===================================================================
--- original.js
+++ change.js
@@ -373,10 +373,9 @@
 		self.rightArm.rotation = idlePosture.rightArm.r;
 		self.leftArm.rotation = 0;
 		self.rightLeg.rotation = 0;
 		self.leftLeg.rotation = 0;
-		//self.setPosture(idlePosture);
-		self.setPosture(startingBlockPosture); // TEMP DEBUG
+		self.setPosture(idlePosture);
 		self.isFalling = false;
 		self.isOnGround = true;
 	};
 });
@@ -745,9 +744,10 @@
 	});
 	game.addChild(startButton);
 	startButton.on('down', function () {
 		cleanMenuState();
-		initPlayingState();
+		//initPlayingState();
+		initHurdlesStartingState();
 	});
 	// Add Start Text in the center of the screen
 	startText = new Text2('START', {
 		size: 200,
@@ -789,13 +789,29 @@
 	game.addChild(athlete);
 	// Check for collisions
 	checkForCollisions();
 }
+function hurdlesStarting() {
+	log("hurdlesStarting...");
+	//self.setPosture(startingBlockPosture); // TEMP DEBUG
+}
 function cleanMenuState() {
 	game.removeChild(startText);
 	game.removeChild(startButton);
 }
-function initPlayingState() {
+function initHurdlesStartingState() {
+	// Add starting blocks to each athlete's starting position
+	for (var i = 0; i <= numberOfOpponents; i++) {
+		var startingBlocks = LK.getAsset('startingBlocks', {
+			anchorX: 0.5,
+			anchorY: 1.0,
+			x: athletes[i].x - 100,
+			// Position slightly behind the athlete
+			y: linesGroundLevels[i] + 50 // Adjusted to align with the ground level of each line
+		});
+		game.addChild(startingBlocks);
+	}
+	log("initHurdlesStartingState...");
 	// Spawn obstacles
 	spawnObstacles();
 	// Initialize opponents
 	for (var i = numberOfOpponents - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
@@ -804,8 +820,23 @@
 	}
 	// Initialize athlete
 	athlete = game.addChild(new Athlete(0));
 	athlete.restore();
+	gameState = GAME_STATE.STARTING;
+}
+function initPlayingState() {
+	/*
+		// Spawn obstacles
+		spawnObstacles();
+		// Initialize opponents
+		for (var i = numberOfOpponents - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
+			opponents[i] = game.addChild(new Athlete(i + 1));
+			opponents[i].restore();
+		}
+		// Initialize athlete
+		athlete = game.addChild(new Athlete(0));
+		athlete.restore();
+	*/
 	gameState = GAME_STATE.PLAYING;
 }
 /****************************************************************************************** */ 
 /************************************** GAME FUNCTIONS ************************************ */
@@ -1041,9 +1072,9 @@
 		case GAME_STATE.MENU:
 			// Handle menu logic here
 			break;
 		case GAME_STATE.STARTING:
-			// Handle game starting logic here
+			hurdlesStarting();
 			break;
 		case GAME_STATE.PLAYING:
 			gamePlaying();
 			break;