How many hurdles are there in 400 meter race? : GK How many hurdles are there in 400 meter race? How many hurdles are there in 400 meter race? : QUESTION : There are 100 10 hurdles in a 110 meter hurdles Race. How many hurdles are there in 400 meter race? ANSWER : 10 How high are the hurdles? How high are the hurdles? Hurdles | 0 comments Hurdles should have 5 different heights that they can be set at. Each one of these heights is used for a different race or age group. The easiest way to explain the hurdle height is in inches (if you are from the United States). The hurdles can be adjusted anywhere from 42 inches down to 30 inches. When you change a setting on the hurdle it will adjust the height of the hurdle by 3 inches either up or down. As you go throughout your coaching career you may hear the hurdle heights described in other ways besides simply saying the height in inches.

Many times you will hear the heights referred to using the terms Low (30 inches), Women’s (33 inches), Intermediate (36 inches), High School Highs (39 inches), and Open (42 inches). The low hurdle height is used for the women’s 300/400 meter hurdle race. In my area it is also occasionally used for the women’s 100 meter hurdle races for the junior varsity level. The women’s height is used for the 100 meter hurdles. Women run this height in high school all the way through to the Olympic level. The intermediate height is used for the men’s 300/400 hurdle races. They use this height from high school to the Olympic level. The high school highs are used for the boy’s 110 meter hurdle race at the high school level. The last height is the open height which is used for the men’s 110 meter hurdle races at the college and Olympic levels. Teaching your athletes these heights and terminology is very important. Doing so will allow you to get things set up a lot quicker.

If you tell them to set the hurdles up at the intermediate height then they should know exactly where to set the hurdles up and which height to set them on. Having your athletes set the hurdles up allows them to get more work accomplished because multiple athletes can get them set up correctly faster than you can by yourself. Teaching your hurdlers this terminology is something that I try to do in the first week of hurdling and I recommend you do the same. Search for: The Phases of a 400 Meter Hurdle Race - Hurdles First Hurdles First Hurdles First > Free Articles > Training Tips > The Phases of a 400 Meter Hurdle Race The Phases of a 400 Meter Hurdle Race A little while ago I wrote an article breaking down the phases of the 100/110m hurdle race. So now I’ll go ahead and write one breaking down the phases of the 400m race. Hurdles 1-2: You should have a lot of nervous energy and adrenaline built up, go ahead and let it out but keep it under control.

This is the quick turnover part of the race, before fatigue becomes a factor, and you’re still building up to top speed. It’s also the part of the race where you establish your rhythm and tempo. For the first hurdle, elite males will take as few as twenty strides, but the key is to take a number of strides that will allow you to establish a quick turnover and to take off from a comfortable distance. For the second hurdle, you want to go with a stride pattern that you can carry at least through hurdle five. Otherwise, you’re using up too much energy in the early part of the race, and your rate of deceleration in the end stages of the race will be dramatic. And painful. And embarrassing. For example, if you try to 13-step the second hurdle and are able to do so, but are dropping down to 15 by the fourth hurdle, then chances are you might be all the way down to 19-stepping by the end of the race.

On the other hand, if the same hurdler were to 15-step the second hurdle, he would be able to maintain that stride pattern through hurdle five, and would be sixteen or seventeen-stepping by the end, which is much more preferable than nineteen. You have to know your body, you have to know your conditioning level, and you have to be able to differentiate between bold and stupid. Hurdles 3-5: By this stage of the race, your rhythm has already been established, and fatigue has yet to become a factor, so hurdles 3-5 are all about staying fluid, maintaining your rhythm, keeping your hurdling technique efficient, and keeping your stride pattern consistent. Don’t get anxious if you see someone surging ahead of you, and don’t get complacent if you’re the one passing people. Focus on your rhythm. If you get caught up too much in the mode of competing you can throw off your stride pattern. Know your stride pattern, know your race strategy, and stick to it.

You can make subtle adjustments to your cadence – to your stride frequency – based on the competition, but stay relaxed and make sure you don’t change your stride length, because that can cause major rhythm issues that you might not recover from. Hurdles 6-8: Okay, this is the scary part of the race. All three hurdles are on the curve, plus the dreaded 250 mark – where the big gorilla sneaks from behind the scoreboard and jumps on your back – is right in the middle of this curve, at hurdle seven. The key to this phase of the race is to stay relaxed. If you’re going to maintain your original stride pattern, it’s going to require more effort now. You can’t let the arms drop; you have to maintain a full range of motion with the arms. The turnover will not be as quick, and the curve will naturally lengthen the distance between the barriers. If you do add another stride or two between the hurdles, then you have to quicken your tempo to compensate for the extra stride(s). Windy conditions might dictate that you alter your stride pattern sooner than you want to. If that’s the case, go with it. Don’t fight the wind, don’t fight the curve.

At hurdle eight, make sure you clear the hurdle before you head into the final straight-away. Many mistakes occur at this hurdle because hurdlers are too eager to get the curve over with and get back to running straight up-and-down. It’s important to clear the hurdle first. Hurdles 9-10: I always say that in a 400m hurdle race, you’re going to reach a point where you can no longer rely on arm thrust, knee lift, and other physical cues to carry you through. You reach a point where you have to dig deep inside your heart and find a strength you didn’t know was there. If that moment comes prior to hurdle nine, then you need to get in better shape to run this race, because your form will fall apart before you reach the finish line. This moment should come somewhere between hurdle nine and hurdle ten. You can’t back down from the pain, and you can’t fight the pain; you have to stay relaxed through the pain. If you have practiced this level of physical pain often enough in workouts, then you will not be surprised by it when you feel it in a race. Your body will do what you have trained it to do.

