Track and Field :comfort zone vs something new

[Precursor]

Yo guys i'm in need for advice based on the title. I'm a distance runner and we are rare in numbers for our team but i want to leave my comfort zone and move onto Hurdles. I'm a good distance runner and i've never done hurdles before.

I know its difficult, but also good, to leave my comfort zone (which is distance running), as it is not easy to do, but since we are so few in numbers (distance), i do not know what i should do. So i'll rephrase this into a question.

Would you leave your comfort zone (even if it was a rarity) to try something new (its more common) ?

 

[spesmilitis]

I don't know, but i'd reccomend you wear a cup if you're doing hurdles.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Cup isn't needed, if you have good form. Most likely the only thing that will hit the hurdles is the heel of your lead foot, or your following knee or foot.

As for doing hurdles, only move on if you're good at them. Otherwise, stick to your distance.

 

[eko]

my friend was a distance runner and tried high jump and tore a big ligament in his hip. Put him out for the rest of the season and he lost some good summer base training in xc. if you're not flexible, don't do it. If you can't run a 54 quarter don't do it either cause it'll be hard to break 60 in the intermediate hurdles then. The good guys can run in the 55-56 range w/ hurdles.

What distance events do you run? I do 800 and 1600. and 5k cross country

im the least flexible kid ever so thats why i stay away from hurdles and such events that require any degree of limberness

 

[Precursor]

Thats funny eko, my events are the exact same things as yours

 

[eko]

sweet what times do you run?

my prs from last year are 4:51 1600 and 2:08 800. xc is 17:54 5k but i did pretty crappy in xc. i wanna get my 1600 down to 4:35... i also got a lot bigger from lifting and stuff, but it's sweet cause i haven't gotten slower. Over the summer I got way too skinny from running. I got up to 60 miles/week at one point in july.

 

[CLOONEY]

Damn, eko, that 5km run is still fast! I used to run every day for boxing, and the fastest I ran 5kms in was 19 minutes!