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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2008-10-30 10:17:00

(no votes)

I once read that the right leg is stronger than the left leg. As silly as it may sound, this may make it easier to run in counter-clockwise circles.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

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Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2008-10-30 13:32:00

(2 votes) average rating:2.5

I believe it is because when the runners are nearest a spectator, that spectator will percieve the runners as moving left to right - the same direction our eyes move when we read.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

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Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by MoRe
on 2008-10-30 15:48:00

(1 vote) average rating:2

Maybe there is a correlation between handedness and preference for running either left or right. I know I have a strong tendency to start running counter clockwise for a race in an open field because for some reason it seems more natural. If you are right handed you most likely have a preference for your left foot as well. So, if you run counter clockwise, your left foot would be on the inside of the track and would take more force when turning a bend. I happen to be right handed and so are most people. It seems like this can be easily tested and proven.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

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none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Pop the question
on 2008-10-30 16:01:00

(no votes)

I think tracks should be modified to a figure-of-8 shape. In cycling too. It could lead to some interesting clashes as long distance fields start spreading out...

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Caspar Henderson
on 2008-10-30 16:07:00

(no votes)

The Coriolis effect? Falsifiable by finding out whether they go the other way in the southern hemisphere.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

Report abuse

Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by neo
on 2008-10-30 17:52:00

(no votes)

It would be because of the left half of the human body is slightly heavier than the right because of the heart and when running anticlockwise, the body would tend to very slightly incline towards the left, which could be an advantage while running anticlockwise

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Jim Mansfield
on 2008-10-30 19:37:00

(no votes)

Why would the heart make the left side of the body heavier than the right side. Most organs in the body have about the same density as water.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2008-10-30 19:51:00

(no votes)

My guess is historical accident. An arbitrary choice that has been copied over and over again (probably with some exceptions).As for the second answer, it's worth noting that some languages are read right to left -- there's no inherent preference for left to right, just experience with the local language.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

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Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Karl
on 2008-10-30 20:06:00

(no votes)

Because if you ran clockwise the lane numbers would be upside down, which might confuse the runners.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-07-01 17:31:31

Member status
none

Categories: Human Body.

Tags: human body, unanswered, domestic science.

Report abuse

Round and round Athletics tracks are always run anticlockwise. Does this favour particular runners? Races could surely be run either way, so why never clockwise?Peter Hallberg, Stockholm, Sweden(Image: dlritter, stock.xchng)
Editorial status: In magazine. (3 votes) average rating:2.67 There are 54 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Brian
on 2008-10-30 20:13:00