Letter from the Editor, May 2019

Hello Subscribers, and welcome to the May 2019 edition of The Hurdle Magazine. This month’s issue features a return of freelance writer Teige West, a couple seasonally-applicable articles by freelance writer Melinda Burris Willms, as well as my usual hurdle-specific content.

West’s article, “Gentle Upper Body Stretches for Relaxation and Relief,” provides a series of upper body stretches that are designed to relieve tension. These stretches are great to do on a daily basis away from the track, and can be incorporated into a post-workout stretching routine.

In “The Importance of Staying Hydrated,” Willms discusses that very topic as it applies to athletes who train at a high level, and she also explains why water should be the go-to fluid replacement option for athletes.

In Willms’ other article, “The Affect Allergies & Asthma Have on Athletic Performance,” she discusses the issue that the title suggests, focusing on exercise-induced asthma as it applies to high-intensity training.

In my first article, “Do You, Coach,” I discuss the importance of coaches being willing to go beyond the teachings of their mentors in order to discover and use the workouts, drills, and teaching methods that best suit their own vision. Especially in events like the hurdles, it’s always important to experiment and think outside the box instead of just going with the tried and true.

This month’s workout, “Drills and Starts Combo Workout,” is a workout that allows athletes to get in some drill work and block work, so that technical issues can be addressed, hurdle-endurance can be strengthened, and race modeling can be enhanced.

In my last article, I take another look at the burgeoning rivalry between Grant Holloway and Daniel Roberts, as they had another epic battle at the SEC Outdoor Championships. In the article, I try to explain how Roberts was able to defeat Holloway despite smacking several hurdles. I also make the argument that, at some point in this lifetime, there needs to be penalties for knocking down hurdles.

Enjoy the articles, thank you again for your support, and I hope everyone’s outdoor season continues to go well.

Steve McGill