Just as in Cross Country Track and Field also has rules and regulations that must be followed. So in the beginning of any race, all runners must start at the exact time no runner is allowed to start early, if a runner by any chance foul starts then that runner gets a warning, the second time it happens in the same event that runner is disqualified from that event, meaning that he can not participate in that event. A foul start is when a runner starts to go before the gun goes off.
Another rule/regulation in Track and Field is when runners start they must stay in the lanes. Every track has lanes in which each runner must stay in during his race. This rule specifically toward the sprinters the (sprinting events). For most middle distance and distance runner they dont not have to follow this rule as closely as sprinters do. For middle distance and distance the races have "breaking points" where the runners can break from there assigned lanes and merge into the inside lanes, this is a rule for the mid distance running event, the 800m. For the mile and 2 mile there are no lanes assigned to each runner, it is like a free for all in these 2 events.
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/track-and-field-rules-general-rules-about-track-and-field.html
