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Convert furlongs to miles instantly with our free calculator. Essential for horse racing distances, land surveying, and agricultural field measurements.
0.125
Miles per Furlong
8
Furlongs per Mile
660 ft
Feet per Furlong
Formula: Miles = Furlongs × 0.125
| Furlongs | Miles | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 fur | 0.125 mi | Short sprint race (2.5 minutes) |
| 2 fur | 0.25 mi | Quarter-mile distance |
| 4 fur | 0.5 mi | Half-mile workout |
| 5 fur | 0.625 mi | Common sprint distance |
| 6 fur | 0.75 mi | Classic sprint (3/4 mile) |
| 7 fur | 0.875 mi | Seven-furlong handicap |
| 8 fur | 1.0 mi | One mile standard |
| 9 fur | 1.125 mi | Nine-furlong route |
| 10 fur | 1.25 mi | Kentucky Derby distance |
| 12 fur | 1.5 mi | Classic mile-and-a-half |
| 16 fur | 2.0 mi | Two-mile endurance race |
| 20 fur | 2.5 mi | Extreme distance event |
| 24 fur | 3.0 mi | Three-mile historic race |
| 40 fur | 5.0 mi | Field length (agricultural) |
| 80 fur | 10.0 mi | Large parcel measurement |
A furlong is a traditional unit of distance equal to one-eighth of a mile, or exactly 660 feet (201.168 meters). The word comes from Old English furh (furrow) and lang (long), literally meaning "furrow-long." In medieval England, a furlong represented the length of a furrow in a standard agricultural field — the distance a team of oxen could plow without needing to rest. This practical measurement was standardized as 40 rods, 10 chains, or 220 yards. While rarely used in everyday contexts today, furlongs remain the international standard for measuring distances in horse racing worldwide, from Kentucky to England to Australia.
A mile is a unit of length equal to 5,280 feet or 1,760 yards (approximately 1.609 kilometers). The word comes from the Latin mille passus, meaning "thousand paces," referring to the Roman measurement of 1,000 paces (each pace being two steps). The mile is part of the imperial and US customary measurement systems and remains the primary distance unit for road travel in the United States, United Kingdom, and a few other countries. In most other nations, the kilometer has replaced the mile as the standard road distance measurement.
The relationship between these units is exact and unchanging: 1 furlong = 0.125 miles, or inversely, 1 mile = 8 furlongs. This 8-to-1 ratio makes conversions straightforward — simply multiply furlongs by 0.125 (or divide by 8) to get miles. Understanding this conversion is essential for interpreting horse racing results, analyzing breeding records, reading historical land documents, and converting agricultural field measurements.
The formula to convert furlongs to miles is: Miles = Furlongs × 0.125. Simply multiply the number of furlongs by the conversion factor 0.125 to get the equivalent distance in miles. Alternatively, you can divide furlongs by 8, which gives the same result.
Question: A sprint race is 6 furlongs. How many miles is that?
Note: 6 furlongs is a classic sprint distance in thoroughbred racing.
Question: The Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs. Convert to miles.
This distance is standard for Triple Crown and classic three-year-old races.
Question: A historic land document lists a field boundary as 40 furlongs. How many miles?
For quick mental estimates, remember that 8 furlongs = 1 mile. Divide the number of furlongs by 8 to get miles. For example: 16 furlongs ÷ 8 = 2 miles. For distances already divisible by 8, this is faster than multiplying by 0.125. For other distances, recognize common fractions: 2 furlongs = 1/4 mile, 4 furlongs = 1/2 mile, 6 furlongs = 3/4 mile. These patterns help you estimate race distances quickly at the track.
| Race Type | Furlongs | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Short sprint | 5 | 0.625 |
| Standard sprint | 6 | 0.75 |
| Seven-furlong race | 7 | 0.875 |
| One mile | 8 | 1.0 |
| Kentucky Derby | 10 | 1.25 |
| Belmont Stakes | 12 | 1.5 |
| Historic long race | 16 | 2.0 |
| Workout Type | Furlongs | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Short gallop | 2 | 0.25 |
| Half-mile breeze | 4 | 0.5 |
| Three-quarter work | 6 | 0.75 |
| Mile gallop | 8 | 1.0 |
| Extended work | 10 | 1.25 |
| Endurance session | 12 | 1.5 |
| Land Feature | Furlongs | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| One furlong strip | 1 | 0.125 |
| Small field side | 4 | 0.5 |
| Medium field length | 8 | 1.0 |
| Large field boundary | 16 | 2.0 |
| Township side | 40 | 5.0 |
| Survey section | 80 | 10.0 |
Understanding furlong-to-mile conversion is essential for analyzing race conditions, comparing performances across distances, and making informed betting decisions. Knowing that a 6-furlong sprint is 0.75 miles helps assess whether a horse better suited for 8 furlongs (1 mile) will perform well at shorter distances.
