Letter from the Editor, September 2019
Hello Subscribers, and welcome to the September 2019 edition of The Hurdle Magazine. In this month’s issue we have two research-based articles from freelance writer Melinda Burris Willms, three articles from myself, and one from Savannah Cress, who wrote her first article for The Hurdle Magazine in last month’s issue.
In “Stay Hydrated by Eating the Right Foods,” Willms provides a list of foods that are high in water content, focusing on those that are best for athletes to eat as snacks and during long days at long track meets.
In Willms’ other article, “Endurance Athletes: Dietary Recommendations,” she provides research-based information on the types of dietary regimens that are best for competitive athletes who train at high-intensity levels.
Cress’s article is entitled “A History of the Women’s 400 Meter Hurdles,” and is a follow-up to her article from last month entitled “A History: Women and the 80/100 Meter Hurdles.” In this article, she discusses the evolution of the women’s long hurdle race, from when it was first introduced in the 1984 Olympics to the present day, providing details on the accomplishments of some of the event’s greatest stars.
For one of my articles, inspired by Cress’ article, I focused on the current state of the long hurdles on both the men’s and women’s sides. In the article, entitled “400 Meter Hurdles: Dawn of a New Day,” I discuss the phenomenal accomplishments that have already happened this summer by the likes of Karsten Warholm, Rai Benjamin, Dalilah Muhammad, and Sydney McLaughlin. World records have been broken and flirted with, making both events marquee events heading into the World Championships later this month. I also discuss stride patterns for these athletes and make some observations based on those stride patterns.
In my other article, “My Mantras,” I discuss a handful of things I often say to my hurdlers–things that I say so often that they have indeed become mantras of mine, such as “they can’t do what we do for ten hurdles,” and “fluidity creates speed.” In the article, I discuss how these mantras reflect my coaching philosophy and my approach to coaching hurdling technique and rhythm.
This month’s workout, “Fall Workout for Advanced 100/110 Meter Hurdlers,” is a workout I just started using earlier this month with one of my hurdlers, Falon Spearman, who is only 15, but is in her third year with me and has always been exceptionally mature when it comes to handling workouts. This workout is not one I would do with beginners until maybe the indoor season.
Enjoy the articles, thank you again for your support. If you’re like me, you’re taking a little break this month before cranking it up again in September. If you’re still competing this late in the season, you must be really good!
Steve McGill
