title: Optimal geometry for oval sprint tracks.
abstract: Track aspect ratio is defined as the percentage of lap length devoted to turns on an oval running track. Equations based on experiments are developed to model a composite runner with a specified top speed, during an acceleration phase in the straightaways and a centripetal phase in the turns. We calculate velocity deficits for several common track sizes over the range of aspect ratios and predict that, under our assumptions, a perfect circle is the optimal track shape.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Monheit
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D008433:Mathematics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012420:Running; D013997:Time Factors