Hurdling
[1] In the early 19th century, hurdlers ran at and jumped over each hurdle (sometimes known as 'burgles'), landing on both feet and checking their forward motion.
Hurdling is a highly specialized form of obstacle racing, and is part of the sport of athletics.
Hurdles race are also part of combined events contests, including the decathlon and heptathlon.
[6] In track races, hurdles are normally 68–107 cm (27–42 in) in height, depending on the age and sex of the hurdler.
The track hurdles events are forms of sprinting competitions, although the 400 m version is less anaerobic in nature and demands athletic qualities similar to the 800 meters flat race.
A hurdling technique can also be found in the steeplechase, although in this event athletes are also permitted to step on the barrier to clear it.
[5] Similarly, in cross country running athletes may hurdle over various natural obstacles, such as logs, mounds of earth, and small streams – this represents the sporting origin of the modern events.
These low hurdles events were widely participated in the early part of the 20th century, particularly in North America.
The middle position of 36 inches (91.44 cm), (sometimes "intermediate") which is used for men's long hurdle races (400 m) plus some youth and veteran age divisions.
Many runners rely mainly on raw speed, but proper technique and well-planned steps leading up to and between each hurdle can allow an efficient hurdler to outrun faster opponents.
Generally, the efficient hurdler spends the minimum amount of time and energy going vertically over the hurdle, thus achieving maximum speed in the horizontal race direction down the track.
Athletes attack the hurdle by launching at it from 6–7 feet away (depending on the runner's closing speed); the lead leg extended yet slightly bent (because a straight leg leads to more time over the hurdle) so that the heel just narrowly clears the barrier's height.
The objective is to minimize center-of-gravity deviation from normal sprinting and reduce time spent flying through the air.
As the lead leg is being lifted over the hurdle, the opposite arm should cross the body parallel to the ground.
As soon as the foot has cleared the hurdle, the knee starts bending again to lessen the effect of a long, slow pendulum.
In women's hurdles, the lead leg is usually straight and the center of gravity does not rise relative to a normal running stride.
The opposite arm reaches farther forward and the elbow travels out to the side and then behind to make room for the trailing leg.
In order to do this efficiently, hurdlers must take long strides and maintain their speed for the entire race.
If a hurdler begins to slow down while three-stepping, they may not be able to make it through all of the hurdles and may have to switch to a four-stepping or five-stepping technique.
In a shuttle hurdle relay, each of four hurdlers on a team runs the opposite direction from the preceding runner.
In the United States, the men's team of Aries Merritt, Jason Richardson, Aleec Harris, and David Oliver, set the world record in the 440m shuttle hurdle relay race at a time of 52.94 seconds (set on April 25, 2015).
[16] On the women's side, Brianna Rollins, Dawn Harper-Nelson, Queen Harrison, Kristi Castlin, together ran a 400m shuttle hurdle race at a world record time of 50.50 seconds on August 24, 2015.
