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I want to try the 2000m steeple for the first time. I can run the distance its the jumps that scare me, it's the unknown thing. I have never hurdled, have no access to practice any in advance. How do I prepare for the jumps? I have watched some videos and saw where the older runners can put their hands on and kinda hop over. Is there a rule about how you get over? Scissor kick, hands, etc? Is the water deep? Is there a technique I should use to get comfortable with and then try others as I get more gutsy?
My friends and family think I am nutz (they say I will break my hip or other body parts) but I really am excited about doing this.
I just turned 60 and am a woman if that makes a difference.
I appreciate any tips, advice, warnings and general knowledge to get me over the first hurdle and on my way.
Thanks in advance.

I too am chicken - a friend showed me how to vault the barrier but after attempting to do so a few times - the next day my hips were killing me.
At my age - over 70- probably it would be the most stupid thing I could do.
Some years ago a woman runner I know had her husband build her a hurdle of sorts and she practiced with that - not having that - try to find a college track that has the steeple barrier that lowers to 30 inches.
As for the water jump - that is scary - but if you want to try - just go for it - see if you can find some local meets that have the steeple and will let you enter - and never mind what you think folks will think.
Personally I think the barrier should be lowered for older women - after all they lower it for the older men - not to lower it for older women is not giving older women an equal chance.
The rule - btw - you have to have icontinuous forward motion - and cannot try to vault "around" the barrier - you can vault it - but you have to go OVER it - not around it.
good luck - go for it

Thanks for sharing your experience and insights. I am a bit less chicken now, and I guess I will have to learn by doing. I am tempted to wear "floaties" for the water jumps. I am just not sure how I am going to get over the barriers but going to the track and get up close and personal with one is a great idea. Then as you mentioned, see if I can get creative and make up a training hurdle of some sort. That should reduce some anxiety. Will let you know of my progress or if I am in the hospital or in a cast.
Jonae

The best thing is to find a coach for one day to learn the basics, on a distance this is not easy to do. Some points however:
You'll inevitable have to correct your strides to have a proper passing of the bar. Try to shorten or lengthen your stride without altering your speed. This is possible, and mostly a mental thing.
In passing the bar, try to keep your center of gravity low, that costs fewest time per bar. When you have never done hurdles this is not easy... Key points are: the heel of the attacking foot have to be high, it can be at nearly hip height (with a bent knee this is easiest); the second leg has to pass the bar in a safe way, this can be done by raising the knee (sideways) up to hip height; you can help this by bending your upper body a bit forward.
The landing must not cost speed, so let the landing foot land below and not in front of your center of gravity; the second leg must not be slow, pull it forwards fast.
The swimming pool... Is only 3.6 meters wide. You are allowed to put your feet on the bar. Do that but do not stretch your leg, that is only after your body has passed the bar, stretch/jump rather horizontally forward. Secondly: do not land on two feet! That costs speed, power and it gives a headache. When not experienced landing with two feets shortly after another is maybe a good idea. A very short stride that is. Thirdly: be prepared for the landing, make an active foot by activitating the muscles of the lower leg just before the landing.
For the rest: it is only 3000 meters.

The technique is the same as for 400 hurdles, the difference being that in the hurdles the touching of a hurdle makes the hurdle go down, but in the steeple it is the athlete that goes down. So technique must be a bit safer. But the rest is the same: concentrate in holding speed and not spoiling power. The nice thing is that a simple, easy, fast and safe technique exists, but without a coach it maybe isn't that easy.

I have been steeplechasing for a couple of years now, I am 55, I am still under the standard of the young men that I go over the 36 inch barrier.
I started just a couple of years ago so my flexiblity is not really there like a younger person. When I race, I step over the barrier, not able to jump over the barrier at this point in life. I can jump over a 33 inch hurdle with no problem at all.

when I started training, I got some PVC pipe and make some hurdles 2 foot high and started jumping them in my backyard and slowly moved up in height until I could get to 30 inches, I even make a couple of steeples, started at 27" and make one at 33 and 36 and practiced steepling over them. I am in a area that there is no colleges around that have steeples on the track. I do go to the local high school track once a week starting in March and do one of my workouts trying to go over hurles I have them at 30 inches, just to get used to hurdling and the picking up the pace just before going over them.

I have seen some men and women vault them and still run really good times.

In the waterjump, it is 12 feet long and right below the hurdle it is 2 feet deep and goes out and up to the 12 feet.

As a former intermediate hurdler in HS and College track years ago, I have done a few steeplechase events in the last few years. The one bit of advice I like to give about the water is not overthink it. (and I know that can be hard when you and everyone else is staring at the water pit ). As mentioned practing going over the hurdles can be a challenge to practice. For what it is worth I usually step the hurdles as I have to still do 36 inches. Another challenge is that there is a lack of meets that hold this event properly (ie the proper distance, water pit etc)