0 ▁metres ▁or ▁ 5 0 0 0 - met re ▁run ▁( appro xim ately ▁ 3 . 1   mi ▁or ▁ 1 6 , 4 0 4   ft ) ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁long - distance ▁running ▁event ▁in ▁track ▁and ▁field . ▁It ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁track ▁events ▁in ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁and ▁the ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁Athletics , ▁run ▁over ▁ 1 2 . 5 ▁la ps ▁of ▁a ▁standard ▁track . ▁The ▁same ▁distance ▁in ▁road ▁running ▁is ▁called ▁a ▁ 5 K ▁run . ▁The ▁ 5 0 0 0   m ▁has ▁been ▁present ▁on ▁the ▁Olympic ▁programme ▁since ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁for ▁men ▁and ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁for ▁women . ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁women ▁had ▁competed ▁in ▁an ▁Olympic ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁metres ▁race ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁The ▁ 5 0 0 0   m ▁has ▁been ▁held ▁at ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Championships ▁in ▁Athletics ▁in ▁men ' s ▁competition ▁and ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁in ▁women ' s . ▁ ▁The ▁event ▁is ▁almost ▁the ▁same ▁length ▁as ▁the ▁dol ich os ▁race ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁An cient ▁Olympic ▁Games , ▁introduced ▁in ▁ 7 2 0 ▁B CE . ▁While ▁mainly ▁run ▁as ▁an ▁out door ▁event , ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 0   m ▁is ▁sometimes ▁run ▁on ▁an ▁ind oor ▁track . ▁The ▁I A AF ▁keeps ▁official ▁records