March 28, 2014
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you see something new. This past Tuesday I had written an article that will appear in the April issue of The Hurdle Magazine. In the article I mention that hurdlers who want to take 15 steps between the hurdles in the 300/400 hurdles need to take 22-23 steps to the first hurdle in order to establish the stride length and stride frequency necessary to make that transition.
Later that very same day one of my athletes took 25 steps to the first hurdle and the 15-stepped hurdles two and three. On the first rep, he took 25 to the first hurdle and then 16-stepped hurdles two and three, alternating lead legs. I thought I mis-counted, that he must’ve taken 23 steps to the first hurdle. So I told him for the next rep to open up his stride off of hurdle one for the 15-step to hurdle two.
This time I made sure I counted closely, listening for the foot-strikes and watching the feet move. This time I was certain he took 25 steps to the first hurdle. He went on to 15-step hurdles two and three. I was like, he’s not supposed to be able to do that. So I had him switch his feet at the start (we were using a 3-point start) so he could 24-step the first hurdle, then continue on with the 15.