line to cross it sooner.
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.
Fosbury flop	The back-first high jump technique introduced by Dick Fosbury at the 1968 Olympics.
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.
Hammer throw	Throwing a metal ball on a wire with a handle, after spinning in the circle.
Hand timing	Timing with stopwatches instead of fully automatic timing, rounded to a tenth of a second.
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.
Infield	The area inside the track where most field events take place.
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.
Pacemaker	A runner who sets the pace for others in a race, also called a rabbit.
Pentathlon	A five-event combined competition, held indoors for women.
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.
Race walking	Walking races in which one foot must always appear to be in contact with the ground.
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.
Sector	The marked area in which a throw must land to count.
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.
Takeoff board	The board marking the takeoff line in the long and triple jump; overstepping it is a foul.
Throwing circle	The circle that shot, discus and hammer throwers must throw from.
Toe board	The curved board at the front of the shot put circle.
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.
Water jump	The barrier and water pit in the steeplechase.
Waterfall start	A curved start line used in distance races when all runners start together.
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.

What Is It Called When…? Track and Field Terms by Situation

Know what happened but not the word for it? Find the situation on the left and the track and field term on the right.

When…	It Is Called
A runner leaves the blocks before the gun	False start
A long jumper steps over the board	Foul
A high jumper fails at the opening height	NH (no height)
A thrower records no valid mark	ND (no distance)
An athlete has no previous time on the entry list	NT (no time)
The tailwind is over 2.0 meters per second	Wind-aided
Runners in outer lanes start further ahead on a bend	Stagger
The bell rings for the final lap	Bell lap
Two runners cross the line almost together	Photo finish
A sprinter leans the torso forward at the line	Dip
The baton is handed over	Exchange
A runner advances as one of the fastest losers	Small q
An athlete withdraws from an event	Scratch
An athlete sets their best mark of the current season	Season best
A runner sets the pace and drops out	Pacemaker, or rabbit
A race is split into preliminary rounds	Heats
Runners may leave their lanes after the first bend	Break line
A high jumper goes over the bar head first and on their back	Fosbury flop

#1 Anchor

The fourth and last runner of a relay. Teams usually put their fastest or most competitive runner on the anchor leg, because that runner has to hold off or chase down the others in the final straight.

In a sentence: “She took the baton in third on the anchor leg and finished first.”

#2 Baton

The smooth hollow tube passed between relay runners, about 30 centimeters long. It must be carried in the hand the whole way, and if it is dropped, only the runner who dropped it may pick it up and carry on.

In a sentence: “Watch the baton exchange, that’s where relays are won and lost.”

#3 Block start

The crouched sprint start out of starting blocks, used in all races up to 400 meters, including the first leg of the sprint relays. The commands are “on your marks” and “set”, and the athlete goes on the gun.

In a sentence: “Her block start is the fastest in the field.”

#4 Crossbar

The bar resting on two supports in the high jump and pole vault. An attempt fails if the bar does not stay on its supports, and the bar is raised after each round.

In a sentence: “His heel clipped the crossbar and it came down.”

#5 Decathlon

Ten events over two days: the 100 meters, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400 meters on day one, then the 110 meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 meters on day two. Each performance converts to points, and the highest total wins.

In a sentence: “He ran a personal best in the 1500 to win the decathlon.”

#6 Foul

An invalid attempt in a field event, such as stepping over the board in the long jump or leaving the throwing circle the wrong way. The official raises a red flag and the attempt gets no mark.

In a sentence: “Two fouls, so he needs a safe jump on his last attempt.”

#7 Heptathlon

Seven events over two days, the standard combined event for women: 100 meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 meters on day one, then long jump, javelin and 800 meters on day two. Men contest an indoor heptathlon with a different set of events.

In a sentence: “She won the heptathlon with a huge javelin throw.”

#8 Hurdles

Races over barriers at fixed spacing: the 100 meters for women and 110 meters for men in the sprint hurdles, and the 400 meters for both. Knocking hurdles over is allowed, but trailing a leg around the side of one is not.

In a sentence: “He hit the eighth hurdle and lost his rhythm.”

#9 Javelin

A throwing event with a spear of 800 grams for men and 600 grams for women. For a throw to count, the metal tip has to touch the ground first, and the thrower must not cross the arc at the end of the runway.

In a sentence: “The javelin landed flat, so the throw doesn’t count.”

#10 Kick

A runner’s finishing sprint. In championship middle-distance races the pace is often slow and tactical, so the race is decided by who has the best kick over the last lap.

In a sentence: “He sat in the pack and kicked past everyone in the final 100.”

#11 Lap

One circuit of the track, 400 meters in lane one of a standard outdoor track and usually 200 meters indoors. A bell rings when the leader begins the last lap of a distance race.

In a sentence: “Bell lap, she’s still leading.”

#12 Marathon

A road race of 42.195 kilometers. Although it is run on roads, it belongs to athletics and is part of the athletics program at the Olympics.

In a sentence: “Our club’s best runner moved up from the 10,000 to the marathon.”

#13 Pace

The speed of a race, usually discussed per lap. Pacemakers can set a fast pace for records at invitational meets, but they are not used in championship races, which is why championship finals are often slower.

In a sentence: “The pace was slow, 65 seconds per lap.”

#14 Personal Best

An athlete’s best ever mark in an event, written PB, or PR in the US. Results sheets mark it next to the result, along with SB for a season’s best.

In a sentence: “She set a personal best by half a second.”

#15 Qualifying

The rounds or standards an athlete has to get through to reach a final or a championship. In races athletes qualify by place, marked with a capital Q, or as one of the fastest losers on time, marked with a small q.

In a sentence: “She qualified with a small q as one of the fastest losers.”

