Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

Is there any data or conversions from a 100 meter dash time and what a 110 meter Hurdle time should be?

I do not think there are any set conversions just because of the different variables and challenges that the hurdle adds to the race.

There are a whole lot of variables, but just off the top of my head I would say approx 3.5 seconds. This is from experience with HS athletes that could hurdle decently and easily 3 step the whole race.

So a 10.0 100m guy won’t go 13.5, ever?

I know a guy who last year ran 6.7 in the 55m (it was a personal best and not 60m) and 13.6 in the big boy hurdles. I’m not sure there is a set conversion or even anything close, esp. w/ guy hurdles.

Hip height and flight time are major factors in the 42’s. A sprinter who has some stumpy legs is never going to be a great hurdler.

And for great hurdlers, 3.5 seconds is probably a little steep. That would put Allen Johnson at 9.4 in 100. Who, by the way, is still running some sick times for being 38.

Little connection beyond the obvious.

For the males, the HS or College height makes a big difference.  Contrary to the “Devers Effect” as women’s hurdles have needed to go up for years. They should be at least 36” if not NCAA IAAF 39” and HS 36’s
Women can vault, and want to change the Hep to Dec but hurdle race might as well be running over painted lines on the track cause it aint hurdling.

Guys have to raise their C of M right away to set up the first hurdle, unlike in the sprint.  Perhaps the greatest detriment to a guy hurdler running them similar to the 100 is analgous to why the women in fact can.
It’s the deceleration that comes from having to ground each step (pre-hurdle) in front of the C of M.  This because otherwise the C of M wouldnt elevate enough to clear the barrier.

Start to first hurdle being so different than a flat out 100m because of the need to set up the first hurdle.
Lower heel recoveries to avoid overstriding between hurdles also results in greater frequency.
Arm action needed to counteract trail leg, etc… etc…

In a pure view, both use spikes, blocks, a starter and are run in a straight line.  After that, not so close…

I actually think you can be too fast for hurdling….at least too fast and too tall. Guys over 1.90m need to be a little slower to negotiate the hurdles well without really cutting steps too bad. People have done it other ways but if you are either tall and (very) fast you really have to modify mechanics.

What if the hurdler is short but has a fast 100m time?
Is there even any chance of him to make it to the elite level?
Just curious because all the hurdlers today are pretty much at least 6 feet.

well allen johnson is 5’10”, so you dont have to be that tall.  i dont think there are too many elite 110 hurdlers over 6’2” though.

If you’re really fast it’s almost an advantage to be shorter (below 6’) because you likely won’t have to cut steps as bad.

Mike Young - 22 April 2008 07:11 AM

If you’re really fast it’s almost an advantage to be shorter (below 6’) because you likely won’t have to cut steps as bad.

I would be more interested in seeing inseam lengths rather than actual height. Wouldn’t the change in vertical displacement be more of a detriment than cutting steps?

Yeah I think inseam length is probably a better indicator…certainly is at 400H. Other than the rare exception (Bershawn) you NEVER see guys with short inseams compete at the world class level in the intermediates. Allen and Tramell don’t really seem to have long inseams. If you’re shorter and faster you can probably move the takeoff point back slightly so that even though the vertical displacement may be slightly greater (than for a hurdler with a greater inseam) the projection angle can be lower.

Oddly, our fastest hurdler (14.29) is taller but actually has shorter legs and a long torso and neck. Also, his flat speed isn’t great but he’s a pretty good technician.

Florian Schwarthoff was 6’7” if my memory serves me right and ran a 13.05 in the highs with 10.57 speed in the 100m….

the cut steps and running stride length is much different for those of all heights so it’s not a big deal. The taller the athlete the more important tight hurdle runs must be done.

Since the steps are all equal in a race you must work on stepping over and preventing too much backside mechanics.

The shorter the athlete the more strength is required eccentrically to handle the landings off the hurdles even if the lead leg comes down fast…..

Carl-
I know you’re working with an emerging elite high hurdler of above average height. Can you address any specifics on how you handle the points mentioned above. Specifically, how tight do you place the hurdles? Do you ever use competition spacing in practice? Do you cheat the height of the hurdles? If you had a shorter hurdler how would you handle eccentric strength development?
Thanks-

I find some aspects useful

Look at the arm action of the hurdlers as Steve has a great article listed here:

http://www.hurdlesfirst.com/hurdlespeed.htm

I like doing curve fly’s so the shorten stride helps keep people from doing long strides during speed work (we missed an entire fall phase).

Also keeping the hurdles near women’s length helps teach the cut step more at full height.

Competition height and distance is usually at the first hurdle but I like to see good step sounds and front side mechanics. The fitter the athlete the more they can do similar distances and heights.

Confidence is huge and athletes in the tall 110s (42) will have more issues than women in their “highs” so we do a lot of starts over 42 unless they are not attacking. I have had them go 36 a few times.

Eccentric strength I have found to be of use from the faster speeds of the good hurdlers so at the elite level I am not sure. I tend to get shorter and “B” level sprinters that need to be worked with typical plyo work.

Carl Valle - 07 May 2008 08:28 AM

I like doing curve fly’s so the shorten stride helps keep people from doing long strides during speed work (we missed an entire fall phase).

Does running on the curve significantly decrease an athlete’s stride length? Some simple calculations I performed yield a decrease in stride of 0.155 inches (0.00395m) for a 2 meter strider and 0.066 inches (0.00166m) for a 1.5 meter strider in lane 1. As you go out to further lanes, the decrease in stride length becomes even less significant.

Details of my simple calculation (up for critique):
1) Assume 2 meter stride length or 50 strides per 100m and that each stride is the same length from beginning to end of 100m.
2) The athlete in lane 1 has to turn 180 degrees over 100m and 50 strides, so 3.6 degrees per stride (virtually straight)
3) Setting up your triangle with the hypotenuse of 2 meters, and solving for the next longer side of the triangle gives you the results above. Coincidentally, the shorter side of the triangle is a significant amount (between 2 and 5 inches for the 1.5 and 2 meter strider), but I think that this is not the shortening of the stride, it is the amount that the athlete has to turn their body around the curve with each stride.

Cody Vandermyn