SoCal meet revives the 220-yard hurdles
Meet director Andy Hecker of Ventura, California, has added the 220-yard hurdles exhibition at his SoCal Association meet on June 12. I’m hoping to run the race for old time’s sake — and to test my rehabbed lead knee. (I tore my left ACL in October 2002 and haven’t run a hurdle race since.)
Although I never ran 220s as a kid, I had a blast running low hurdles over 120 and 180 yards. The 120s (same spacing as 220) were meant as an introductory race for freshmen and sophomores in California in the 1960s and 1970s, when championships were held for A’s, B’s and C’s. In 1970, I set the still-standing (and never to be broken) Valencia High School record in the C 120 lows of 13.7. As a senior at Burke HS in Omaha in 1972, I ran 19.9 in the 180 low hurdles off a turn. (The 180 lows in California were generally run on a straightaway.) And twice I was the anchor of a shuttle low hurdle relay team in which two members of the foursome ran AGAINST the hurdles.
Don’t believe me? Check out these shots of me (age 15 or 16):
http://www.masterstrack.com/photos/KStustin.jpg
http://www.masterstrack.com/photos/KSshorty.jpg
Valencia’s shuttle hurdle relay squad won at the Tustin Relays and Shorty Smith Relays (at Santa Ana HS) in 1970. Shorty Smith also was infamous for its 8×110, 8×220 and 8×440 relays — as well as HJ and PV “relays.” Those 8x relays were true demolition derbies.
Andy deserves credit for bringing fun and creativity back into meet management. We may be old fogies, but we still compete in a kids’ sport and like to try different events. (Doug Smith’s 300-meter dash at Saddleback Masters Relays also comes to mind, as do different hurdle spacings used by Jeff Brower in his meets.)
Just FYI: the low hurdle spacings are simple: 20 yards to the first hurdle and 20 yards between them. As kids we ran seven steps between low hurdles (set at 30 inches high). As subgeezers, we may have to take 9 steps between hurdles. But it’s a FAST race, folks. Or should be. Jesse Owens once ran them.
Bill Knocke tells me that Australians have been experimenting with a new philosophy down under: The meet sets the distance and the height of hurdles — and the athletes set the spacing of the hurdles ANY WAY THEY WANT! I have some correspondence on this issue from last year but haven’t had time to post the particulars.
Needless to say, THIS is what track is about — testing ourselves on OUR terms rather than slavishly obeying USATF and WMA rules. For championships, it’s OK to keep a standard distance and specs. But for many other meets, why not try some fun new events and distances?
Masters track introduced the weight pentathlon to the order of events. We have every right to introduce — or revive — other events.
As I’ve said in my FAQ from the beginning: Why do they call us masters? Because we’re not slaves anymore!