From a technical standpoint, it’s important to stay horizontal while attacking the hurdles, as the enormity of your fatigue will cause you to sail and jump over them, costing precious time. To the Finish Line: In the 400m hurdles, because the run-in to the finish line is 35 meters, much can go right, and much can go wrong. Much ground can be made up, and much ground can be lost. I know that for high school hurdlers used to the 300m distance, the biggest adjustment they have to make when moving up to the 400h is in the run-in to the finish line. Coming off the last hurdle, you have to keep running. I know that sounds simple, and it is simple, but it’s not so simple when the gorilla is weighing you down. Retain your upright posture, keep pushing the chest forward, keep driving the arms. And most importantly, gut it out. Strategy and conditioning can only take you so far. In this race, you’ve gotta have heart to have a chance. © 2007 Steve McGill 300m or 400m Hurdles at High School Level?

- Hurdles First Hurdles First Hurdles First > Free Articles > Issues > 300m or 400m Hurdles at High School Level? 300m or 400m Hurdles at High School Level? An issue of increasing relevance on the high school level is whether the intermediate hurdle race should be 300 or 400 meters long. I recently searched the internet to find out how many states feature a 300m race, as opposed to how many feature a 400m race. To my surprise, I found that most states still run a 300m hurdle race, with Iowa, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and South Carolina being the only exceptions. In age-group track (AAU and USATF), both the 15-16-year-old age group and the 17-18-year-old age group feature a 400m hurdle race.

So, with these facts in hand, I began to ponder the question of why so few states have their intermediate hurdlers race 400 meters, especially when considering that the high-schoolers who run in the summer race 400 meters, and that all collegiate intermediate hurdlers race 400 meters. In this article, I will discuss the pros and cons of both the 300m and 400m hurdle races at the high school level, and I will also discuss whether or not there should be a standardized distance for all states. The most obvious argument in favor of the 300 meter distance is that it allows for beginning hurdlers to get involved in hurdling without suffering too much physical or emotional trauma. Once a newcomer can hurdle decently well, he or she can get through a 300 meter race just by running hard between the hurdles and getting over the hurdles the best he or she can. The three-step rhythm of the sprint hurdles might be too demanding at the early stages of a hurdler’s development, but the 300s don’t require nearly as much precision timing or technical efficiency.

Try to throw the same athlete out there to run the 400 hurdles and you might need an ambulance nearby to rush him or her to the nearest hospital. The 400m intermediate hurdles is notorious for being one of the most demanding, most intimidating events in all of Track & Field, even for those with experience, so it makes sense to want to ease younger hurdlers into the hurdles by having them run the 300s, where they have only eight hurdles to clear, and the finish line is right there waiting for them as soon as they touch down off the last barrier. Logically speaking, just like the high school boys run over 39-inch hurdles in the 110s, and then move up to 42-inch hurdles in college, it follows that, in the long hurdles, they would graduate from the 300m hurdles to the 400m hurdles upon entering the collegiate ranks. To counter the above argument, however, one could say that the 400m hurdles wouldn’t be so intimidating if hurdlers were introduced to it sooner, before entering college. There is much credence to this point of view.

In the summer USATF age-group meets that I have attended, it seems obvious to me that kids have a lot more trouble with the 400m hurdles in the early part of the summer, having just come off the school season, in which they ran the 300s. Late in the season, though – by regionals and nationals – the races look much smoother and cleaner, and there are significantly less breakdowns in form caused by “hitting the wall.” Of course, the athletes who make it to regionals and nationals are better athletes, but still, their performance seems to improve dramatically over the course of the summer, as they gradually get used to the longer distance.

Nadine Faustin, a professional hurdler who competes internationally for Haiti but ran for the University of North Carolina in the mid-90s and ran high school track in New York (a 400m hurdle state), made the following observation: “The 300-hurdlers are at a great disadvantage in the summer meets because they’re so used to stopping after three hundred.” As for the argument that younger hurdlers would be intimidated by the 400-meter distance, she argued that “you can always put younger hurdlers who are afraid of the distance in a slower heat and encourage them to just finish. They’ll grow into it.” Faustin’s got a point. I remember a few years ago when a hurdler that I helped coach competed in the Adidas Outdoor Championships (which was called the Footlocker Outdoor Championships back then) in the 400m hurdles. A state champion in the 300m hurdles, she was in first place in her heat coming into the final straight-away.

Then she hit a brick wall, or, if you will, a bear came out of the bleachers and jumped on her back, and she ended up finishing dead-last in her heat, literally walking across the finish line. She wasn’t out of shape; she was in great shape. She just wasn’t used to the distance. So, it seems clear that the chief argument in favor of high-schoolers running the 400m hurdles is that it prepares them much better for the post-season championship meets as well as for the summer USATF or AAU season. Lee Pantas, a hurdle coach who has produced state champions and national-caliber hurdlers at Asheville-Reynolds High School in Asheville, NC, noted that “the states that run the 300 hurdles seriously hamstring their athletes who wish to participate in the summer programs, with a few exceptions. It is very difficult to compete at 400H if all you have been running is 300H.” Another thing worth mentioning, if only briefly, in this discussion, is that intermediate hurdlers are largely counted upon to serve as relay legs for the 4×400.

