Letter from the Editor, September 2016

Welcome, readers, to our September issue of The Hurdle Magazine. I guess you could call this our Olympic Review issue, as we’ll be taking a look back at the Rio Olympics from last month, while also providing some training tips and the like as everyone looks forward to the 2017 season.

The lead article in this issue is obviously “Olympic Review,” in which I take a look back and provide analysis of the four hurdling events that took place in Rio. Congrats to everyone who competed, and a special congrats to the medal winners, especially the gold medal winners. It’s always exciting to see lifelong dreams come true, but the joy for the winners always has to be tempered with the fact that many athletes also suffered heartbreak in Rio, which is an unfortunate part of sports.

The article “Olympic Spectacle Blues” also focuses on last month’s Games, but from a different light, as I do a little bit of venting about how the Olympics has become just as much spectacle as sport, particularly in our modern social media age, where everyone has an opinion and is free to express it, regardless if they know what they’re talking about.

“Rules Don’t Apply to the Little Guy” focuses on men’s 110h gold medal winner Omar McLeod, and takes a look at the reasons for his success from a technique standpoint. I also explain how he does a lot of things technically that smaller hurdlers can learn from, even though they don’t necessarily fit conventional definitions of technically sound hurdling.

“Coaching Double Hurdlers” continues my thoughts on double hurdlers that I started in last month’s issue. Here, I give advice for how to organize practice and how to organize a typical week so that the double hurdler gets the work he or she needs to excel in both events.

This month’s workout, “100 Meter Sets Workout,” is an off-season conditioning workout that can be applicable for both short and long hurdlers. Conditioning work isn’t always fun, but putting a hurdle in the way always adds a little something to keep the hurdler’s interest piqued.

Finally, “Making the Team” addresses the controversy that arose after Kendra Harrison failed to make the US team despite being the national record holder at the time, and despite going on to break the world record prior to the Olympic Games. It was also inspired by Usain Bolt’s injury exemption that allowed him a spot on the Jamaican team, and to go on to earn three gold medals at the Games. The article looks at both sides of the argument regarding the fairness of the American system.

Thanks for all the support, everyone. Enjoy your off-season, unless, like me, you don’t really have one.

Take care,

Steve McGill