Letter from the Editor, April 2019
Hello Subscribers, and welcome to the April 2019 edition of The Hurdle Magazine. With the outdoor season in full swing, we’ll be focusing on ways to keep sharpening the skills, and I’ll also be doing some reflecting on my recent trip to visit hurdling legend Renaldo Nehemiah.
In this month’s issue, we have two more articles from freelance writer Melinda Burris Willms, and four from myself. In Willms first article, “Transgender Controversy in Sports” she she objectively discusses this very hot topic that is quite an emotionally charged issue in our sport. Willms presents both sides of the argument so that readers can decide for themselves where they stand.
In Willms other article, “Exercises to Strengthen the Hamstrings and how to Prevent Hamstring Injuries,” she provides well-researched information on a part of the body that is commonly bothersome for hurdlers, and she describes specific exercises that keep away the hamstring tears, strains, and pulls.
In my first article, “A Visit to the Home of Renaldo Nehemiah,” I discuss my trip this past March to Maryland, where I spent three days with the hurdling legend and current sports agent, as we laid the foundation for a biography I will be writing on him. I came back home with six hours worth of interview material, and in the article I discuss my motivation for wanting to pursue such a project in the first place.
This month’s workout, “Reverse Order Workout,” is a workout for experienced 100/110m hurdlers who are practicing their race model from a block start. In the workout, the idea is to do the longer reps first and the shorter reps at the end, so that the legs aren’t worn out when it comes time to do the longer reps.
For this month’s great race, I look back to Renaldo Nehemiah’s first race back to competition after a four and a half year layoff spent playing professional football. Although the race itself wouldn’t qualify as “great,” the circumstances leading up to it and surrounding it were quite remarkable. Consider this article to be a sneak peek into the type of writing you’ll see when the book comes out.
Finally, in “Figuring it Out Together,” I discuss my approach to coaching my hurdlers, which emphasizes collaboration and communication, as opposed to me dictating and mandating. I find that my growth as a coach over the years has come largely due to my willingness to listen to my athletes.
Enjoy the articles, thank you again for your support, and I hope everyone’s outdoor season is going well.
Steve McGill
