y Track and field in the United States is governed by USA Track and Field. There are a variety of events in track and field. The three main categories of events include running, jumping and throwing. There are also walking events, and combined events (i.e. decathlon). Most of the events in track and field are individual events, but some, such as the relay races, are done in teams. Not every event is offered at every meet. Running Events y Running events are one of the main group of events in track and field. Sprints are held both indoors (50, 60 meters) and outdoors (100, 200 and 400 meters) . The 800 meters and the 1500, along with the mile, are middle distances, and the 5,000 and 10,000 meters are long distances. The 100 (for women), 110 and 400 meters are classic hurdles events. The longest running distance in the Olympic program is the marathon, 42,195 kilometres (26.2 miles). Track and field also includes race walking, 10 km, 20 km and 50 km. Relays y Relays are completed in teams of four runners. Each runner will sprint a certain distance and pass the baton to the next runner. For example, in a 4x100 relay, each runner will sprint 100 meters. Classic relays are 4x100 meters and 4x400 meters. Hurdles y Hurdle events are races in which the runners jump over hurdles. Hurdle races are typically 100 meters (for women) 110 meters (for men) and 400 meters (men and women). According to the USA Track and field hurdles range in height from 30 inches to 39 inches tall. The steeple chase events are on longer distances, with 3000 meters being the Olympic and World Championships distance for both men and women Track and field, also referred to as athletics, is a combination of sporting events involving competitions pertaining to running, throwing and jumping. Some of the prominent events in track and field are sprint, long distance running, hurdles, relay, javelin throw, shot put, discus throw, high jump, long jump, pole vault etc. Track and field competitions also include multiple event competitions such as Pentathlon, Heptathlon and Decathlon. Track and Field Rules and Regulations Track and field rules followed at the international level are devised by the International Association of Athletic Federation, the premier governing body for athletics. Not only the contestants, but the officials are equally committed to follow the rules with proper discipline. According to the guidelines set by IAAF track and field, competitions should be held on facilities with synthetic surface, passing the specifications stated the IAAF Track Facilities Testing Protocols. As far as the age is concerned, 31st of December of every particular year, in which the competitions are held, is assumed to be the benchmark for athlete's age calculation. The athlete should not wear any objectionable clothes. Clothes which are transparent, or which would become transparent if they get wet in rain, should not be worn. In most of the competitions, the bibs provided to the athletes, should be worn on the chest as well as back. In javelin throw and pole vault though, only one bib can be worn either on the chest or back. Shoes worn in the competition must pass the IAAF guidelines. The shoes used by the participating athlete should not give him any unfair advantage over the other athletes. The number of spikes in the sole of the shoes should not exceed 11. The size of spikes used in running events should not exceed 9mm, while in javelin throw and high jump, the same should not exceed 12 mm. General Rules about Track and Field Events In running events, the athlete is warned for the first foul start, repeating the same error will call for a disqualification. Lane discipline is of utmost importance in track and field, changing lanes will be deemed as obstructing fellow athlete, which will call for immediate disqualification. In relay, the baton must be passed within the 20m exchange zone, trying to pass on the baton after crossing this distance is viewed as a foul. In hurdles, the athlete has to clear all the hurdles with clear crossover. Knocking down any hurdle in effort of crossing over, or as a deliberate attempt, can lead to disqualification according to track and field rules. In high jump and pole vault each athlete is given three chances to clear the hurdle. Failure to clear the hurdle is viewed as a foul, and three such fouls automatically lead to disqualification. In long jump and triple jump, overstepping on the take-off board is regarded as a foul. As in the case of a high jump, three fouls in long jump or triple jumps lead to automatic disqualification. The same process is adopted in various throwing competitions like discuss throw, javelin throw, shot put and hammer throw, wherein overstepping the demarcated area is considered to be a foul. Disqualification and Protest Rules According to the track and field rules, winning time or the intermediate time is either announced by the officials, or displayed on the official electronic display board. Conveying the time to athletes by any individual in person is strictly prohibited. Medical assistance will be only provided by medical staff, appointed by the organizing committee, any medical assistance in the competition area by the athletes' trainer or support team will be deemed as disturbance to the competition. An athlete can be immediately disqualified for infringement of technical rules or any unsporting behavior on the field. The technical delegates appointed by the organizing committee will be in charge of entertaining protests, if any. Protests about illegalities in participation of any athlete should be done before the commencement of the particular sporting event. Protests regarding the results of a particular sporting event, should be made within 30 minutes of the end of the event. A mistake can land you out of the competition, and can even lead to severe penalization. Therefore, it's wise to understand the general rules about track and field, and more importantly practice them in your training sessions. After all competitions are about opportunities, once lost you may never get another again, so be prepared. Rules for track and field events are designed to keep participants safe and secure while racing. While track and field events may have complex rules and rule books, basic events such as sprinting and long distance running have only a few key rules that must be followed by all participants. Failure to follow the basic rules of track and field can result in an automatic disqualification. Basic Start and Finish Rules Track and field start and finish rules are designed to give spectators as well as competitors a clear indication of when a race has started and finished. For sprinters and distance runners, each racer gets an individual starting lane. While some lanes are staggered to compensate for additional circumference found on the track, short sprints have racers line up at the same point on the track. A starting line is clearly marked and cannot be crossed till a starter gun goes off. A false start can only happen once. If a racer double faults he is disqualified from the race. The finish line is often marked by a line on the ground as well as a piece of ribbon or tape. The racer who crosses the finish line first is the winner. Basic Relay Race Rules Basic relay race rules require racers to use one type of baton during their races. As a result, no grip tape or foreign material can appear on the baton to give racers an unfair advantage during the race. Failure to abide by these rules will often result in immediate disqualification. Another relay race rule involves the way in which racers receive the baton from other racers. If you drop the baton, you can pick it up and continue on during your race. However, if you grab the baton from a racer at an unsanctioned point on the race track, your team will be disqualified. Basic Shot Put Rules Shot put is a track and field event that requires you to push a heavy metal ball as far as you can away from your body. The distance is recorded and measured against other contestants. If you are a man, your shot put ball must weight 16 lbs. If you are a female contestant, your ball must weight 8.8 lbs. To legally put the ball, you must place the ball against your neck and push it away from your body using your hand. Competitors stand in a circle with a 7-foot radius that cannot be crossed while putting the shot put. If a player crosses the line he will be disqualified from the match. Official Rules of the Sport The following information has been selected from the International Association of Athletic Federations Competition Rules 2006-2007, and is intended as a list of the basic rules of track athletics that might be of most use to the individual athlete competing in running events. Please refer to the Rulebook for more specific rules referring to track layouts, referees and other topics (see µResources¶ section below). Some abridged Rules of Athletic Competition of particular interest to Track events competitors, from the IAAF Competition Rules 2006-2007: Which athletes are eligible to compete? The following Rules determine athlete eligibility: RULE 20 Definition of Eligible Athlete 1. An athlete is eligible to compete if he agrees to abide by the Rules and has not been declared ineligible. RULE 22 Ineligibility for International and Domestic Competitions 1. The following persons may be declared ineligible for competitions, whether held under these Rules or the domestic rules of a Member.