"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks"
Lately, I have been using the Chelekere Lake Walkway [ http://bit.ly/4pz7Y27 ] for my early morning walks. The paved path, laid around the small lake, runs approximately a kilometer. Quite naturally, I walked counter-clockwise (or anti-clockwise) as I have done since childhood, on any track. However, I was surprised to find that I was one of the very few who walked/jogged counter-clockwise. It was noteworthy that as early as I was, I ran into other walkers, coming from the opposite direction. A couple of them even had their mobile torchlights on, holding them up like headlights!
This discovery prompted me to think, and after a few weeks of confusion, I decided to check track facts online. Research & analysis and writing/editing were a part of my job anyway!
Gemini assisted with my research, and I generated findings, some of which were enlightening. Here, I share them in the form of an article for those who are intrigued by the topic…
Counter-clockwise is the mantra!
If you step onto an athletic track anywhere on our planet—from a high school in Bengaluru to the Olympic stadium in Paris—you will notice a universal, unspoken rule: everyone moves counter-clockwise (or anti-clockwise) .
If you try to run or brisk-walk clockwise, you will not only collide with oncoming users, but you might also feel a strange physical awkwardness. But why? Is it a rule, a habit, or a biological imperative? Well, the answer is a fascinating mix of history, physiology, and physics.
1. The Historical Flip-Flop
Running “left” or counter-clockwise/anti-clockwise wasn’t always the standard. In the ancient Greek Olympics, athletes actually ran back and forth in straight lines rather than in loops. However, in later horse racing and chariot events, the Greeks and Romans often favored counter-clockwise turns.
Modern history is even more confusing. When the modern Olympics began in Athens in 1896, athletes ran clockwise. However, runners complained that this direction felt unnatural and hindered their performance. Consequently, it became a topic of intense debate and introspection.
In 1913, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) officially mandated that all races be run counter-clockwise. The reason wasn’t just a bureaucratic whim; it was an acknowledgment that humans simply move faster when turning left.
2. The "Right" Biological Dominance
The most prominent theory is rooted in laterality (side dominance).
- The Right-Leg Drive: The majority of the human population (85% to 90%!) is right-handed and right-footed. Biomechanically, the right leg is often the driver or propulsive leg, while the left leg acts as the anchor or pivot.
- The Pivot Effect: When running a curve counter-clockwise, the left leg takes the inside track, acting as a stabilizer. This allows the stronger, more coordinated right leg to cover the slightly longer distance on the outside of the curve, generating the power needed to thrust the body through the turn.
If you are right-dominant and try to run clockwise, your weaker left leg has to generate the drive while your dominant right leg is relegated to pivoting. This naturally feels clumsy and inefficient.
3. The "Heart" of the Matter
There is a compelling physiological theory regarding the position of the human heart.
The heart is situated slightly to the left of the chest. The Superior Vena Cava, the large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the heart, draws blood downward and from the right.
- Centrifugal Force: When you run counter-clockwise, centrifugal force pulls your body toward the right (outward).
- Aiding Circulation: Physiologists argue that this outward force aids the flow of blood through the Superior Vena Cava to the heart. Therefore, running clockwise would theoretically push fluid against this flow, potentially causing slightly more fatigue or strain, though this effect is likely minimal for the average jogger.
The Superior Vena Cava Theory:
While there is no single study that definitively proves this, the theory is widely cited in sports physiology literature and biomechanics discussions. It is often treated as a physiological hypothesis that supports the more obvious biomechanical reasons.
- The Anatomy: The Superior Vena Cava (SVC) is the major vein carrying deoxygenated blood from the head and upper body to the heart’s right atrium.
- The Flow Vector: Importantly, this vessel carries a significant amount of blood from the left side of your body toward the right side to enter the heart.
- The Physics: When you run counter-clockwise (turning left), centrifugal force pushes your body (and your internal fluids) to the right.
- The Result: This force theoretically acts as a “helper,” pushing the blood in the direction it already wants to go (towards the right atrium). Running clockwise (turning right) would create centrifugal force, pushing everything to the left, which opposes this specific blood flow, potentially causing slightly higher cardiac resistance or fatigue over long distances.
4. The Spectator Theory
There is also a sociological element to the counter-clockwise direction. In most cultures, we read and write from left to right. Therefore, movement of the head or eyes while reading is naturally from left to right.
When spectators sit in the stands, running counter-clockwise means the athletes move from left to right across the field of vision during the most exciting parts of the race (the straightaways). This feels more natural to the eye for a large portion of the global population, making the sport easier to watch and track.
5. Busting the Myth: The Coriolis Effect
You will often hear people claim the direction is due to the Coriolis effect—the force resulting from the Earth’s rotation that causes storms to swirl counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
This is a myth. While the Coriolis effect influences massive weather systems, it is far too weak to impact a human running a distance of 400 meters on a track. Furthermore, tracks in the Southern Hemisphere (like in Australia & Brazil) also run counter-clockwise. If the Coriolis effect were the cause, Australians and Brazilians would run clockwise!
Summary
The universal left turn is a perfect storm of factors:
- Standardization: Official rules set by the IAAF in 1913.
- Biomechanics: The right side of the body is better at driving momentum, while the left side anchors.
- Physics: It works with our internal plumbing (blood flow) rather than against it.
So, the next time you lace up your sports shoes and turn left, know that you aren’t just following the crowd—you are following the natural mechanics of the human body!
Go ahead, folks, make the most of the facilities around you and jog/walk/exercise your way to fitness! In today’s AI world, it will do you a world of good!!
Post Script!
At the end of the day, it is left to the walker/jogger to choose whether to walk/run clockwise or counter-clockwise—whichever is more comfortable—in a park or public walkways/tracks. However, the early morning walkers would do well not to use their mobile (or other) torchlights while walking, which not only disturbs the fauna around but also other users of the track. In case you must use light for any reason, use it judiciously!
Although it would be a bit dark during cloudy monsoon days and in winter, the eyes acclimatize to the prevailing light in in a matter of seconds. Walking in the semi-darkness at dawn is such an exhilarating experience—absorbing nature’s sounds and visuals. Observing the changes during the 30-60 minutes’ walk, from semi-darkness to light and from silence to the chirping of birds, etc., is sheer bliss! Stay blessed!!
References:
- International Educational E-Journal, {Quarterly}, ISSN 2277-2456, Volume-II, Issue-IV, Oct-Nov-Dec 2013: https://www.oiirj.org/ejournal/oct-nov-dec2013/phy-edu/04.pdf
- The IAAF analyzed athlete complaints from the 1896 and 1900 Olympics when they ran “clockwise” [The collective feedback of the world’s best athletes stated that clockwise running caused “traumatic discomfort.”] and standardized counter-clockwise running in 1913. The IAAF became WA (World Athletics) in 2019
- Neuropsychological Studies: A study published in Neuroscience Letters (often cited as “Neuropsychological Evidence Underlying Counter-clockwise Bias”) found that running/imagining running counter-clockwise activates the brain’s “dominant” motor planning regions more efficiently in right-handers, suggesting the preference is hardwired into our nervous system, not just our hearts. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9952670/
