It means you will run a race of 3000 meters and jump over barriers. There is a surprise on the far turn, but I won’t spoil it for you, you’ll know it when you see it.
Lol, I know exactly where this is going but I quite enjoy when you get involved in training debates so I'll bite.
The training is interesting because of the variety, the drills, running reps over hurdles and working on technique. Yes, your aerobic and flat speed are by far the biggest priorities but I do think specific hurdle and jumping training helps. 1) having a more fluid style gives you confidence to attack the barriers more both in general and while in the pack. 2)it makes you more efficient at maintaining speed through the barriers. 3) it works the specific muscles you use to hurdle, land and accelerate.
I've always being curious why you are against this type of training for the steeple when most of it is supplementary and doesn't even effect your actual running training? And what do you think are the downsides of it and running reps over hurdles? Surely, training specifically for the demands of the event you are running will improve your ability at it. The more you do something, the better you get at it.
SCIAC Steeplechase alum here. From my experience, I don't think any of the coaches in the conference would do it as a punishment. Our conference is very different than any others in the county in that it still runs quad meets for it's "regular season". Personally I loved it. I think it's a move to maximize points. I've had it happen when we raced against CMS and they had their regional xc champ debut in the steeple to try and bump me out of the points in a really particularly competitive quad meet.
She's a freshman, it's good to get your feet wet in different events and see what ends up being right for her. I raced a bunch of 800-1500 doubles in my early years even though I was a 5K/XC guy. These quad meets give you an opportunity to really work on your racing skills and try different events. Who knows, she may get good at it. If not, it's still early in her collegiate career.
My daughter is a SCIAC freshman and it was a quad meet, so it seems nothing changes! Thanks for the inside information!!
One of our young guys faceplanted last weekend at their quad meet too. I think it was his first steeple. I loved the quad meets. Our mens and womens teams were always in the hunt for a team title against CMS and Redlands and it made for some intense meets. Jumpers cheering on the steeplers, everyone gathered around the shot put. I went to a D2 school for graduate school and while I did get to travel a bunch, the atmosphere of SCIAC meets was unlike anything I've experienced. Absolutely a highlight.
My daughter is a SCIAC freshman and it was a quad meet, so it seems nothing changes! Thanks for the inside information!!
One of our young guys faceplanted last weekend at their quad meet too. I think it was his first steeple. I loved the quad meets. Our mens and womens teams were always in the hunt for a team title against CMS and Redlands and it made for some intense meets. Jumpers cheering on the steeplers, everyone gathered around the shot put. I went to a D2 school for graduate school and while I did get to travel a bunch, the atmosphere of SCIAC meets was unlike anything I've experienced. Absolutely a highlight.
There is big difference between the choices of a coach looking at the team, and the choices of a coach looking at the individual athlete.
In Kenya like in Italy, I chose for running steeple THE BEST runners for 1500 and 5000m, who were able to show some mental and physical specific attitude for an event that needs, at top level, to assemble the qualities of the best middle distance runners and of the most aggressive and coordinated athletes in every endurance event.
Many top specialists of steeple became marathon runners at Olympic level : Cierpinsky (winner of two Olympic Marathon Gold) was a specialist for 8'29" in steeple, Gaston Roelants was WR holder of steeple and then one of the best in Marathon, Krzyszkowiak had the WR for steeple and won European Championships in 5000 and 10000, and we can continue.
Among my athletes, Shaheen (WR holder) defeated in 2003 El Guerrouj in 5000m with 12'48", Mateelong (7'56") was selected several times for World Cross Country in the Kenyan Team, Wilson Boit Kipketer (previous WR holder and silver in WCh 1999 and OG 2000) in the last part of the career ran some good marathon, Jairus Birech (7'58") became a good marathon runner too. I always chose the best athletes, having specific characterstics for steeple, both for men and women, thinking of steeple as an event more complicated and more demanding than 1500 or 5000, not in the possibility of every good runner.
At the end, for me steeple is an event where I try to grow the best athletes, not the worst.
There is big difference between the choices of a coach looking at the team, and the choices of a coach looking at the individual athlete.
In Kenya like in Italy, I chose for running steeple THE BEST runners for 1500 and 5000m, who were able to show some mental and physical specific attitude for an event that needs, at top level, to assemble the qualities of the best middle distance runners and of the most aggressive and coordinated athletes in every endurance event.
Many top specialists of steeple became marathon runners at Olympic level : Cierpinsky (winner of two Olympic Marathon Gold) was a specialist for 8'29" in steeple, Gaston Roelants was WR holder of steeple and then one of the best in Marathon, Krzyszkowiak had the WR for steeple and won European Championships in 5000 and 10000, and we can continue.
Among my athletes, Shaheen (WR holder) defeated in 2003 El Guerrouj in 5000m with 12'48", Mateelong (7'56") was selected several times for World Cross Country in the Kenyan Team, Wilson Boit Kipketer (previous WR holder and silver in WCh 1999 and OG 2000) in the last part of the career ran some good marathon, Jairus Birech (7'58") became a good marathon runner too. I always chose the best athletes, having specific characterstics for steeple, both for men and women, thinking of steeple as an event more complicated and more demanding than 1500 or 5000, not in the possibility of every good runner.
At the end, for me steeple is an event where I try to grow the best athletes, not the worst.
It means the coach sees a possible talent in differ event. Give it an honest try for at least a season and see if you're starting to progress. Every change is a learning experience. (BTW what's Jager up too? Anyone reading this knows?)
While I agree that it can be kind of the odd man out event for an athlete that does not quite fit in the 1500/5000, the steeple actually takes more athletic ability and toughness than the flat events. You can see that some guys just have it by the way they move and are graceful over obstacles. Hats off to him for giving it a go and hopefully he owns it. No one will care how or why he got into the distance if he can race it well.
