Hurdle Races
the ground also including seating and standing room for spectators, and proper dressing accommodation for the competitors. In most country districts, the venue of the meeting is the local cricket ground.
Of late years, the popularity of athletic sports with spectators has rather tended to discourage the cultivation of Jumping and the Weight Competitions, and to increase the number of flat races. Jumping and Weight Competitions with many competitors take a great deal of time, and cannot so easily be witnessed and followed with interest as races round a track. At the present time Jumping and Weight Competitions are not practised in England nearly so much as in Ireland or Scotland. “ دو The governing body of athletic sports is the Amateur Athletic Association, the practical work being done by three committees in the North, South, and Midlands respectively. To this body some 200 athletic clubs are affiliated, and about as many more, without being affiliated, hold meetings under permits from the governing body and under their rules and jurisdiction. To give some idea, by rough computation there are probably about 1,000 athletic meetings, great or small, held in the United Kingdom, and the number of persons competing throughout the country is certainly not less than twenty-five thousand.
MONTAGUE SHEARMAN.
CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING.– Every year sees an increase in the numbers participating in so-called cross-country running, and clubs spring into existence in bewildering succession, some to flourish with the growth of years, but many either to become absorbed in larger organisations, or else to die natural death. In spite of this, it is doubtful whether than small percentage of this number have any conception of the delights of real cross-country running, and it cannot mere a a be denied that the pastime has declined in popularity, and has lost caste amongst the educated classes. The reason, so far as London is concerned, is not difficult to understand. The rapid growth of the suburbs necessitates a longer train journey to reach the open country than formerly.
Too many clubs are, through the exigencies of circumstances, compelled to have their headquarters in thickly populated districts; and the appearance of clusters of runners, all too airily clad, splashing through muddy thoroughfares, is not an inspiring spectacle, and undoubtedly tends to prejudice the minds of those who have had no opportunity of becoming acquainted with the sport at its best.
Infinitely the most enjoyable and invigorating branch of cross-country running is the old-fashioned paper chase, introduced about the year 1867. It is with sorrow that we have to record the fact that every year the paper chase finds a smaller place in the fixture-card of leading clubs, and that it is being displaced by the ever-increasing number of races with their attendant prizes, which involve traversing two or three set courses so often as to become quite monotonous.
If a paper chase is to be successful, the details cannot be too carefully arranged.
Two hares are chosen, preferably of equal calibre, possessing a knowledge of the surrounding country. They should, before starting, have a general idea of the course they mean to steer. Each hare carries a long sausage-shaped bag supported from his shoulders, packed tight with printers' waste strips, which are recommended strongly in preference to squares of paper.
It is essential to the success of the chase that a continuous trial shall be lightly laid; and the practice in vogue at our Universities of laying the scent in patches some distance apart 1S to be condemned. If these ordinary bags are tightly packed, the paper, with judicious laying, will easily last ten miles. A clever pair of hares will lay several false scents to check the too rapid progress of the hounds, and by taking advantage of cover and varying the nature of the country as much as possible the run is made more interesting. The grace allowed the hares is usually ten minutes, but it should not exceed fifteen minutes, and the hounds can be despatched in fast and slow packs if found desirable; to maintain interest the hounds should always have a fair chance of catching the hares. Upon the hounds receiving a check, say in the middle of a field, the pack should at once spread out in fan shape, and on the scent H being regained the fact should be notified by bugle or call. The distance traversed will, of course, vary considerably, but it should not exceed ten miles, for there are few runners who can last a longer distance without undue exhaustion. Some runners maintain their stride throughout, and we have even known instances of men who have kept on their toes throughout a long journey, but the majority of runners are not strangers to a temporary feeling of fatigue during some part of the journeyit may be over plough or going up hill-but they are recommended to make the effort to maintain a jog trot rather than indulge in the luxury of a walk, because it is found that alternately walking and running materially increases the fatigue in the long run.
The dress suitable for cross-country running is a pair of twill knickerbockers cut fairly short, so as not to interfere with the action of the knee, a thin merino vest, and sweater if the weather be bad, and indiarubber or spiked shoes, the latter being preferable as giving a better grip on the ground.
Training for the cross-country championships has now been reduced to a science; and the gentleman amateur, though he may be a first-class cross-country performer, is no longer able to hold the position of a few years ago, unless he is prepared to devote the whole of his leisure time to training.
The championships are now usually run round racecourses or enclosed spaces, instead of over genuine cross-country, and the question of gate plays an all-important part; this system is followed by betting with its attendant evils. If a competitor is training for a cross-country championship, say, ten miles, he is advised to take long road walks at a brisk pace, varied by occasional spins of two to four miles on the track or road, with a weekly run across country. Many runners fall into the fatal error of thinking the best form of training is to confine their work to cross-country, and to run from five to ten miles at repeated intervals. There could be no greater mistake, because they will quickly tend to become hopelessly slow, and moreover are likely to overtrain themselves and be quite unable to make the extra effort that is often called for at the crisis of the race.
