Coaches, athletes, fans, and volunteers gather around a flat oval surface that is usually 160 to 400 meters in length.  A track meet is a competition held on a day where people compete to win or improve their abilities as measured against a clock or measuring tape.  Events at a track meet are categorized as running and field where athletes compete head to head against one another.  Field events might consist of throwing a heavy ball, called shot put or jumping from a line, called long jump.  Running events range from 50meters to many kilometers done by running laps around the oval.  Usually athletes compete in heats or waves of 4-8 runners with the fastest overall winning the event.  Families and friends gather to cheer on their athletes while coaches measure their performance while also giving advice during the track meet.