Many historical property deeds, surveying documents, and agricultural records use furlongs to describe boundaries and distances. Converting these measurements to modern miles is necessary for title research, historical mapping, and understanding land descriptions in old documents.
Traditional farming practices sometimes reference field lengths in furlongs, especially in the UK and areas with British agricultural heritage. Converting to miles helps modern farmers and land managers relate historical field dimensions to contemporary mapping systems and GPS coordinates.
Horse trainers use furlongs to plan workout regimens and track fitness progress. Converting to miles helps communicate training distances to owners unfamiliar with racing terminology and allows comparison with other endurance training metrics expressed in standard miles.
8 furlongs equals exactly 1 mile. This is the most important conversion to memorize for horse racing and makes all other conversions easier to calculate mentally.
For furlongs divisible by 8 (like 16, 24, 40), simply divide by 8 instead of multiplying by 0.125. It is faster: 16 ÷ 8 = 2 miles.
Memorize: 2 fur = 1/4 mi, 4 fur = 1/2 mi, 6 fur = 3/4 mi, 10 fur = 1-1/4 mi, 12 fur = 1-1/2 mi. These cover most common race distances.
A furlong is 0.201 kilometers, not 0.125 kilometers. The 0.125 factor only applies when converting to miles, not metric units.
Furlongs to miles requires multiplication by 0.125 (or division by 8). Miles to furlongs is the opposite — multiply by 8 or divide by 0.125.
A common mistake is thinking 10 furlongs = 1 mile. Actually, 8 furlongs = 1 mile, and 10 furlongs = 1.25 miles.
There are exactly 8 furlongs in one mile. This means one furlong equals 0.125 miles, or one-eighth of a mile. This is a fixed standard conversion used universally in horse racing and land measurement.
Horse racing uses furlongs because they provide convenient whole numbers for common race distances. A 6-furlong sprint or 10-furlong classic race is easier to communicate than 0.75 or 1.25 miles. This tradition dates back centuries and remains the international standard for thoroughbred racing.
Multiply the number of furlongs by 0.125 (or divide by 8). For example: 8 furlongs × 0.125 = 1 mile. Alternatively: 8 furlongs ÷ 8 = 1 mile. Both methods give the same result.
One furlong equals exactly 660 feet. Since there are 5,280 feet in a mile and 8 furlongs per mile, dividing 5,280 by 8 gives 660 feet per furlong. This also equals 220 yards or 201.168 meters.
6 furlongs equals 0.75 miles or three-quarters of a mile. This is a common sprint distance in thoroughbred racing, equivalent to 3,960 feet or 1,207 meters. Many classic sprint races are run at this distance.
Furlong comes from Old English furh (furrow) and lang (long), meaning furrow-long. It originally represented the length of a furrow in a medieval agricultural field — the distance a team of oxen could plow without resting. This was standardized as one-eighth of a mile.
Furlongs are rarely used in everyday life today except in horse racing. They occasionally appear in historical land records, agricultural contexts, and British signage near horse racing venues. Most other measurements have transitioned to miles, kilometers, or meters.
The Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs, which equals 1.25 miles or exactly one-quarter-mile longer than one mile. This distance is known as a mile-and-a-quarter and is the standard distance for many classic three-year-old races worldwide.
Yes. First convert furlongs to miles by multiplying by 0.125, then convert miles to kilometers by multiplying by 1.609344. For example: 8 furlongs × 0.125 = 1 mile; 1 mile × 1.609344 = 1.609 kilometers. Directly, 1 furlong equals approximately 0.201168 kilometers.
This calculator uses the internationally recognized conversion factor of 1 furlong = 0.125 miles (exactly 1/8 mile). For official horse racing records, breeding documentation, and historical land surveys, always verify conversions with relevant racing authorities or certified land surveyors.