Hurdle Racing.

Otago Witness, Issue 1898, 19 June 1890, Page 29

Hurdle Racing.

Hurdle racing is a form of athletic contest with which science or skill plays a far more prominent part in the accomplishing of a good performance than may be generally supposed. An athlete may be a capital sprinter and both a high and long jumper, and still be a very poor hurdler, while there are cases of champion hurdlers being only third rate at both sprinting and jumping. The reason of this is that the actual jumping or speed running in a hurdle race, taken separately, is not high class; but still taken together very fast hurdle running may be shown. When this assertion is made, the regulation or 120 yds 10 flights, 3ft 6in high race is used as a sample, and the same distauce with but half the number of hurdles would be valueless in determining the necessary qualifications for a good hurdle runner.

The regulation hurdle race is about the only one used in England, but in this country different distances with different numbers and heights of obstacles are seen at various games. For instance, one of the championship fixtures of the United States is a 220 yds hurdle 10 flights 2ft 6iu high. The hurdles are placed 20yds apart, and it can be seen that quite a degree of speed in sprinting can be shown between them. In the 120 yds race, when the obstacles are but 10yds apart, no sprinting between the hurdles can be indulged in, and a

Requlab ob Thbbb-step Style.

glance at the three-step style in the illustration ° diagram of strides and jumps in 3ft 6in hurdle racing with hurdles 10yds apart," will show very plainly that there is no room between the obstacles to get up full speed in running. The illustration shows that after the hurdler has jumped from his right foot and cleared 14ft over the hurdle, landing on his left, he takes a stride of sft, which brings his right foot to the ground. Then a stride of 6ft brings his left to the ground, and another sft stride enables him to get close enough to the next hurdle to leap again for it. It will be seen by the system just described that the same foot is used te jump with at each hurdle. The above measurements will vary hardly 6in in the distances of strides aud jumps used by George Schwegler, A. F. Copland, Herbert Mapes, A. A. Jordan, H. S Young, F. T. Ducharme, or F. C. Puffer. These seven men are probably the best hurdle runners in this country. Schwegler is the American and Canadian champion over the 120 yds 3ft 6in high race ; Copland is the American champion at the 220 yds and 300 yds 2ft 6in high race, and has also shown form equal to the best American record over the 120 yds 3ft 6in high race ; Mapes is the Intercollegiate champion at both the high and low hurdle races ; Puffer is tha champion of the 200 yds 3ft Gin high race; Jordan is ex-champion of both America and Canada over the high hurdles, and is the holder of the best American record over the high ones, 16 l-ssec ; Young is a 16^aec man, and Ducharme has done about 17sec over the high obstacles. The most scientific of these seven men are considered by most athletes to be Jordan and Mapes. The former especially has an unusually Bkilfui way of leaping the sticks. Skill in the game consists of clearing the obstacles as low as possible, and recovering quickly on the ground again to run as though no intermission in the regular running stride had taken place. It will be noticed by the diagra n of the three-step Bfcyle that the first stride of the runner is a comparatively short one compared with the following stride. This is on account of the power of the leg on which the athelete lands after clearing the hurdle baing used to offset the falling or downward tendency caused by dropping from the hurdle. Any athlete unaccustomed to hurdle racing in landing on one foot is quite apt to sag a great deal, if not fall down altogether; aud runuing right off again in that case is, of course, out of the question. Good hurdle racers, having the leg they land on from the jump developed so as to stand the strain of falling from the hurdle, are enabled to stride right out again with comparatively little loss of power compared with a novice. But as previously said, power in the leg landed On is used in the simple standing of the strain, and only an ordinary stride can be taken as the next move. This stride, however, serves to give the athelete considerable momentum, and he usually follows it with a regular running stride, which in hurdle racers is at this point about 6ft in length. The diagram will show that this middle or 6ft stride is followed with one considerably less, but it will also be noticed that this comparatively short stride precedes the jumping of the next hurdle. This short stride is not taken because the athelete has no momentum, for by the time he is ready for it he has recovered considerable speed. The comparative shortness of this stride is caused unconsciously' by the athelte preparing to jump, and it is exemplified very plainly by all running broad jumpers who may stride down the broad ■" jump path in 6ft or 7ft lengths, but the one previous to jumping will be found to be 9in or lft shorter than the few preceding it. In hurdle racing it is well known that if a long stride is taken preparatory to jumping considerable force is lost, and this fact explains ■why the stride taken just before leaping is shorter than the one preceding it. It might be supposed by some that it would be better if the athlete should make a longer jump over the hurdles, which would decrease the distance necessary to be covered by running, and enable

the athlete to put the running strides in quicker It has been proved that the fastest hurdle runners clear comparatively short distances over the obstacles. Mapes and Jordan probably do not clear over 13ft 6in while taking a hurdle, and their strides in running may vary 2in or 3in from the above three-step style diagram. Then, again, Coplaud and Schwegler may go a few inches over 14ft at each hurdle. But the above diagram will show a most accurate ratio of strides and jumps, averaging tbe styles of the best hurdlers.

