# Indoor track running

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indoor-track-running/713616>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 25, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indoor-track-running/713616 "2015-02-25T23:28:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indoor-track-running/713616/1 "2015-02-25T23:28:11Z")

</div>

My Y has an indoor track. 3 days a week we go clockwise. The other 4 counter clockwise. Any reason for this? Are they trying to balance out the wear and tear on the track? To give us variety?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indoor-track-running/713616/2 "2015-02-25T23:31:50Z")

</div>

The tight turns ( and possibly hard surface) are hard on the legs. By alternating, the stress is evened out and each leg gets an “easy” day.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/indoor-track-running/713616/3 "2015-02-25T23:37:19Z")

</div>

Makes sense but I think that assumes people run every day . Or that they can set their schedule to alternate which may be true for some but not everyone.
