How to use the planner
- Pick the race and enter your usual stride count to hurdle 1. Count the take-off step. Many athletes are in the low-to-mid 20s for 45 m.
- Choose your lead leg at hurdle 1.
- Set your pattern. Use “Set every interval to” for a single pattern, then “Change pattern” for the point where you add steps. For example, 15 steps, then 17 after hurdle 5.
- Check the lead leg at each hurdle and whether the switches are ones you’ve practiced.
Stride pattern basics
- Odd numbers (13, 15, 17): same lead leg every hurdle
- Even numbers (14, 16): lead leg alternates every hurdle
- Pattern changes usually happen as fatigue sets in, often between hurdles 4 and 7
- Being comfortable leading with either leg makes changes much smoother. Practice both in drills.
Full event guides: 400m hurdles ยท 300m hurdles.
Frequently asked questions
Why do odd stride numbers keep the same lead leg?
After landing on the lead leg, each step alternates feet. With an odd number of steps between hurdles, the athlete takes off on the same foot as last time, so the same leg leads. With an even number, the take-off foot changes, so the lead leg changes too.
How is stride length calculated?
It’s an approximation: the 35 m between hurdles divided by the steps plus one, counting the clearance stride over the hurdle. Real stride lengths vary within each interval. The first step off a hurdle is usually shorter, for example. Use it to compare patterns, not as a precise measurement.