Steeplechase Training & Technique

by Jeff Hess

Why would anyone want to run the steeplechase? The physical attributes required of a successful steeplechaser include the speed of a middle distance runner, the stamina of a cross country runner, the strength and flexibility of the 400 hurdler, and the ability to thrive under unpredictable race conditions and pace variations.

Obviously, those who prepare best for those requirements will get the farthest in the event. While the steeplechase has sometimes been relegated to second-class status in the United States—the realm of those who couldn't quite make it in flat events—it is the premier race for some of the greatest distance runners the word has ever seen: the Kenyans.

It's also the last distance event on the track in which a U.S. man won an Olympic medal, Brian Diemer's bronze in '84. If it's the marquee event for the Kenyans, and one in which we've had international success, we should make a concerted effort now to develop American steeplers, beginning by teaching and promoting the event to high school athletes.

THE STEEPLE MASTERS
To learn about the steeple, there's no better place to start than with those who own the event. More than anything, Kenyan steeplechasers are fantastically prepared distance runners. In most cases, they have trained over challenging terrain and are adept at moving over and around obstacles efficiently while running relatively fast.

While many Kenyan steeplers have been criticized for their unorthodox form, the critics miss the point: the keys to "proper" hurdling technique in the steeplechase are energy conservation and speed maintenance. Style points mean nothing.

Secondly, Kenyans have incredible pride in their domination of the steeplechase, and as stated by Kirwa Tanui in Train Hard, Win Easy, "A lot of Kenyans choose to run the steeplechase because we know we are unbeatableÉ when we run the steeplechase, we know we will win—no problems!"

If the masters of the event have a lifetime of trail running and deep national pride going for them, what can Americans do to find success without those prerequisites?

Steeplechasers are distance runners first. The standard distance for the steeple is 3000 meters. For some age groups the 2000 is standard, and occasionally some meets will contest a 1500 steeple.

The most efficient hurdle and water jump technique imaginable is worth nothing to a runner who is not first prepared to race over the full competitive distance. Because of the 28 barriers and 7 water jumps that must be negotiated during the full-length race, the steeple has a significantly larger anaerobic component that a flat 3000.

In terms of its energy requirements, the steeplechase is closer to the 1500 than the flat 3000. Therefore, a steeplechaser should allot more time to anaerobic training than would a 5000/10,000 runner. A simple way to make part of that adjustment is to run 30-60% of your intervals over hurdles.

TECHNICAL TRAINING
After (and while) establishing a foundation in distance training, it makes good sense to include a reasonable amount of technique training. This can begin in the winter and should include drills for hurdling technique, circuit exercises and weight training for overall strength, and strides and intervals run over hurdles.

The focus of the winter season is for the steepler to acquire basic hurdling technique and develop both upper body and core strength. Stretching after all running workouts is essential because the steepler should have the full range of flexibility similar to the 400 hurdler. Although neither strength training nor specific flexibility training is covered in this article, they are both essential components to a complete training program for the steeple.

STEEPLECHASE HURDLE TECHNIQUE
In general, steeplechase barrier clearance should be a modification of intermediate hurdle technique. However, since the approach-speed for a steepler is much slower than that of a hurdler—and because steeple barriers don't move when you hit them—some alterations in standard hurdle form are advisable.

Steeplers will take off closer to the barrier, dip less, raise their center of gravity more, clear the hurdle higher and keep their trail knee closer to their lead leg, than will intermediate hurdlers. To compensate for their relatively slow race speed, steeplers generally should accelerate to an assertive approach-speed, while avoiding drastic pace change, as they come to each hurdle. This acceleration should be controlled, however, to avoid fartleking the whole distance.

At takeoff, the lead leg simply extends the normal running stride (no swing to either side). The runner dips slightly at the waist and extends the opposite (to lead leg) arm. The hand of the trailing arm should approach the hip. Allow your lead leg to come to the ground without a pronounced downward snap. Your trail knee should pull through relatively high with the toe of the trail foot turned outward. Pull your trail leg through all the way to the front of the body (short of your midline) until your foot is below your knee in position for the next powerful stride away from the barrier.

Learning to hurdle with either lead leg will make a significant difference, and it is difficult to achieve this without a substantial amount of time spent on drills. Although some steeplers "step" the barriers, hurdling is far more efficient, and anyone who is capable of hurdling the barriers should learn to do so. By stepping on barriers, forward momentum is lost. However, in the later stages of a race when fatigued, or in a congested pack, it may sometimes be necessary to lightly step on the barrier to avoid a potential fall.

DRILLS FOR HURDLING TECHNIQUE
These drills teach the basic motor pattern of hurdling. They can be done in varied combinations rather than including all of them in each session. They can be performed in the gym or on the track 1-2 times per week after easier workouts or better yet, apart from another workout after a thorough warmup. During the warm-up, include leg swings (one leg at a time) side-to-side, front and back, fast running action, loose running action, loose running action combined with hurdle trail leg.

