Athletics (British Sports Library)

86 ATHLETICS A proper afternoon's work for a man already fairly fit would be striding of the sort just described twice repeated and three lOO or 120 yards dashes at three-quarter or full speed, starting practice, and the hurdling exercises. This work must be interspersed with rests, and the distance striding not brought into the training scheme more than twice a week. It is necessary also to practise running at a hurdle from varying distances very often to ensure proper form from a chopped-stride approach, and also to acquire judgment as to how the stride ought to be chopped to bring the runner through to the right position for the take– off stride. For the rest, a suitable amount of the training schedule laid down already in the chapter on sprinting must be worked into the low hurdler's scheme of training. As soon as the athlete has got a certain amount of proficiency and stamina, he should run 120- yard trials over five low hurdle,s once each week, getting on to full-distance time-trials towards the end of his training. As in all other events, the three days actually prior to competition should be free from training. There is just one other point common to both the low hurdle races. It is this: remember that although some coaches favour taking the flights