This curiosity came to me and I went looking for an explanation.
In all track competitions (athletics), the direction of running is always counterclockwise. The curves are always made to the left.
It seems the first track events took place on circuits built for horses, and athletes ended up running in the same direction as the horses did, according to physical education professor Mário Cantarino of the University of Brasília.
But why did horses always run in this direction?
“From a young age, the horse is trained to use the left side of its body more,” says veterinarian Lilian Michima of the University of São Paulo.
There doesn’t appear to be a biological reason for it — not for us, nor for horses. But the custom stuck.
