400H...finally

Well, it has been a little while since I've last spoke to you blogspot. With everything happening in the past week and a half I probably could have written 4 new posts. Unfortunately due to the the pains of some workouts causing my much needed, but unplanned naps, along with the late evening hours at the job, I haven't gotten around to sharing in a lil minute. Whats new...

Today we started our 1st day of hurdles. Im not talking about warming up over hurdles or doing the strenuous 110 drills (on our hurdle days we always warm up over 110 height since there are more of them than me), but the good stuff! Im talking about the love of 400 meter hurdles. I FINALLY was able to work on 1 hurdle in the curve from the blocks. That one hurdle though, was the highlight of the day, lol. I was really excited and kinda messed up one of the 110 drills towards the end while I was thinking about what was to come.

Initially it was tough getting reconnected with that first hurdle again, but things started to roll at about the 3rd or 4th rep. A rather faster than usual start if I say so myself. Anyway, I usually place my blocks in the middle of the lane with no diagonal like you see a lot of runners do who start in the curve. My steps are on when my blocks are straight and in the middle of the lane. Today, however, I was pretty off (which could be a good thing)! I had to move my blocks to the outside of the lane and run on that third to get my timing down today. I didn't focus enough to realize if I was taking more, less, or the same number of steps to the first hurdle as usual, but moving my blocks helped. (TIP: Block placement can often affect your stride number to the first hurdle for those young intermediate hurdlers reading.)

I know I've gotten stronger and I am probably a bit faster already so that could be the cause of my new block placement. I didn't try it today, but I may be even faster, with one less stride, by placing the block on the inside third of the lane. It took a few times to get the flame rekindled, but when I did my teammates said I looked really good over the hurdle and my Coach started hopping around and said "NOW THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT"! Just another successful day at the office.