This weekend will be the first time that I will run the steeplechase. I have a PR of mid-14's for the 5k, which I did indoors and a PR of 3:54 for the 1500m. I have done hurdle drills and I did the hurdles in high school. With good weather I wonder if I have a shot at the regional qualifier for NCAA D1?
Be prepared for the most agonizing final 3 laps of your life.
FAM-wanna B wrote:
I have done hurdle drills and I did the hurdles in high school.
Try not to think of the steeplechase as hurdling per se. Hurdling and Steeplechase should never be mentioned in the same breath. Just focus on an energy saving "float" over the barriers and a bit of an explosion over the water jump. If you focus on hurdle technique you'll end up stutter stepping your way through the race and wasting a bunch of time. Just shoot for a sub 9:15 and finish aggressively that way it will whet your appetite for more later on...
stay relaxed and let it flow. try to run as even splits as possible. by your 3rd lap, you should know your pace, try to maintain that and keep it goin. thats the easiest way to run steeple.
watch for sharks.
former steepler wrote:
Be prepared for the most agonizing final 3 laps of your life.
not exactly true. if you have done the work expect the most agonizing final 1.5-2 laps.
fdasfdsf wrote:
former steepler wrote:Be prepared for the most agonizing final 3 laps of your life.
not exactly true. if you have done the work expect the most agonizing final 1.5-2 laps.
Being a connoisseur of steeplechase pain I'm inclined to think that the last 1.5 laps (last two water jumps) is a better estimate of agony than the last 2 or 3 laps...enjoy.
Jefe in the CO wrote:
Being a connoisseur of steeplechase pain I'm inclined to think that the last 1.5 laps (last two water jumps) is a better estimate of agony than the last 2 or 3 laps...enjoy.
Since it is a given that there will be some pronounced discomfort, don't be fooled by how easy the first few laps feel. Remember, it takes the course marshals a few laps to get the piano into position before dropping it on your back. The good news is the first attempt is the worst and you will learn to manage the effort.
FAM-wanna B wrote:
This weekend will be the first time that I will run the steeplechase. I have a PR of mid-14's for the 5k, which I did indoors and a PR of 3:54 for the 1500m. I have done hurdle drills and I did the hurdles in high school. With good weather I wonder if I have a shot at the regional qualifier for NCAA D1?
What is the NCAA D1 qualifying time? You've got pretty similar 1500/5k times to me and I have a 8:54.7 best for the chase. Are your in PR shape at the moment for 1500/5k?
As it's your first one I'd guess you'll find it easy for the first few laps and probably think it's too slow and then, as everyone else has said, the extra effort required for the barriers will start to tell. 9:15 would be a good target for a opener if you are in good shape now.
You would definitely have a shot. I had PR's of 4:03 and 15:16 when I ran under 9:30 all three times including 9:19; so yes you definitely have a shot (assuming it's around 9:08).
I would think you should go for the qualifier your second time unless you have done some 2k time trials or something like that. The steeplechase is a race that you need to get comfortable with first. The first race is just not going to feel completely smooth because I would guess you haven't gone over the water jumps with 5 other guys or tried to jump the barriers while following right behind a guy.My first steeple I ran around 9:40 my freshman year and only got down to 9:30 as a freshman but ended up running 8:46 by the end. With mileage and correct training you can definitely run faster than that. You have to get the timing down. Good luck.
FAM-wanna B wrote:
This weekend will be the first time that I will run the steeplechase. I have a PR of mid-14's for the 5k, which I did indoors and a PR of 3:54 for the 1500m. I have done hurdle drills and I did the hurdles in high school. With good weather I wonder if I have a shot at the regional qualifier for NCAA D1?
my best advice to you is to not go out too fast. sounds like you have the ability to get the qualifier but it will depend on how you close. 4:50ish should be ok. good luck
No doubt you have the potential to run a quick time, but without the familiarity with the event you could have a miserable time of it too. Like others have said, start out plenty slow. If it doesn't feel like you're walking the first 200m then you're going too fast. Better to finish strong and learn some valuable race tactics for another day then die a horrible death and get hurt, DNF, or have to barrel roll over the barriers at the end.