Don’t they still have horse based steeplechases?
Ah, the rare GQ thread I am qualified enough to answer. I’ve been triple jumping for 6 years (4 in high school, and 2 collegiate) and find it to be the most fascinating and physically trying events in all of track and field (in addition to being a triple jumper, I’m also a sprinter, long jumper, and hurdler).
There’s an animation of what the triple jump is supposed to look like here. Most spectators of the event agree that it looks unnatural, and it really is if you’re just learning for the first time. Basically, you start 16 full stride lengths from the board you want to jump from (I’ll typically take off from a 42 foot board to make the pit without losing alot of momentum on my first and second phases). As you near the board, you take off using whichever leg you feel most comfortable taking off from, hop and land on the same leg (first phase). Then, you push off that leg and take a “step” landing on the opposite leg (second phase). Finally, pushing off the opposite leg, you power yourself into the pit and land using the long jump technique (final phase). The three phases constitute the three jumps–triple jump. My farthest jump was a little over 14.16 meters (a little over 46 feet) compared to a PR long jump of 6.78 meters (a little more than 22 feet). Most guys specialize in one or the other, though, and I’ve personally seen guys jump 50+ feet in person, which is one hell of a sight. Those guys will typically take 20 full strides to make the board (which is usually the entire length of the runway).
Here’s a brief overview of the event.