It’s a lot to ask of a high school athlete to run the 400m hurdles and to run a 4-by-4 leg. This might be a more reasonable expectation for the athlete who competes indoors and has time to get into proper condition, but for the multi-sport athlete who doesn’t begin training for track until the spring season arrives, doubling in the 400m hurdles and the 4-by-4 is virtually impossible. Personally, although I like the 300m hurdles more, I do feel that all states need to start moving toward making 400 meters their intermediate hurdle distance. The kids who are serious about track, and serious about training and getting better, will not back down from the longer distance, but will rise to the challenge of increased expectations. Really, the kids who would back down from the 400m hurdles are the ones who already back down from the 300s. I ran the 400m hurdles for four years in college, and although it was often painful, I don’t remember ever being carried off on a stretcher at the end of a race. As demanding a race as it is, it is manageable if one trains for it properly.

For the kids who want to run track in college, who are hoping to earn scholarship money as a means of paying for their college education, we owe it to them to give them the best chance possible for success. And as Faustin mentioned, the less gifted hurdlers who are genuine hard workers will adjust to the longer distance with steady dosages of encouragement from their coaches. The less gifted athlete might even be at an advantage in some cases, as endurance would matter more than pure speed. So, should there be a standardized distance for all states? Yes, and, for the reasons discussed in the previous paragraph, the distance should be 400 meters. The intermediate hurdles is the only event in high school outdoor track (as far as I know, anyway) that isn’t the same in every state. You don’t have a 16-pound shot in some states and a 14-pound shot in others. You don’t have a 100 meter dash in some states and a 90 meter dash in others. So, looking at it from that point of view, it’s rather illogical to have a 300m hurdle race in some states and a 400m hurdle race in others.

In short, the 400m hurdles’ time has come. © 2004 Steve McGill Hurdles 101 Hurdles 101 Many track people don't know or understand the proper placement of hurdles. This problem is amplified when age group considerations are involved--most tracks are not marked for the odd age group spacings. I'll cover that after the basics. By the way, the USATF rulebook is missing some information and has typos in its charts that have been corrected for in the information in this article (so the math works)--in other words, this is more up to date than the rulebook. If you already know the basics, jump ahead . Every race has a distance to the first hurdle, a space between each hurdle, and a distance to the finsh line. They are not the same. The hurdle height is also critical. Every hurdle manufactured should have 5 different heights. I've illustrated this in the pictures above, left to right (click them to make them bigger).

In imperial terms (feet and inches) we american's understand, the highest hurdle is 42" and it progresses downward by 3" increments (39, 36, 33 and 30). This is just something you have to know. We hurdlers frequently refer to those notches going down in order in terms of Open or College Highs, High School Highs, Intermediate, Womens and Lows because of the basic groups that run those heights. There are ten hurdles in all common races except the high school 300 hurdles, which have eight. Masters and Youth races also have their exceptions described below. Short races (indoor distances) usually are five hurdles. By the way, the rule book also prescribes a weighting factor for hurdles, because the higher the hurdle, the easier it is to tip over. But I must say most facilities I have seen do not have adjustable weight hurdles. The ones in the pictures do not have the weights. Even when facilities do have adjustable weight hurdles, I have only seen them used properly at the National Championships and the Olympics.

I have not seen it become a factor in the acceptance of Masters or Youth hurdle records (though it probably should be since it is a violation of the specifications of the race). If you have them and wish to do a race by the book, there will be a corresponding weight mark for each height--the higher the hurdle the further from the joint or fulcrum the weight should be. Many hurdles have internal weights (you can feel them slide around inside). If you have them, make sure they are at the far end for the high hurdle race (lift the front and hear them slide to the back) and to the front for lower hurdles (tip forward). Basic markings: For some reason, even though the rule book does provide for a specific color code (though it is only a recommendation not a hard rule, so), the people who install tracks continue to ignore it. So you won't find any standard color or shape to the markings. Instead, here is what you will find (with some clue in deciphering the weird way some facilities may have oriented the hurdles). Once you know the color (or shape) you know where to put the hurdles for that race.

From a common finish line (at most facilities) walking backward down the track you will find hurdle marks in this order--if all major marks exist. 10 meters before the finish line, at the beginning of the 4x400 exchange zone is the 8th hurdle of the HS 300 hurdles (it should be red), half a meter further is the 10th womens 100 hurdle (it should be yellow). Here's where it can get goofy. The next mark should be the tenth men's 110 hurdle (it should be blue), but if this track runs reverse races (to take advantage of wind--you'll know if they have done this by the number of hurdle markings and frequently they will use triangles to point the direction) you will find the first reverse women's hurdle, then the first reverse men's hurdle before you get to the last normal men's hurdle. The final color you will be looking for is the 10th 400 hurdle (it should be green). It will be between the 5th and 6th women's hurdle mark (very close to the 6th men's hurdle).

If the track does not have a common finish, you will need to figure out the color from the proper start and finish line for each race. If you don't know if this situation exists, start by checking the 110 start line, which will be at or almost at the beginning of the final 4x100 exchange zone (the zone is usually on the turn while the hurdles will be on the straightaway--the distance from the finish line should be identical). If it is not there, you have to find the two straightaway start lines (which usually will be 10 meters apart) and the finish line. I have seen some places where every race is a different set of lines (usually to accomodate limited available space). The fortunate thing is, when a track gets this weird, there usually is a painted sign to explain it. I cover all the details on track markings in another article. While you are at the beginning of the last relay zone, you will find a hurdle marker at exactly that same spot--that is the 8th 400 hurdle mark, so the color will confirm the color (which should be green) of those marks.

