, ▁and ▁the ▁World ▁Cup . ▁The ▁usual ▁distances ▁are ▁the ▁ 5 0 0   m , ▁ 1 0 0 0   m , ▁ 1 5 0 0   m , ▁ 3 0 0 0   m ▁( w omen ▁only ), ▁ 5 0 0 0   m ▁and ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0   m ▁( men ▁only ), ▁but ▁some ▁other ▁distances ▁are ▁sometimes ▁sk ated ▁as ▁well , ▁such ▁as ▁ 1 0 0   m ▁and ▁ 1   mile . ▁Women ▁occasionally , ▁but ▁rarely , ▁are ▁given ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁sk ate ▁the ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0   m , ▁but ▁outside ▁the ▁top - level ▁champion ships . ▁ ▁The ▁ 5 0 0   m ▁is ▁usually ▁sk ated ▁with ▁two ▁runs , ▁so ▁that ▁every ▁sk ater ▁has ▁one ▁race ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁outer ▁l ane ▁and ▁one ▁in ▁the ▁inner . ▁This ▁practice ▁started ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Single ▁Dist ance ▁Championships ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Nag ano ▁Olympics ; ▁at ▁all ▁earlier ▁Olympics , ▁the ▁ 5 0 0   m ▁was ▁sk ated ▁only ▁once . ▁The ▁reason ▁for ▁sk ating ▁this ▁distance ▁twice ▁is ▁that ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁small ▁but ▁statist ically ▁significant ▁average ▁advantage ▁of ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁inner ▁l ane ; ▁negoti ating ▁the ▁last ▁curve ▁at ▁high ▁speed ▁is ▁typically ▁more ▁difficult ▁in ▁the