A hurdle runner in jumping 14ft over the stick will take off about 6ft in front aud land about 6ft distant on the other side of the obstacle, and his head, a little before he is exactly over the hurdle, is at the highest elevation. It makes no difference which foot is used in jumping, and if the left foot be taken off with, the positions of the feet in the various strides will be exactly the reverse as shown in xhe above diagram.

One of the difficult points in learning the 120 yds race regulation style is to jump the hurdles and cover the distance between them without having to reach or stride out much. Beginners are, as a rule, unable to use the three-step style, and they generally take five strides between the hurdles. They will clear lift or 12ft over each hurdle aud then use five strides before jumping for the next one. This ia made necessary on account of their not having strength or spring sufficient to enable only three strides to be takeu. They can of course show no speed by this method, for the distance over aud between the hurdles is cut up into too many parts and covered by too many motions Four strides cannot be taken with any speed on acoount of its bringing different feet at the hurdles to jump with. As most jumpers do all their leaping with one foot, it can be seen that any exercise necessitating leaping from the undeveloped leg cannot be done well. In running low hurdles many athletes take-off with either leg because nob much spring is necessary, but none of the regulation style hurdle runners can show any proficiency at taking the obstacles with tbe leg they are unaccustomed to jumping with. The regulation or three-step style is performed by a •good hurdler co smoothly and apparently with so little effort that it seems like an easy race. The foot the athlete will leap from is used to its work while the one he lands on is fully as well accustomed to the strain imposed upon it. If, however, the athlete should reverse matters and take-off and land exictly opposite to his accustomed style, he would show form as bad as a novice.

Although it is very hard for a beginner to use tho three-step style on account of lack of strength, there are cases of unusually otrong and active hurdle jumpers and runners finding tho distance between the hurdles a little too short for their jumping and running abilities, and while noppeed can be shown by a beginner on account of his having to reach or stride out too far and thereby waste power, a complaint equally important so far as its being detrimental to speed is concerned, has been mentioned by some, that on account of taking long strides in running they, to use the three-step style, must hold in while running between the hurdles, far if they let out at that point they find themselves too close to the next hurdle to leap it correctly. The two-step style of the above diagram will explain how this is.

This shows the hurdles to be 10yds apart, the same as in the three-step style, but in place of tho leap over the hurdle being 14ft, a distance of 19ft is covered, followed by a sft stride, and then one of 6ft being taken, followed by another jump over the next hurdle of 19ft. This style of running the hurdles has never been used in a race, and the probabilities are that there never will be a performer at it who can use it with profit. In tbe first place it brings a different foot to jump with at each hurdle, which as before spoken of is very bad, and the tremendous jump of 19ft over the hurdle necessitates tho athlete to go a considerable distance above it which is a waste of time. But this is not all. The falling or downward motion from the 19ft hurdle jump is so great that it destroys all chance of following the landing on tei^r,a_ firtna again with any degree of speed in running. The above diagram shows that a sft stride has been taken in the two-step style after the athlete has cleared the hurdle. It is not a natural, easy stride, such as would be seen in the three-step style, and were a natural stride to be taken after landing in the two-step style noo over 3ft or 4ft would be covered, because so much power in the leg is wasted by sustaining the shock in landing. But the athlete must make an endeavour to stride out and cover a certain distance in two strides, or he would not be near enough to the hurdle to give another 19ft jump over it.

'Che -two-step style over the high hurdles is a high-class athletic performance on acoount of its showing so much strength and spring, but it is completely valueless for producing speed and is therefore a useless game to practise' The only athlete on record in thja country who has ever practically demonstrated the style is "PViL hea makin gthe trial in the apring r i. ™ aaa ß ed to negotiate four hurdles successfully, but landed on the fifth one all ia a heap, not; being able to keep on. A not very exi.je.rt hurdle runner who used the three-step stj le started with me in the tr al and was a considerable distance ahead when I had to desist. Tbe clearing of the four obstacles as a specimen of leaping was excellent, but as good hurdle racing it was a dismal failure.