Men's 110HH (High Hurdles) This event is a legacy from imperial days. The spacing specification is the metric translation of 15 yards to the first hurdle, ten yards between and what was the imperial version of 15 yards to the finish. BTW, that means you could practice or even race on grass on a football field, starting on the end zone line, hurdles on every odd 5 yard line (5, 15, 25 etc.) and finish on the other end zone line. But 110m is about a foot longer than 120 yards, so the end distance is slightly longer than 15 yards and that foot causes some extra adjustments. Many meets try to run the hurdles with the wind, which means you might run either way down the straightaway. Since 15/10/15 is symetrical, you could run the imperial race in either direction. Because of the extra foot on the end, you can't use the same marks metric going either direction (which means meets that want to run a shuttle hurdles on a metric course should have all the hurdles separated by about that same foot or offset their start lines by that foot).

That would explain why you find some places have almost identical marks but arrows or triangles to indicate which direction they are referring to. Generally the 110's will start at the beginning of the final relay zone, a straightaway start line 10 meters farther from finish line than the 100 meter start line. If you have the bidirectional markings, the first mark you reach will be the first hurdle, the one a foot further away is the last hurdle coming the other direction. So using the same color mark is obvious. Open competitors up to age 30 run 42" hurdles (thats all the way to the top), High School and age 30 up to 50 run 39" (that's one click from the top). Some leagues let young competitors run lower hurdles, that is a local decision not in the rule book. Some elite 30+ runners continue the legacy of running the higher hurdles, and that is a variation most meet managers will allow (except in championship meets where specifications are defined in the rule book). Sometimes a shorter distance is run, particularly indoors. These also run fewer hurdles, usually five.

Whatever the distance, the odd measurement is always made from the last hurdle to the finish line. So a 60 yard, 55 meter, 60 meter or 70 yard hurdles will be the pattern of first five hurdles and then whatever the distance is from there to the finish. That means it is easier to invent the marking from the start line to an odd finish line in the middle of the straightaway, rather than from the middle of the straightaway to the common finish line. Since the men's race is a hybrid from an imperial race, you will have to mark every hurdle position to get a metric race end at the common finish. I can't recall ever seeing a metric track that has such markings. Hurdle # Women's 100 Hurdles This and all other races have originated in metric distances, so there are no odd distances to be compensated for. But this race is not symetrical. It goes 13 meters to the first hurdle, 8.5 meters between and finishes with a 10.5 meter run in to the finish. The 100 meter start line is in the middle of the final 4x100 exchange zone.

In order to run backwards, a few places have simply created an extra set of start and finish lines (and use the same hurdle marks). Use the start line farthest from the first hurdle, thus the finish line is the closest of the two lines to the last hurdle. On most tracks, with one direction finishes, you will only find two sets of short hurdle marks, the women's is the one with less distance in between marks. For women's 60m hurdles, again use the start of the race and the first five hurdles. Thus the the finish line would be the 10th 400 hurdle marker. Hurdle # 100 Long Hurdles The spacing on either the 300 or 400 hurdles is the same. 45m from start line to the first hurdle, 35m between. But the start lines are in different places on the track, so there are two sets of markings. The only marking in the first 100m (the turn) is the one for 400H.

If you are on the other end of the track, that is also the one that lines up with the beginning of the final 4x100 relay zone (usually still in the turn). The 300 hurdles marking is the one that lines up with the beginning of the 4x400 zone near the finish line, and will be the one 5 meters farther to the finish line in every pair of long hurdle marks all the way around the track. The 400H marks should be green and the 300H marks should be red, but don't depend on that as so many painters deviated from the color code. The 400h finishes with 40m to the finish, By the way, if you are running a 400H, you should know the difference between a 400 meter (metric) track and a 440 yard (imperial) track, which is about 7 feet longer. I have never seen an imperial track that does not have metric markings (though it is possible), so that is usually the clue.

If the start line in lane 1 is not on the common finish, you are dealing with a track that is not 400m (though there are a couple of tracks that are also not imperial, just an improper measurement on construction). If you are on an old imperial track, there might be double markings for staggered start and hurdle marks. The imperial marks are the same seven feet before the metric marks. Men and Women up to age 49, Intermediate Boys, Intermediate Girls, Young Men and Young Women all do the normal international 400m races, males at 36", females at 30" Men 50-59 lower the hurdles one notch to 33" The Masters 300H races for both men and women run a different distance to the first hurdle 50m, so the hurdles are in the same place as the 400H race. They continue with 35m spacing and finish with 40m to the finish. High Schools (as mentioned above) run 300m in most states, boys at 36", girls at 30" except when local rules cause a change.

Steeplechase Steeplechase actually seems easy compared to the various hurdle heights and markings. Steeplechase is much less precise, meaning the distance runners do not count their steps and plan their distance between barriers. In fact, the distance between barriers could be different depending if this is an inside, slice or outside design. The only rule is the spacing between the 4 barriers and water jump should be evenly spaced around the odd sized lap, that the water jump is the next to last barrier and that the last barrier should be 68m before the finish line (which kind of puts the others in their relative position). Most tracks that have steeplechase already have that worked out, but there are a couple of exceptions to look out for. If the water jump is on the same end of the track as the finish line, the steeplechase will finish at the opposite finish line from the common finish line (examples: Mt. SAC, USC, LBCC, Mira Costa College and CSLA).

