Stevens Point: Tough to get a point

2/17  At Stevens Point. Tough competition. Carson nearly scored when narrowly missing 6-1.25. He had a good meet, though, using his new approach with more speed and finishing tied for 9th with 5-11.25. Need to continue to get a quicker takeoff to get over the takeoff foot. Neither Brad, Leah nor Alex could make opening heights. Alex came closest. In hurdles, Joe ran 8.95 (13th) and Jon 9.83, 9-stepping H1. Briel had a 5-step to H2, but still ran a PR 12.25. In other events, Logan ran 60 in PR 7.59 and a 24.8 leg in 4x2. Jon ran a 25.3 and Brad 26.5 in that relay. Joe ran another strong 200 in 23.54, despite drawing lane 1. Alex and Leah ran 200s, in 34.10 and 31.54, respectively. Athlete of meet: Carson.

Complete results

Joe's takeoff position is good. There is a bit of separation between the knees, suggesting the lower leg on the takeoff foot is casting out a bit, but he's up on the ball of foot pretty well.

Because the takeoff position was not optimum, the push into the hurdle at toe off was compromised a bit. Not much displacement from hip to toe, meaning the angle into the hurdle is not as strong as it should be. Said another way, he's a bit too vertical.









 
Lead leg and arms are good here. A bit of a bend in the lead. Because the entry position on takeoff wasn't optimal, the trail leg knee is directly below the hip here. Had there been better displacement at takeoff, the knee would be further back to create more stretch into the hurdle.


Right here we see the results of that entry position. Trail leg is catching up to the lead leg (knee ahead of hip now) and instead of pushing the the lead knee down to help get the lead leg back down, the knee is being held in that up position -- preventing the lead foot from descending.

Because the lead leg was hung up, it now drifts far forward beyond the hip on landing, and the trail leg is nearly down right after the lead leg. The arms are straight as they try to "buy" time as they wait for the lead leg to touch down. Although Joe was nearly even with the runner to his right over the hurdle in the second photo, that runner has now nearly finished the first full step off the hurdle. also note how far Joe's foot is ahead of where the landing foot would have been for the hurdler on his right -- about 2 feet. 

The fix for all of this starts with a more dynamic entry position.