There are two ways used by good hurdle racers in clearing an obstacle. One is to point thn kate aud throw the leg to one side, and the other is to point the whole leg, which means a lon^r j um p over the hurdle on account of having to get a little further away from it so

as to clear the top with the front leg fairlystraight. Jordan, Mapes, and Schwegler use mere of the pointed knee style, while Copland and Young clear the sticks with both legs fairly straight.

The accompanying illustration of an athlete clearing a bar in the form of a hurdle jump is an excellent sample of a scientific style. Tbe bar is 4ft 6in high. He used the pointed knue style, and he has recovered his leading foot sufficiently to nearly lose all trace of the knee being pointed. It will be noticed that he

is well down on the hurdle, and his general poise is good.

A separate hurdle for eich competitor is the arrangement generally used in England, and it is growing in favour in this country. The usual form of hurdle is a bar 4in or sin wide and lin thick set edgewise on two uprights which rest upon the track. The hurdle bars generally extend the full length of the track, and are about 20ft long. A great complaint in hurdle racing when obstacles of this kind are used is that one competitor may knock the bar down just as another who may be a little in front is clearing it, or it can also happen that a competitor being well overit may knock thebar down with his trailing leg, and cause a fall to several competitors who may be a yard behind him. Many important races inthis country have been won and lost by accidents of this kind happening, and there have been cases when strong suspicions were that a certgin competitor would be started in a race simply to knock out another man who may have been able to win the race on its merits. In cases of this kind some other athlete holding himself somewhere in the rear would win the race.

Having separate hurdks for each competitor precludes all possibility of such a catastrophe happening, for if a man's hurdle is out of reach of tho other competitors he of coarse stands or falls by bis own accidents. If he endeavours to get too clooe to the hurdle he will fstll and it will be his own fault, but iio other man cau interfere with him by touching his hurdle, for he would have to go so far out of his course that the attempt would be too palpable to pass unnoticed. Separate hurdles for each man are made generally in the form of a gate Anywhere from three to five bars on each are used, and the whole piece is between 4ft and sft long, and is either fastened in the ground with stakes, or it rests loosely on the ground by being constructed at the bottom like any other upright. Hurdles which have several bars between the top one and the ground are easier to clear aud more popular with athletes on account of being plainer to view, caused not only by the extra number of bars, but also the continuing of these dowa to near the ground.

One great trouble which beginners find in taking a hurdle properly is that they can show good style when using no speed, but when speed or force is tried they are all at sea. The ouly way to practise taking the hurdle correctly is to commence at a height that can be easily cleared, take it slowly, and gradually work up higher aod faster. The speed shown by an expert in clearing the hurdle, even though he may not be a f ast runner, is very great, and as the mere act of jumping a hurdle is nearly all science, there is great room for improvement in the game.

Some of the important hurdle records a»e as follows :— l2oyds, 2ft 6in high, 10 flights,, 10yds | apirt, 14 3-saec, by A. F. Copland, New York j City, October 20, 1888. The same distance, ! wisb the same number of hurdle, 3ft 6in high, the same space apart, was run by A. A Jordan, N<w York City, June 19, 1886, in 16 l-ssec, which is the record of this country ; but several English amateurs, on account of the race receiving more encouragement over there, have done 16sec. Copland ran in this city on Ootober 13, 1888, 121|yds, with the hurdles arranged as described, in 16 2-ssec, which is as good as 1Q l-ssec for the regular distance. The 220y0s race, 10 hurdles, 2ft 6in high, 20yds apart, b.as been run in this country in 26 2-sseo by 'ootu Copland and Herbert Mapes. Copland did his performance on September 17, 1887, a' aa Mapes accomplished his at the last iut' drC ollegiate games, May 25, 1889. The reeoxd j or this distance over hurdles 3ft 6!in i\p> j s 34i B ee, by Joseph Lafon, Ootober 19, W 6 ' ' o%^^ y A 440 yds race over 1Q > jUrd i ea 2ft 6in high has been done in Imm. J 5 Baec b L E . Myerßt ? eW J° r L C £ r *? tt QQ $ or nber 1, 1880. With the hurdles 3ft 6in WJ> lm - n ha 6 been done ?!««? ' ™ ** New Zealand, November 9, Th J Hlw 3 distance has been cleared with 2A hurdles dinji mlmin9 4 . ssec by A . F. Copland, J^ewYork City, January 28, 1888,

(To be continued.')