What is a stade?

Ancient Olympic Events (Running)

There were 4 types of races at Olympia. The stadion was the oldest event of the Games. Runners sprinted for 1 stade (192 m.), or the length of the stadium. The other races were a 2-stade race (384 m.), and a long-distance run which ranged from 7 to 24 stades (1,344 m. to 4,608 m.).

And if these races weren't enough, the Greeks had one particularly grueling event which we lack. There was also a 2 to 4-stade (384 m. to 768 m.) race by athletes in armor. This race was especially useful in building the speed and stamina that Greek men needed during their military service. If we remember that the standard hoplite armor (helmet, shield, and greaves)weighed about 50-60 lbs, it is easy to imagine what such an event must have been like.

Taken from http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Olympics/running.html

The Foot Races

The Ancient Olympic Games included four foot races: the stade, which was 200 yards, the diaulos and the Hoplitodromos, or, race in armor, both of which were 400 yards, and the long distance race, the dolichos, which ranged from seven to twenty four stades, but averaged twenty stades.

The stade was the only Olympic event for the first thirteen Olympic Games, until the diaulos was instituted in the fourteenth Olympics. The dolichos was then instituted the following year, for the fifteenth Olympic Games. The Hoplitodromos, or the race in armor, was not instituted until the sixty-fifth Olympiad. The race, which required the runners to wear helmets, greaves (shinguards) and a shield, was introduced to aid soldiers in their war training.

Taken from http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cl135/Students/Kristina_Angus/foot.html

More info
http://www.crystalinks.com/greekolympics.html

Hope This Helped.

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