Here’s the scenario. Freshman on a competitive college team (conference points matter) recruited based on 1600/3200 times, never ran a single steeple in HS. Just starting first outdoor season (West coast school that does not run indoors). A couple of early 1500/5000 results are fine, nothing amazing, but solid for this stage of a freshman season. Certainly no reason to think the athlete won’t mature into a top performer in time based on early returns. However, the coach is now pushing the steeple. First actual steeple resulted in a face plant on one of the water jumps, but the race was finished with a decent time for a first effort. Based on people’s experience, is the coach pushing the steeplechase a reflection of the coach having a negative impression on the athlete’s 1500/5000 long term potential, a move to maximize points in a given season based on the current roster, or some recognition of steeple specific talent that needs to be developed? The athlete is to respectful and deferential to ask and just does what they are told.
A coach does not usually assign the best 1500m/5000m athletes to steeple, 3000m/10000m athletes are usually are assigned to steeple. Not to be over thought. Too many on this site make negative statements about steeple athletes. Talent needs to be divided. If a D-3 college has seven guys racing about 3:55 1500m, obviously the talent has to be spread around in various events.
What is a 3000m/10000m athlete compared to a 1500m/5000m athlete? Shouldn't the 1500/5000 also be good at the 3000? And from what I have seen of good steeplers, they are basically anyone but true 10k guys because they usually aren't athletic or coordinated enough. All factors considered, the assuming hurdling is talent good enough/improvable, wouldn't the guy who is fastest in the flat events also be fastest over the hurdles? (IE; Wesley Kiptoo running an 8:31 steeple for points at big12 outdoor for points, beating NCAA champ Ryan Smeeton, who is fast in flat events, but not nearly as fast as kiptoo)
A coach does not usually assign the best 1500m/5000m athletes to steeple, 3000m/10000m athletes are usually are assigned to steeple. Not to be over thought. Too many on this site make negative statements about steeple athletes. Talent needs to be divided. If a D-3 college has seven guys racing about 3:55 1500m, obviously the talent has to be spread around in various events.
What is a 3000m/10000m athlete compared to a 1500m/5000m athlete? Shouldn't the 1500/5000 also be good at the 3000? And from what I have seen of good steeplers, they are basically anyone but true 10k guys because they usually aren't athletic or coordinated enough. All factors considered, the assuming hurdling is talent good enough/improvable, wouldn't the guy who is fastest in the flat events also be fastest over the hurdles? (IE; Wesley Kiptoo running an 8:31 steeple for points at big12 outdoor for points, beating NCAA champ Ryan Smeeton, who is fast in flat events, but not nearly as fast as kiptoo)
This is an interesting point. Couldn’t somebody tall and super fast, like Jakob, go out and break the steeple WR with some dedicated practice? Jakob is at least 5-6 seconds faster than Shaheen at the flat 3000.
What is a 3000m/10000m athlete compared to a 1500m/5000m athlete? Shouldn't the 1500/5000 also be good at the 3000? And from what I have seen of good steeplers, they are basically anyone but true 10k guys because they usually aren't athletic or coordinated enough. All factors considered, the assuming hurdling is talent good enough/improvable, wouldn't the guy who is fastest in the flat events also be fastest over the hurdles? (IE; Wesley Kiptoo running an 8:31 steeple for points at big12 outdoor for points, beating NCAA champ Ryan Smeeton, who is fast in flat events, but not nearly as fast as kiptoo)
This is an interesting point. Couldn’t somebody tall and super fast, like Jakob, go out and break the steeple WR with some dedicated practice? Jakob is at least 5-6 seconds faster than Shaheen at the flat 3000.
Jakob ran 8:26 in his steeple debut but he is too fast in the flat events now to risk injuring himself in the steeple.
The athlete is my child. Overall, they are a very good athlete, very flexible and coordinated and pretty fearless, so maybe steeple is going to be a good fit. In race 1 their foot slipped pushing off the water barrier mid race and they took a full bath, but they just got up and caught the pack and passed a few back and finished towards the front. The coaches were very pleased with the tenacity, and the team all got a good laugh.
I cynically assumed you were the runner, not the parent!
I switched to steeple to have a chance at winning in inter-university race in my last year, when I had been beaten thoroughly in the 1500 the previous two. I'm very glad I did. It got me a place to race on a UK British League division one team, when otherwise I wouldn't have been picked.
Anyway, at this age, there is a HUGE difference between those who train for it for a few months, and those who just turn up. A differential of 45 seconds or less over the flat time is the target. Give it a few months, and encourage him to practice a little twice a week. Start with the drills (lead and trail leg), and practice water jump with a barrier descending onto grass on the infield. Then, when he can hurdle OK, he needs to get used to steady running over barriers. Anyone can hurdle well at a near sprint; doing it at a relaxed pace in a pack is the key!
Sorry, left a reply un-sent for hours with a "him" in it, not having read it was your daughter, then read the thread later. Good luck to her!
Thank you. I appreciate your reply. I just spoke to her and she likes the challenge, so she’s going to keep at it this season. In her debut she fell, but finished and she was like 90 seconds over her flat 3000 time, so she has work to do.
No one is putting someone who is awfu;l into the steeple. I think the OP is paranoid.
You are putting someone into the steeple because they have showed either a) a sense of fearleness or b) athleticism that you think will translate well into the event.
Yes, it's an event way easier to score in. So I was always looking for people who might be good at it.
I put my top recruit into the steeple in year #1 at Cornell as I thought he'd love it.
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