Letter from the Editor, July 2020

Hello Subscribers, and welcome to the July 2020 edition of The Hurdle Magazine. Hope everyone is healthy and feeling well and staying in shape in these troubled times. Here’s what we have in store for you for this month’s issue:

Freelance writer Savannah Cress, in her article, “The Transgender Issue,” tackles another difficult and controversial topic that directly affects track and field. Cress gives a well-researched, well-balanced look at the issue, bringing up considerations that I would not have thought to consider on my own.

Freelance writer Melinda Burris gives us two excellent articles in this month’s issue. In “Neurogenesis: New Research Developments and what they Could Mean for You,” Burris provides the first of a 2-part series of articles in which she discusses the significance of the fact that, unlike previously thought, the brain continues to make new neurons well into adulthood. Fascinating stuff in regard to what this could mean in regards to athletes being able to extend their careers. In her other article, “How to Eat and Drink before Competition,” Burris gives tips on foods to eat and how to stay hydrated prior to competitions, including some advice from Irish 400 meter hurdler Thomas Barr.

In my article, “Cycling on the Track,” I talk further about the training sessions I’ve had with my athlete Brandon Johnson, in which I’ve been teaching him the cycle-arms style that I came up with a decade ago but have yet to implement in a race. On the fourth of July, we finally got out to an actual track and were able to make a lot of progress. A video of the session is included in the article.

My second article, “Nehemiah’s Sophomore Year at UMD,” provides an update on my progress on the biography I am writing on former hurdling great Renaldo Nehemiah. In this article, I discuss the part of the book I’ve written about most recently: his sophomore year at the University of Maryland, when he busted up the record books both indoors and outdoors, and had a day for the ages at the Penn Relays in April of that year.

This month’s workout, “Pre Pre-season Workout,” is a conditioning workout for hurdlers and sprinters that will help provide a base for the fall training season.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support. Hope you enjoy the articles

Steve McGill