All of the following drills should be performed on both sides over a row of 5-8 closely spaced hurdles.

1. Walking lead leg
2 Walking trail leg
3. Walking hurdles (land lead leg before initiating the action of the trail leg)
4 Lead Leg Drill: Running A beside hurdles with lead leg only over hurdle row.
5. Trail Leg Drill: Running A beside hurdles with trail leg only over hurdle row.
6. Lead Leg Drill: Skipping A beside hurdles with lead leg only over hurdle row.
7. Trail Leg Drill: Skipping A beside hurdles with trail leg only over hurdle row.
8. ÒDown the MiddlesÓ: Skipping between and over hurdles, combine lead and trail leg action. As with walking hurdles, land lead leg before engaging trail leg.
9. Trail leg circles: Place a hurdle 2-3 feet from a wall, athlete places hands on wall and repeatedly practices dynamic trail leg action.
10. Lead leg stabs: Place one hurdle next to wall. Start three steps from the wall. Step forward with lead leg, then trail leg, then lead leg drives up and touches wall.
11. On all fours, trail leg circles. This develops both technique and mobility.
12. Strides over hurdles, 4/5/6 running strides apart, set at various hurdle heights. Random spacing will help learn stride adjustment so critical to fluid steeplechasing.

WATER JUMP TECHNIQUE
As with approaching barriers, an assertive run towards the water jump is essential. Some steeplers use a check mark 5-7 strides out from the water jump, making their stride adjustment prior to the check mark and creating a consistent approach to each water jump. This is a great benefit as long as fatigue allows you to keep a consistent stride length. Late in the race, a check mark might not work.

After establishing a brisk run toward the water jump, take off far enough away to allow yourself to stay low over the crest of the barrier (ball-like body position) and use a foot placement that cleanly rocks from mid-foot to a push off the toe. Run off the rail, land on one foot, and run out of the water. A properly executed water jump results in no loss of speed.

Practicing the actual water jump is too hard on the body to be worthwhile. Instead practice water jump clearance into the long jump pit, onto a covered water jump, a mat or even onto the track. The focus always should be on maintaining speed, staying low and running out of the landing.

Once an athlete has learned decent hurdling technique, he or she should start to perform strides over hurdles. When that becomes comfortable, begin running intervals over five hurdles positioned in place of the barriers and water jump.

Beginning steeplers need to understand that the steeplechase is run 3-6 seconds slower per lap than the flat 3000. Because steeplechase pace feels rather slow in the early laps, it is easy to run short intervals too fast and never develop the feel for hurdling while tired. Steeple specific interval sessions need to be long enough that the athlete learns how to maintain efficient technique in spite of late race fatigue. There are a number of ways the coach can control sessions to ensure that the athlete develops this ability.

Runners are less likely to overrun the beginning of the workout (and fall apart early) if they don't start the workout with hurdle intervals. Try beginning the session with a short tempo run or 1-2M of flat intervals before moving on to the hurdle intervals. Performing alternate laps or intervals between flat running and hurdling helps achieve the same objective.

Begin cautiously with these workouts. Bad practice is worse than no practice. Early sessions should be limited to 1200-2000m over hurdles. Later sessions don't need to exceed 4K. Since these sessions shouldn't begin until the athlete is doing strides comfortably over hurdles, the coach will be able to recognize when the athlete's form begins to break. At this point, the hurdle intervals are over. Use some creativity in creating these workouts, but keep them race specific and reinforce good habits only.

This article is just an introduction to the steeplechase, and is not intended to be inclusive. Remember, to be a good steeplechaser, you must first be a good middle distance runner. Train smart, warm up and cool down properly, get strong, and learn to hurdle efficiently, then go out and find a race.

You may be the next Brian Diemer or Brianna Shook or you may just find another race to compete in, but either way you'll be introduced to a challenge unlike any other in our sport and you'll learn a little something about running like a Kenyan.

Jeff Hess grew up in Eugene when it was the running mecca and states that he is looking forward to "being part of its renaissance". Jeff coached 25 state champions at Glendale High School (OR) between 1990 and 1999. He then came back to his alma mater, South Eugene High, in 1999 and served as an assistant track coach and co-head cross-country coach until taking both head positions in 2003. The SEHS girls team was the Oregon State XC champs in 2001, runners up in 2002 and 2005, and the boys were runners-up in 2004.

Jeff's Personal Running Stats:

4-time Oregon high school state champion
Junior National Champion - Steeplechase 1979
High School National Record Holder - Steeplechase 8:50.1
US Olympic Trials finalist 1984 - Steeple PR of 8:25.41)