From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstarting blocksˈstarting ˌblocks noun [plural] DSthe pair of blocks fastened to the ground that a runner pushes their feet against at the start of a race
Examples from the Corpus
starting blocks• Two days before the 1986 meeting I took my starting blocks home to my flat and left them on the kitchen floor.• Video games are increasingly the starting blocks to full computer literacy.• Not crouched down into the starting blocks with her fingertips pressed so lightly on to the oven red brick track.• The hood framed her expressive face, emphasising the grimace of determination before she lowered herself into the starting blocks.• The race went to Amanda Beard, a 14-year-old who toted a teddy bear to the starting blocks.• He was also the first sprinter in Britain to use starting blocks. 