And if the water jump is a slice, meaning a short runway across just half the inside of a turn (examples, Stanford, West Valley College, College of the Canyons, CMS and SJCC), the finish line could be about 20 meters down the straightaway from the common finish line. There are only two barrier heights to be aware of. Youth, Women and Men over 60 run 30" and Men from High School up to age 59 run 36" barriers. Masters and Youth run 2000 meters. If they are adjustable, it is usually with a bolt or pin arrangement--the fancier models use a knob to tighten. Some have combinations of locking rings (you lift up on the ring then after it is in the new location putting the ring back down locks it in place). There is a calibration line on this variety--this one (currently at 30") is even marked for 27" which is only used for international Masters 70+ This one (currently at 30") needs to remove both bolts which act as pins. Both helpers need to lift to the next hole before pins are replaced.

To move the barriers, it is suggested you use two people, so you don't drag these heavy barriers on the easily damaged all weather surface of the track. To adjust the barriers, you should have three people--one to hold each end and the third to do the adjustment. If most of these adjustable barriers are not balanced (meaning if one end slides lower than the other) as they are adjusted, they are so closely aligned to the support frame that it will get stuck. Do not try to do this by yourself--you could damage the barrier. On a 3000, the barriers before the common finish line (meaning the water jump and the one on the straightaway after it) are not used on the first lap. That first partial lap is run on the regular track. That means the first barrier is the the one just after the finish line after you have seven laps to go. The barrier on the straightaway needs to be put in place AFTER the race has started. Depending on if the water jump is inside (or outside) the curb (or cones) separating (or directing) the athletes from (or to) the water jump also should be removed (or placed) after the athletes pass that point.

Doing the math, that means 28 barriers and 7 water jumps in a 7 and a half lap race. Obviously moving barriers and removing curbs during the race requires the staff to do so. The difference in a 2000 is it is a 5 lap race. And it is missing the first two barriers, which are the two between the start line and the water jump. Again doing the math, that is 18 barriers and 5 water jumps. Most tracks are not marked for the 2000 start. To measure the 2000 start where it does not exist, you measure the distance from the (leading edge of the) 200 meter start line in lane one to the existing 3000 steeplechase start. For the metrically challenged, I really suggest you do this metric or it will fry your brain. Of course you need to take note of the direction FROM the 200 start, if the track has an inside water jump you will be walking back into the straightaway. If it is an outside water jump you will be walking forward into the turn.

The easiest way for me to calculate is to divide by 7 then multiply by 5, but if you have a calculator with you, multiply by . 7143. Then measure out that distance from the common start/finish line in the same fashion and direction as you took the original measurement. Old Hurdle Races There used to be other hurdle races and occasionally new hurdle races are invented. The most common of those defunct races is the 220y and 180y low hurdles. Being invented in the imperial days, these followed imperial measurements. The hurdles were 30" 20yards to the first hurdle and 20 yards in between. California High Schools ran the 180 low hurdles until 1974 (many other states evolved about the same time), so many of us relics can still claim high school records in those events (since nobody is running them anymore). The old 220y (and its metric equivalent) are two of the 5 world records set by Jesse Owens that one day. Since this race was usually run on a straightaway, many old facilities still show remnants of the 220y straightaway that was needed for this race.

Because the straight 220y existed, one turn 440y and straight 220y races (without hurdles) were also contested causing separate records to be kept. It took until 1996 for Michael Johnson to finally beat the old straightaway 200 record held by Tommie Smith set in 1967. Another permutation I have seen is a metric 200 low hurdle race, which was doubling the distances of the women's 100m hurdles. This was a fun addition to some local meets that gave otherwise unrecognizable athletes a chance to chase a record. Because I was able to consistently get through this odd race without falling flat on my face, I held the "World Record" for over a year as I ran through the carnage of my faster challengers who had impaled themselves on hurdles before I ever got there. The above were the basics, here is the unique information this page offers: Age Group Hurdles Since this contains more (corrected) information than the rulebook, meet directors are urged to print these charts out and use it as a guide to place your hurdles.

Men 19-29 of course run the Men's 110HH at 42" as described above. High School, Women up to age 39, Intermediate and Young Women run the Women's 100H at 33" as described above High School, Men 30-49, Intermediate and Young Men run the Men's 110HH at 39" as described above. Men 50-59 run the women's 100 spacing at 36" For all the races below, you will need to create special locations to accomodate the hurdle placement. The chart will show the easy way to place those hurdles. Men's 60-69 and (from a different start line) Women's 40-49 Men 60-69 do 100m at 33" Men 70+ do 80m at 30" The rule book calls for men 80+ and women 60+ to do 27" internationally.

For the charts below all references are to the Women's (W)100m hurdle marks, + is toward the finish line, - is toward the start line. Women 40-49 also do 80m at 30" The placement is same as the Men's 60-69 but is missing the first two hurdles. The start line for 80m is exactly at the 6th 300H mark (high school hurdles), 1.5m before W2 (relative to a common finish line). The Women's 40-49 and Men's 70+ first hurdle is equal to the Men's H3, meaning they only do 8 hurdles.

Hurdle # Women 60+ and Men 80+ do the same spacing as above but at 27" Long Hurdles: Men and Women up to age 49 all do the normal international 400m races, males at 36", females at 30" Men 50-59 lower the hurdles one notch to 33" Men 60+ and Women 50+ do 300 hurdles at 30" but continue to use the 400 meter placement, chopping off the first three hurdles, meaning it is a 7 hurdle race that is different from the high school race. This confuses most meet directors, particularly those who concentrate on divisions other than masters. Let me repeat, the hurdles stay on the 400m locations (meaning the run up to the first hurdle is 5m longer) and they only do seven hurdles, so last high school hurdle does not exist. Again the rule book calls for men 80+ and women 60+ to do 27" internationally.

