624 



Popular Science Monthly 



Hurdle Races 



RIGHT WRONG 



Front view of runner in 

 good and bad form 



Hurdles are light obstacles placed at 

 regular intervals on the track over which 

 the runners must leap during the race. 

 The standard distances, heights, and num- 

 ber of hurdles are as follows: 



In the i20-yd. hurdle race, each hurdle 

 is 3 ft. 6 in. high and placed lo yd. apart, 

 with the first hurdle 15 yd. distant from the 

 starting point, 

 and the last hur- 

 dle 15 yd. before 

 the finishing line. 

 In the 220-yd. 

 hurdle race 10 

 hurdles are used; 

 each hurdle is 2 

 ft. 6 in. high. 

 They are placed 

 20 yd. apart, with 

 the first hurdle 

 20 yd. distant 

 from the starting 

 mark, and the 

 last hurdle 20 yd. 

 before the finish- 

 ing line. 



In the 440-yd. 

 hurdle race 10 hurdles are used, each 

 hurdle being 3 ft. in height. The first 

 hurdle is placed 40 yd. from the scratch 

 mark, the remaining hurdles are placed 

 40 yd. apart, and the distance from the 

 last hurdle to the finishing line is 40 yd. 



In the iio-meter hurdle race there are 

 10 hurdles, each hurdle 1.06 meters (3 ft. 

 6 in.) high. The distance from the scratch 

 mark to the first hurdle is 13.72 meters 

 (15 yd.): the remaining hurdles are placed 

 9.14 meters (10 yd.) apart, and the distance 

 from the last hurdle to the winning post is 

 14.02 meters (46 ft.). 



In the 400-meter hurdle race, there are 

 10 flights of hurdles, each hurdle being 3 ft. 

 in height. The first hurdle is placed 45 

 meters (49.213 yd.) from the scratch mark, 

 the remaining hurdles are placed 35 meters 

 (38,277 yd.) apart, and the distance from 

 the last hurdle to the winning post is 

 40 meters (43-745 yd.). 



In hurdle races of other distances, and 

 with different numbers of hurdles, the 

 hurdles should be placed at equal intervals, 

 with the same distance between the first 

 hurdle and the starting point and the last 

 hurdle and the finishing line as between 

 separate hurdles. 



Since hurdling is merely modified sprint- 

 ing, the rules of sprinting apply to it, except 



those distinctive features, "taking the 

 hurdle" (leaping over) and striding. 



The crouch start is the one used. The 

 preliminary run to the first hurdle must be 

 accurately made as in the high jump, so 

 that there is no difficulty in making the 

 leap. A take-off line should be marked on 

 the track about 8 ft. in front of the first 

 hurdle which the jumping foot must meet. 

 Another mark should be made six or eight 

 strides from the take-off line, which must 

 also be stepped upon by the jumping foot. 

 Some hurdlers find it necessary to start 

 from the mark with the unusual leg for- 

 ward so as to bring the stride out right. 



In leaping over the hurdles always spring 

 from the same foot. Bring the front foot 

 well up forward, with the knee bent some- 

 what toward the chest but not turned 

 outward. Bend the trunk forward upon 

 the forward thigh. After the leap turn 

 and bend the jumping leg horizontally out- 

 ward and bring it forward steadily without 

 a jerk, so as to be ready to stride when the 

 forward foot strikes the ground. The arms 

 are spread. Do not soar high, but get to 

 the ground as quickly as possible. Do not 

 twist the trunk, but keep faced to the front. 



In the i20-yd. hurdles (called the high 

 hurdles) tall men make the best records, 

 since they can best make the three strides 

 between hurdles. In the 220-yd. hurdles 

 tall men take seven strides between hurdles 

 and short ones nine. In longer distances 

 there is no standard. 



Rules 



In making a record it is necessary for the 

 competitor to jump over every hurdle in 

 its proper position, and no record is allowed 

 unless all the hurdles remain standing after 

 the competitor clears them. A competitor 

 knocking down three or more hurdles in a 

 race, or any portion of a hurdle, is disquali- 

 fied. In any championship race up to and 

 including 300 yd., each competitor must 

 have separate hurdles and a separate course 

 marked out and measured independently, 

 whether races are run straightaway or with 

 turns. 



Training Hints 



Before starting regular hurdle practice, 

 become hardened by several weeks of 

 preliminary sprinting, jumping, and dis- 

 tance jogging as in training for sprinting. 

 The daily schedule of practice work should 

 be about as follows: 



Monday — Take three starts. Set up two hur- 

 dles at proper distances and "take them" 



