Everything about Obstacle Running: Helpful Information for Beginners

Obstacle running is a special kind of medium-distance running. When it comes to international competitions, athletes usually deal with distances of 3,000 meters. Experienced runners should have perfect stamina, speed, and power. Overcoming obstacles requires good coordination skills in general, while it is also necessary to be flexible and dexterous in particular. The given article is going to present the main peculiarities of obstacle racing.

Main Rules

As has been stated, official obstacle running events take place at distances of 3,000 meters. Some countries, however, can organize events on 1,500-meter distances. When it comes to 3,000 meters, the distance from the starting line to the first complete lap does not have any obstacles. All the necessary obstacles to be overcome by athletes during the other 7 laps are being placed on track while athletes are running the first lap.

In general, the runners should perform 7 jumps into water holes and 28 jumps over other obstacles. That is why every lap should contain four hurdles and a single water hole. It is up to a runner whether to jump over a water hole or to take it.

If an athlete decides to cheat and tries to run around a water hole or his leg overcomes the hindrance outside its vertical area, this athlete should be disqualified. With this, it is allowed to overcome hurdles by placing hands or feet on them. In all the other cases, the given kind of sport is governed by the same rules as those found in long-distance running competitions.

Material Support

These competitions take place at stadiums with 400-meter tracks. This distance is equipped with 5 obstacles in total (one water hole and four hurdles).

Hurdles

These items are made of hardwood and should be steady enough; it is a necessary requirement that an athlete cannot easily overturn these hurdles. Their height should be 91.14 cm. The lowest allowed width is 3.96 meters; it is the length of the upper bar. This bar should be represented by a piece of wood with a square flogging. This square should have the sizes of 12.7 cm.

Every obstacle should weigh around 80-100 kilos. There should be equal intervals between the hindrances so that 30 cm of the bar should be outside the inner limit of the track.

Water Holes

These water holes should be 3.66 meters wide and 3.66 meters long to form a regular square. The deepest point in a water hole should be 76 cm; the deepness should gradually decrease to turn into a running track. These holes should be filled with water to the brim meaning the water surface should be on the same level as the running track.

Lap Length

A water hole can be in an area outside the inner perimeter of a 400-meter track. If the water hole is within this sector, a normal length of a track decreases in a corresponding way. In this case, the starting line should be moved backward. When it happens that a water hole is outside a running track, the starting line should be moved forward. For every lap, a water hole is the fourth hindrance.

Technique

Those athletes who managed to perform well in usual 3,000 and 5,000-meter races can achieve successful results in obstacle running. However, particular attention is also paid to technique. In addition to that, athletes should smoothly jump over hurdles and know how to properly overcome water holes.

Jumping over Hurdles

The technique of jumping over hurdles in this athletics variation is not different from usual 400-meter hurdle running. The length of a step made over a hurdle, however, represents the main difference between the two. In obstacle running, athletes tend to make shorter steps because they show a lower speed.

A supporting leg should perform a more powerful push compared to requirements of flat races. It is necessary to pay more attention to the moves of the switch leg; athletes should move it forward in a more powerful manner and straighten it immediately after that. The sooner an athlete places his foot on the track beyond a hurdle, the shorter a step is. This fact is important because this phenomenon places a center of gravity in a correct position for athletes to gather their maximum speed.

Overcoming Water Holes

These are the most difficult obstacles. During the last 5-7 steps in front of a hole, athletes tend to increase their speed, jump on bars, and from it – over the hole. Numerous athletes tend to utilize the following technique while overcoming this type of obstacles: they use their jumping legs to push from the ground, place the other bent leg on the bar, take off, and land on the jumping leg.

In a case when a runner takes off from the bar in too upward, the landing leg will face a great pressure that will make this leg bend. As a result, an athlete loses a few important seconds. That is why it is more reasonable to take a jump that is as flat as possible. In addition, experienced runners say it is better to land in the water than to try to jump over a hole completely. The second scenario requires more efforts, which will correspondingly violate a running rhythm.

History

Originally, obstacle running as a track-and-field discipline appeared in Great Britain. It was preceded by cross-country running competitions. During those events, athletes had to overcome natural and artificial hindrances. For example, it referred to moats and fences.

It was in 1837 in England when the first obstacle running event took place. In a while, the given kind of sport became popular in other countries. In 1900, the Paris Olympic Games witnessed obstacle running competitions; but athletes participated in 2,500 and 3,000-meter races. It was not until 1920 when a common today distance of 4,000 meters was included in the Olympic Games. The first official records of the given kind of sports date back to 1954.