Currently, the United States has voted to take exception to that rule because our hurdle manufacturers do not provide 27" hurdles and we do not want to burden our meet organizers with having to find 27" hurdles for the rare occurrence that we have such a hurdler. Clearing a 30" hurdle meets the qualifications of clearing a 27" hurdle (though it puts the competitor at a disadvantage obviously) so any records set with 30" hurdles will qualify for international recognition.. Youth age divisions are by names rather than exact ages because they determine their ages differently, by birth year rather than date. Bantam divisions do not do hurdles. Midgets Boys and Girls both do 80m at 30", the start line is the 6th 300H mark, meaning W2 -1.5 Hurdle # Sprint Hurdles Sprint Hurdles Hurdling is, because of its technical and energy demands, an exciting and challenging event. The technical component of hurdling is clearly much greater than in sprinting, yet the concept of the hurdles race must be one of a sprint, with adjustment for each hurdle.

The stride pattern for sprint hurdling is a 7 to 8 stride pattern to the first hurdle followed by a 3 stride pattern between the hurdles. Appropriate drills can be used to help develop the athlete's hurdling technique. Sprint Hurdling Technique The Start and Approach In sprint hurdling the first hurdle is only some seven or eight strides away so the athlete must come upright at the 3rd or 4th stride, much earlier than the sprinter. To enable this to happen the block spacings will have to be slightly altered. When using an eight stride approach the take-off foot is placed in the front block. Hurdle Clearance The athlete must attack the hurdle and aim to clear it, by approx. 17 to 18 cm, as quickly and efficiently as possible, raising their centre of gravity only a little more than in a normal sprint action. Leg Action The last stride of the approach to the first hurdle is shortened in order to allow the take-off leg to move rapidly under the hips. This ensures that a fast effective drive can be made across the hurdle. [1]. The take off distance is 1.98 metres to 2.29 metres (6½ to 7½ feet) from the hurdle.

The body's centre of gravity is ahead of the foot on take off [1] Action of the leading leg: The knee must be picked up fast [1] The knee is driven at the hurdle [1] & [2] The lower part of the leg is left low and extends once the knee reaches the height of the barrier [1] & [2] The knee must be picked up in line with the vertical centre line of the body. There should be no tendency for the knee to be pulled across the body or for the lower leg to go out and round. The foot of the lead leg reaches its highest point some 15 to 30 centimetres (6 to 8 inches) in front of the hurdle rail. As the heel of the lead leg passes the barrier it must be pulled down and back to land under the body [3] & [4] There is no necessity for the lead leg to be straight over the top of the hurdle [3]. The leg straightens as it descends towards the ground [4] The foot of the lead leg grounds at 114 to 137 centimetres (3¾ to 4½ feet) beyond the hurdle.

Action of the trailing leg: The trailing leg drives the body at the hurdle as the lead leg rises [1] The recovery of the trail leg must begin from well behind the body if the drive is to be completed The athlete should feel the trailing knee sweeping wide and flat over the hurdle [4]. As the leg crosses the hurdle, the foot must be cocked at the ankle so that the foot does not hit the barrier [4] After crossing the barrier, the knee continues to rise and comes round in front of the body [5] Many young athletes have a tendency to drop the trail leg off to the side after it has crossed the barrier. This has the effect of making the first stride short and pulling the athlete off balance. The trail leg must be pulled through high and fast so that the first stride is fast [5] & [6]. Arm Action As in sprinting, the arms act to balance the body and counter the rotations produced by the legs. The arm opposite to the lead leg actually leads the action into the hurdle and pushes/dives forwards as the lead leg rises [1]. The other arm should be taken back in a normal sprinting action.

As the trail leg comes round the leading arm swings back and wide to counter the rotation of the trail leg [4]. Running Between Hurdles Three strides are used to cover the ground between the hurdles. To achieve this, the athlete has to modify his sprinting technique to make it fit the gap. A fast leg cadence and a shorter stride length is needed. The athlete may have to use a lower knee lift than in normal sprinting with an emphasis on leg speed. The correct range of movement and speed can be achieved by training over hurdles that are slightly closer together than normal. Key Hurdling Points The athlete is leaning towards the hurdle and driving the right knee at the hurdle. The leading arm is driven forward and up (ideally to forehead height). The athlete is leaning towards the hurdle and has now lifted the leading (right) foot to clear the hurdle. The leading (right) foot is now being pushed down to the track. The knee and foot of the trailing (left) leg are pointing out to the side (towards the camera) in order to clear the hurdle. The left knee is driven forward and up once the foot has cleared the hurdle and the toes of the left foot are dorsiflexed.

The right leg is straight with the ball of the foot contacting with the track underneath the hip, the left arm is driven back, and the athlete is still leaning forward. The left knee is quickly pulled high into the stride away from the hurdle. The right leg remains straight, the hips stay high and the heel of the right foot does not touch the track allowing the athlete to sprint away from the hurdle. The ratio of the distances from the hurdle for the take off point and landing point is approx. 3:1. e.g. the athlete takes off 3 metres from the hurdle and lands 1 metre past the hurdle. Have a look at the Sprint Hurdles Photo Sequence of a young Colin Jackson and see if you can see the same key points. Safety Hurdling is dangerous on wet grass or any other slippery surface. It is also dangerous for children to run over hurdles in the opposite way to the correct running direction (i.e. with the feet of the hurdles on the far side). It is important to help the athletes in the learning situation, by using adapted equipment, lowering the hurdles and altering the distance between hurdles.

