Watch for those steeples on your run

   A certain breed enjoy the steeplechase, the most unusual event on the track

  May 21, 2022

By Rob J. Ross 

LONDON, Ont. - Imagine a race that is several laps around the 400-metre oval, but includes obstacles to jump, including a water pit.

That is the steeplechase.

The event is an obstacle race with it's origins as an equine event in 18th century Ireland. Riders would race from town to town, using church steeples, the most visible point in each town at the time, as starting and ending points. Of course along the route, racers would encounter various obstacles, such as creeks, fences and small stone walls.

In the 1870s it became a track event, for humans only, at the English championships. Steeplechase made it's Olympic debut at the 1900 Paris Games.

Track's wettest event includes five fixed hurdles per lap, one with a water pit. At the high school level in Ontario, it's two kilometres in length, so 24 hurdles, each almost a metre high.

At the water, runners plant a foot atop the hurdle and leap over all, or most of the pit, which is three and half metres in length and 70 centimetres at its deepest point at the hurdle. The most exciting drama is runners who misjudge their timing creating a much enjoyed splash for spectators.

"I love running. I love running things with obstacles. I just started doing mud runs, so steeples are a big obstacle during a long run. It's perfect for me," said Parkside's Zach Roberts-Neef, who finished third, in the open men's steeplechase, at the WOSSAA track and field championships, May 19, at Western University. "I came out to practice and I was introduced to steeples and hurdles and thought this is awesome."

Roberts-Neef clocked in just under seven minutes, with a personal best time of 6:59.59, ten seconds faster than his time at the TVRA meet a week earlier.

The top five advanced to the OFSAA West regional meet, in LaSalle, May 27-28.

Parkside teammate Justin Cole placed second in the race, in a time of 6:55.61, behind winner Ezra Bender, of St. Marys DC&VI (6:45.88)

"Two years ago, Harry (Stantsos), my incredible coach, said I should try hurdles. I was really hesitate because I was really small, but at the first practice I loved it. It's by far my favourite track event," said Cole. "With the 1500 or 3K (runs), you can get lost and it can be a long race, but I find with the hurdles, it's every 80 metres you have to keep pushing, because you can always keep looking to attack the next barrier."

Dorchester's Adam McDonald was looking for that out of the ordinary event.

"I saw that it was a different type of event. It looked really fun," said McDonald, who finished 12th. "It turned out it's actually very hard and not as fun as I thought, but it's definitely a fun race for me. I like the hurdling now and running distance I've always liked. It mixes the two and it's fun to watch too."

Nate Taylor took the fifth and final qualifying spot, finishing in 7:05.60, knocking off 20 second from his time at TVRA.

"It's fun in a weird way," said the Dorchester runner. "Coach said I'd be good at it, so I thought I would give it a try. I hate it, but coach was right, I'm good at at."

St. Joe's Jayden McMullan finished seventh, in 7:18.70.

"All of the boys looked like they had fun," said Cole.

The spectators certainly enjoy watching, especially runners that make it more of a swim than a splash.

    (More images on Instagram - hometownplay)