Track Star’s Guide to Hurdle Preparation and Easy Victories
By: cory turk
I have run track since 7th grade and that is when I found my true passion. I tried hurdles which are stereotyped as the tough and challenging event that most people are too scared to try. If you start out early, it is really a piece of cake. The high school level of hurdles is more intense, more challenging and has harder competition. For me a track meet is a time when I relax and rethink over and over in my head of how I hope my race will play out. As we arrive at the meet our team always chooses the best place to set our camp so to say. We all relax under the two canopies that are carried by the big guys or throwers on the team. I always bring a blanket to relax for a few hours. First I need to eat the right food. This consists of: small bag of chips, granola bar, some fruit such an apple, orange or banana, some crackers and most of the time I bring a yogurt (strawberry of course). About 40 minutes before my first race, which is always the 110 meter high Hurdles and just like the name explains, they are very high indeed. I always run a lap or two to get my muscles warmed up and then I head over to the 100 meter start and set up a few hurdles. I start with walkovers which consist of three short core strengthening exercises over the hurdles. After I am warmed up from this, I usually end up running between 3-5 runs over 1 or 2 hurdles to make sure I am ready. Then I take off my shoes and do some short speed makers on the infield to make sure I am in sprint condition. Finally, you hear the call, “1st call, guy’s 110 meter high hurdles, 1st call guy’s 110 meter hurdles” and then the butterflies kick in. I rethink over and over in my head what I want to happen. As they call our heat up to the line, you think in your mind, this is it, all your hard work is about to pay off. As you try to relax and get in the mood, you hear the words, “Runners to your mark,…get set….BANG! Now it has begun.