Hurdles Touchdown Times The following facility will provide you with some checkpoint hurdle touchdown times that can be used when aiming for a particular time goal for 100m Hurdles for women, 110m Hurdles for men and 400m Hurdles for men and women. The calculations are based on the touch down down times of the top hurdlers at Olympic games . For a given finishing time the % of that time for each hurdle has been calculated and then averaged for a number of top hurdlers. Enter the target time, select the event, select gender and then click on the "Calculate" button. Target time Hurdle Training 300-400 meter hurdles — Digital Track and Field CONDITION Hurdle drills- Can set them up to alternate lead legs. 12 hurdles 11-12 meters 4-5 steps between FIRST CORNER- A big key to the race is being relaxed in the 1st turn so spend a lot of time working over the first three hurdles. 1-8 AT RACE PACE – Should be a quality workout. x4 early season, x 2 late season.

1-8 THEN FINISH – Same as 1-8 but finish race w/o hurdles. 1 -5 AT RACE PACE – Speed and relaxation are the key. HALF AND HALF – 1st 200 w/o hurdles, last 200 with hurdles. ALTERNATING DRILL – Set 5 or more hurdles at 7 meters and 2 steps between hurdles. Hurdler must be able to alternate- drill needs to be done some on curve occasionally. 12yd ALTERNATING DRILL – Set 3-4 hurdles on turn and alternate lead legs BERGAN DRILL – Set from 4-6 hurdles on either side of lane line on turn at 7 meters, hurdler goes over trail leg first hurdle edge opposite trail leg over the 2nd hurdle, etc. 3-4 reps with trail and 3-4 reps with lead. RHYTHM DRILL – To develop 15 stride rhythm. Set 4 low hurdles at 17.7m and go 7 strides. STRIDE AND HURDLE DRILL – Start at 100 meter start, stride and accelerate into 1st turn and run 3 hurdles on back stretch.

( Repeat 4 times) STEP DOWN (GOOD MONDAY WORKOUT) – 1 x 350-300-250-200 running over hurdles. Run tough, don’t worry about time. OVERDISTANCE WORKOUT –Run 400 in :60 ( early season) :55 (late) and blast 100m with hurdles. Start at 100 m start line. 1-2-3- DRILL – Hurdler goes over 1 hurdle, jogs back and runs over 2 and jogs back and does 3. Work on straight and also some on curve. CURVE TECHNIQUE – Set 8-10 hurdles 9 meters apart around curve and attack with 3 strides- 4 step alternating. RAFF/WOODY WORKOUT – 3 hurdles on backstretch with 20 m start and finish in Lane 7. Rest 45 sec. – run 5 hurdles at 20 m spacing back toward start in Lane 8 (20 m to start and 10 steps between) Rest 3 min and repeat. 3 times = 1 set.

Do 3 sets – rest 4-5 min between sets. EARLY SEASON – 4 x 400 with only hurdles 8, 9, 10 3x 400- 1) 200m flat, last 200m over hurdles. 2) 200 meters hurdles , last 200 meters flat 3)200m flat, last 200 meters over hurdles. EARLY SEASON (NO HURDLES) – 4 x 600 @ 1:40 (approx) 4-8 min. rest. EARLY SEASON – 10 x hurdles #1 & 3 from blocks (or) 5 x hurdles #1,4.5 (or) 7 x hurdles #7 & 10 LATE SEASON( PEAKING) MONDAY – (Speed day). Usually no hurdles. 3 x 300m with a full rest at close to top speed. (or) 100m/200m/300m/400m ladder. Top speed and full rest.

TUESDAY – (Hard hurdle day) – 5 x 200m over hurdles at race pace. (or) 5 hurdles and rest, 4 hurdles and rest, 3 hurdles rest, then 2 hurdles. One repetition WEDNESDAY – (Combo day) 2 x 200 flat at top speed then 2 x 5 hurdles. Good rest. (or) 6 x 100 then 4 x 3 hurdles. THURSDAY Good warm up (pre race) Some short bursts of speed. (30-40m) SKIP HURDLE DRILL- 4 x hurdles #1 & 2, skip #3 & 4, hurdle #5 & 6, skip # 7 & 8, an hurdle #9 & 10, and on to finish (Makes hurdler run while tired) ALTERNATING DRILL – 2 x 8 and remove hurdles #1 & 2 Follow with 2 x 4 normal Go from normal starting line.

CONDITIONER – 4 x 400 with only hurdles # 8, 9, 10 (also helps alternating) HELP DETERMINE PR TIME – 2x300m with hurdles, sprint remaining dist. and TIME. 15 min between sets. This should be what they are capable of running at State. LATE SEASON – 1 x 9 and sprint to finish. Rest 15 min and 1 x 7 and sprint to the finish.. Time these to get an idea what they are capable of. 600 HURDLES – (Good Monday over-distance) Run 200m w/ hurdles, next 200m w/o hurdles and final 200m w/ hurdles for total of 600m rest 10 and repeat. Sample 300m/400m Hurdle Work-Outs Starts over 3 hurdles, starts over 4 hurdles, starts over 5 hurdles, starts over 4 hurdles, starts over 3 hurdles. 3 to 4 minutes rest between each start. 5 sets x starts over 5 hurdles. 3 to 4 minutes rest between sets.

