How many laps around an oval track is 1 mile?

Answer 1

"4 laps around if your track is .25 mile, which most tracks are. Some might be a hair less."

Since the standard for tracks built in the last 20+ years is 400M, then you must go 9 meters further than 4 laps. Over 90% of the outdoor tracks in existence are only 400M and will thus require the extra 9 meters to equal a true mile.

This is why most track meets only run the 1500M or the 1600M and not the mile. Unfortunately, most people erroneously assume that 4 laps equal a mile, due to older tracks being built to a non-metric standard of 440 yards.

If you want to finish on the common start/finish line and you'd like to run/walk a mile, then you should start at the beginning of the 4x400M relay exchange zone, which is 10 meters before the finish line. By doing that you will run/walk about 1 meter more than 1 mile, but you won't be short of a mile, as you would be if you only do 4 laps.