#16 Relay

A race in which teams of four runners each run one leg and pass a baton. The standard relays are the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meters, and a mixed 4 x 400 relay with two men and two women has been on the Olympic program since the Tokyo Games.

In a sentence: “The relay team broke the national record.”

#17 Shot Put

Putting a heavy metal ball from a circle 2.135 meters across. The shot weighs 7.26 kilograms for men and 4 kilograms for women, and it has to be pushed from the neck, not thrown, which is why the event is called a put.

In a sentence: “She dropped the shot below her chin, that’s a foul.”

#18 Sprint

Races up to 400 meters: the 100, 200 and 400 meters, plus the sprint relays. Sprinters start from blocks and stay in their own lane for the whole race.

In a sentence: “He’s a pure sprinter, the 200 is his longest event.”

#19 Stagger

The staggered start positions in races that include a bend, such as the 200 and 400 meters. Each lane further out starts further ahead so everyone covers the same distance, which is why a race only looks even in the final straight.

In a sentence: “She was in lane eight, so the stagger meant she couldn’t see anyone.”

#20 Starting Blocks

Adjustable footplates fixed to the track that sprinters push against at the start. At major meets they contain sensors that flag a false start when an athlete reacts less than 0.100 seconds after the gun.

In a sentence: “Set your starting blocks before the officials call you to the line.”

#21 Steeplechase

A 3000 meter race over 28 barriers and 7 water jumps. Unlike hurdles, the barriers are heavy and fixed, so runners often step on them, and the water pit gets shallower the further a runner jumps.

In a sentence: “She landed in the deep part of the water jump on the last lap.”

#22 Stride

One running step, or in coaching the full cycle from one foot strike to the next strike of the same foot. Hurdlers count strides between barriers, and elite sprint hurdlers take three.

In a sentence: “Keep three strides between the hurdles.”

#23 Track

The oval running surface, 400 meters in the inside lane, with eight or nine lanes each 1.22 meters wide. In American usage track also means the whole sport, as in “she runs track”.

In a sentence: “She runs track in spring and cross country in fall.”

#24 Triple Jump

A horizontal jump made of a hop, a step and a jump into the sand pit. In the hop the athlete lands on the takeoff foot, in the step on the other foot, and from there jumps into the pit.

In a sentence: “His step phase was too short, so the whole jump fell flat.”

#25 False Start

Leaving the blocks before the gun, or reacting within 0.100 seconds of it. Since 2010 a single false start means disqualification in senior international racing.

In a sentence: “He flinched in the blocks and was out for a false start.”

#26 Wind-aided

A sprint or horizontal jump result set with a tailwind of more than 2.0 meters per second. The mark counts in the competition but cannot be a record, and results sheets mark it with a w.

In a sentence: “She ran 10.85, but it was wind-aided.”

#27 Zone

Short for the exchange zone, the 30 meter stretch of track in which the baton has to change hands in a relay. What counts is the position of the baton, not the runners’ feet.

In a sentence: “They passed it right at the end of the zone, just in time.”

#28 Photo Finish

A finish decided by a high-speed camera aimed along the finish line. The order is decided by the torso crossing the line, not the head, arms or feet, which is why sprinters dip at the line.

In a sentence: “It went to a photo finish and she won by a thousandth.”

#29 Pole Vault

A jump over a high crossbar using a long flexible pole, usually of fiberglass or carbon fiber. The vaulter plants it in a box in the ground, and the bending pole stores energy that helps lift the vaulter over the bar.

In a sentence: “She cleared the bar on her third attempt with a stiffer pole.”

#30 Discus Throw

Throwing a disc of 2 kilograms for men and 1 kilogram for women from a circle 2.5 meters across, surrounded by a cage. Throwers spin one and a half turns before releasing, and the discus has to land inside a marked sector.

In a sentence: “His third discus throw hit the cage.”

Track and Field Slang Players and Fans Actually Use

Slang	What It Means
Rabbit	A pacemaker who sets the pace for the first part of a race and then drops out.
Sit and kick	Hanging back in the pack and winning with a late sprint.
Tying up	When the muscles stiffen and form falls apart near the end of a race, especially the 400 meters.
The bear	The same collapse in the last 100 meters of a 400, as in “the bear jumped on his back”.
Gassed	Completely out of energy.
Popped	Ran a breakthrough time, as in “she popped a 52”.
Kicker	A runner known for a strong finishing sprint.
Mid-d	Middle distance, the 800 and 1500 meters, and the runners who race them.
Boxed in	Trapped on the inside of the track with runners in front and alongside.
Spikes	Track shoes with metal spikes in the sole, and by extension the athletes’ main gear.

Track and Field Expressions and Sayings in Everyday English

Jump the gun: To start something too early, from athletes leaving before the starter’s pistol.
Pass the baton: To hand over responsibility to a successor, from relay racing.
Raise the bar: To set a higher standard, from the high jump and pole vault, where the bar goes up after each round.
Track record: A record of past performance. Originally the best time set at a particular track or course.
On your marks, get set, go: The starting call of every school race, used in everyday speech to announce that something is about to begin.

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.

What are some words related to track and field?

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?

Start with the track words lane, lap, stagger, heat and baton, the start commands “on your marks” and “set”, and the field words foul, attempt and personal best. The abbreviations on a results sheet, such as DNF, DQ, NH and PB, follow from those.

What are some track and field slang terms?

Rabbit for a pacemaker, sit and kick for waiting for a last-lap sprint, tying up or “the bear” for a 400 meter runner whose legs give out in the straight, and mid-d for middle distance. The slang table above has more.

What is the race with hurdles and water called?

The steeplechase, run over 3000 meters with heavy fixed barriers and a water jump on every lap. The sprint hurdles and the 400 meter hurdles use light barriers that tip over and have no water.