170 m sprints over the last 4 hurdles x 5 sets. Start from mark at hurdle number 6. Build up to race pace going into hurdle number 7. Try to get into your stride pattern going into number 8, 9 and 10. 4 sets x starts over first 5 hurdles, rest 1 minutes, run 100 without hurdles. Take 5 to 7 minutes rest between sets. Starts over 3 hurdles, starts over 5 hurdles, starts over 7 hurdles, starts over 4 hurdles. Take 5 to 8 minutes rest between each start. 2 x starts over first 4 hurdles, rest 1 minute, finish over the last 6 hurdles. Take full recovery (10-15 min) between sets. If you can only do one, then maybe the second set you can do the start over the first 4 hurdles, rest 1 minute and then run over hurdles 5, 6, 7, and 8. 6 x 100 m. sprints. 4 x 60 m. sprints. Take 3 minutes rest between each repetition. No Hurdles.

Do the long sprinters workouts most of the time, with 2 good workouts a week over hurdles. Be creative with your own workouts and incorporate the hurdles into a long sprint workout. Long sprint means 400 and sometimes 200 meters. 400 hurdle workouts need to focus on a fast rhythm. It’s easy to get caught up in just your stride pattern and staying in a comfortable rhythm. Your athletes need to learn to break through that comfort zone and be a sprinter. Try to work on counting to each hurdle. This will make your athlete more effective with their stride pattern because they will know which leg is going to come up. Also, work on alternate leg drills everyday. The better your athletes are with their alternate leg, the faster they will be because they can switch when they are fatigue instead of stutter stepping and taking extra steps to stay with the same leg. I usually do a 400 hurdle specific workout approximately 2 times a week.

About The Author The Basics of the 300 Intermediate Hurdles Event The Basics of the 300 Intermediate Hurdles Event Track & Field Expert By Mike Rosenbaum ﻿The following article is based on a presentation on the 300 intermediate hurdles given by long-time coach Del Hessel at the 2008 Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association clinic. Hessel coached track and field, and cross country, for more than 30 years, including 17 years at Colorado State University, where he coached four national champions. The 300-yard (or meter) intermediate hurdles race is one of the key events for youth and high school track and field teams. If you’re going to have a really good team, you need to have good intermediate and high hurdlers because they can do so many other things for the team. To find intermediate hurdlers, coaches can look in several areas, as volunteer hurdlers are rare on many teams. Coaches can recruit slow high hurdlers, because they already have hurdles technique, as well as 400- or 800-meter runners. All else being equal, taller runners have an edge as intermediate hurdlers.

Interestingly, high hurdle competitors often improve in that event after taking up the intermediates, because they become stronger while training for the longer event. continue reading below our video How to Throw a Perfect Spiral in Football They also gain confidence because the 100-yard (or meter) high hurdles race seems much shorter. The main qualities of a good intermediate hurdler include: Mental toughness in practice. Endurance. Hurdle technique. Coaches and runners should understand that you do not run the 300 intermediates the way you run the open 400. That’s the first mistake most athletes and coaches make. They’re two different events. The stride pattern in the intermediates is a coached, deliberate stride pattern, where in the 400 race it’s a turnover. You have to coach the stride patterns for hurdlers. Also, the 300 intermediates has absolutely nothing to do with college track, where the intermediate hurdle event is 400 meters long. Other events, from the shot put to the high hurdles translates over to higher levels of track and field competition.

But just because someone can run the 300 intermediate hurdles, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be able to step up to the 400. It’s possible, but not automatic. Nevertheless, coaches should occasionally have their 300 intermediate competitors practice the 400 hurdles. In the short run, that practice will make the 300 race seem shorter. It will also give the hurdlers some perspective of what college will be like if they stick with intermediate hurdles. The 300 intermediate hurdles event is a technical race The intermediate hurdles event is the second-longest track and field technical race, behind the 3000-meter steeplechase. The runner who wins the intermediate hurdles race is the competitor with the best technique who also has the strength to run the entire race. Nobody can sprint the 300 intermediates. The runner who wins the race is the one that decelerates the least and has the best technique. So if you’re going to run fast you have to have the same strength as a good 800- meter runner.

Coaches must train their 300 intermediate hurdlers up, as if they were running a longer race, because intermediate hurdlers need to be strong. Intermediate hurdlers are probably some of the toughest kids on a track and field team, both mentally and physically. They have to have a real strong mental toughness because in this event, you need a lot of competitive poise. You have to be a real good competitor, but you can’t lose your poise in the race. It’s not like in the 400 or the 200 or even an 800, where the gun goes off and you can run like a bat out of hell. In those events, you can just tough it out if you need to. In the intermediates, you’re running as fast as you can, but then there’s a hurdle. And then there’s another hurdle, and then eight more. You need to run hard, but still be able to see what’s coming up and know what you’re doing in between the hurdles.

Too many coaches just say, ‛Okay let’s just run ‛em as fast as we can and see what happens.’ And they kind of let the kid figure out what’s going to happen. This is an event that coaches can’t leave alone. From the time that you teach the first hurdle, then how to get to the second hurdle, to get in the rhythm of the whole race, to establishing a stride pattern, to being aware of the wind, this is maybe one of the most difficult events to coach. Your brain has to be with your intermediate hurdlers. At a meet, you need to look at your schedule and say, ‛Okay, the intermediates are coming up, I need to go talk to them about the weather conditions, strategy, etc.

Question: How many hurdles are there in a 400 metres hurdle race?
Answer: 10