Friday, April 21, 2017

I Used to Have a Fear of Hurdles, But I Got Over It!

I first tried hurdling when I was in the 8th grade. It was the spring of 1979 and I had joined the junior high track team as a sprinter. Our coach was looking for a guy to run the hurdles. There were no volunteers. My coach said "Staso! Run over this hurdle." I could feel the fear well up in me as I looked at the metal and wooden barrier! "Me?" I asked. "Yes, you!" he said. "Just run at it and try to hurdle over it."

I had never run over a hurdle in my life, and to do it for the first time with the entire team watching filled me with apprehension. I slowly walked to the lane and faced the hurdle. Yes, I was afraid. I had only watched the high school guys run the hurdles, and I didn't know much about it. I ran at the hurdle and kicked my right foot forward -- the foot I would use to kick a football. I managed to come down on the other side... on my feet! It wasn't great-looking form or technique, but I got over it. The coach then announced that I was the team's hurdler! He didn't ask anyone else to do it, just me! So, that season I was the only hurdler on our junior high team, and I would soon find out that my coach didn't know anything about hurdling. He suggested that I watch hurdlers in track meets and practice what I was seeing. I was a quick study and actually ended my 8th grade year of track as the best hurdler in our conference.

I ran the low hurdles in high school, but in my junior year my coach asked me to try and run the high hurdles... because the team didn't have any high hurdlers. Well, those hurdles were considerably taller and my 5'9" frame with a 30-inch inseam seemed a bit short for the 39-inch hurdles. Regardless, I started to work at it. The "fear" I had conquered on the low hurdles had returned. To be successful in the 110-Meter High Hurdles you have to be able to do three strides between the hurdles. That was very difficult for me to learn. I had to increase my strength and my speed. Eventually, I got over my fear and conquered the 110-Meter High Hurdles -- setting a regional record in my senior year (1983).

I believe that most hurdlers experience some level of fear when first starting out. There's certainly a fear of hitting the hurdle and getting injured. However, in time confidence builds... along with strength, speed and flexibility.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso
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