The question of pace plays an important part in a cross-country race, and our experience is that scratch and back-mark men will find it advantageous to make the pace hot from the start, as, if fit, they are likely to maintain it fairly evenly throughout, whereas it is often difficult to increase the [ATHLETICS pace after a slow start, and as an illustration of this we may instance a cross-country championship, where it is generally recognised that the leading twenty at two miles will furnish the first fifteen at the finish.
No material alteration in the ordinary diet is recommended, the important point to bear in mind being that the training should be of such a character that the competitor turns up on the day of the race not only fit but anxious for his work.
We have dealt with the practical, rather than the historical, side of the question; firstly, because a record of performances is apt to become somewhat invidious, and, secondly, because there are not, and cannot be, any reliable cross-country records, owing to the marked differences in the nature of courses, and in their ever-varying condition. (Over-anxious parents often place a veto upon cross-country running, but experience has amply proved that, given a sound constitution, the fear of over-strain is very small, and certainly no healthier or more invigorating recreation can be found. HAROLD WADE.
HIGH JUMPING. - One of the prettiest sights of our athletic pastimes has of late years been much neglected by sports-promoters. Popular opinion has always held the view that the high jumper is a freak HIGH JUMPING. of nature possessed of wonderful "spring," the seat of which is usually supposed to be in the instep and toes. No view could be more erroneous. High jumping may be, in special cases, a gift, but is almost invariably the result of long and constant practice; nor is the jump accomplished by a spring from ATHLETICS] the toes. It is in reality done from the knees, off the flat of the foot and, in many cases, the heel. This latter is easily verified as, and in many cases higher than, his head, now point directly downwards, and by this means m he will lift his body and buttocks clear of the bar. It will thus be seen that, instead of a single spring, several separate actions constitute the true jump. In fact, his endeavour should be to climb over the cross-bar in sections, first the feet, then buttocks, and lastly the upper part of the body. The Take-off. It is essential to find a level spot from which to take off at a given distance from the bar. Practice alone will determine the correct spot for each individual performer. This spot should be fixed, and always adhered to. A simple method in practice is to stick a hair-pin through a piece of paper, which thus catches the eye.
The Run-down. -The length of the run varies with each individual, but should be short for the low jumps, and gradually lengthened for greater heights, and should be as long as it can be made without tiring the muscles, as the momentum hereby gained allows more time for executing alterations in position while in the air. The last three steps should be somewhat longer than the others, and of the nature of slight HIGH JUMPING by examining the "take-off" on a soft day, when the heel-mark is always very prominent. The methods of jumping are various, but two main types predominateviz., the straight jump, and the side-way or scissors jump. The pure straight jump -i.e., lifting the knees directly up to the chin and so crossing the bar is rare, and is more usually combined with the "shoot," or twist. The principle in all methods is the same. The first effort of the would-be aspirant to fame is to get his feet over the bar, and with this end in view, always to practise at a higher bar than he thinks he can clear.
Never allow him to raise the lath himself, as by so doing he is aware of the height he is essaying, and knows exactly when he has reached his usual limit. By employing an assistant to raise the lath, he is unaware as to the exact height and often clears more than he expects. Having learnt to raise his feet, he must now endeavour to raise his body in the air by a muscular contraction and also by using the limb, or limbs, which are over the bar as a lever: at the same time by means of a twist or shoot, and a sudden lifting of the arms over the head, he must so alter his position in the air that his feet, which have previously been as high A. C. B. BELLERBY JUMPING. jumps, and should, like the take-off, be fixed.
Training. As to training for jumping, all the muscles of the body must be in good H2 condition. Sprinting is excellent: gymnasium work is also good. All toe-exercises are useful, especially skipping; in short all exercises tending to strengthen the HIGH JUMPING. muscles round the knee-joint. One should never jump more than three days a week, and never within four days of a competition, as the muscles are apt to lose elasticity. Stiffness must be vigorously guarded against. High kicking is very useful during the off-season.
The shoes should be light, strong, and tight-fitting, and should in addition to the ordinary toe-spikes, contain three heelspikes arranged in triangular form, with the apex of the triangle posteriorly. If possible, a pit should always be used to jump into, as by this means the jar which always follows on landing is greatly diminished.
But infinitely more important than all of these are the qualities of self-confidence and pluck, without which no one need hope to become a successful exponent of jumping.
REGINALD WILLIAMS.
HURDLE RACING has been in vogue since the early days of amateur athletics, and perhaps in no branch of athletic sports is proficiency more difficult to attain.
Hurdle races at various distances, such as 300 yards and 440 yards, are at times included in the competitions at athletic meetings; but from the first, the favourite [ATHLETICS distance has been 120 yards, with ten flights of hurdles, 3ft. 6in. high, placed ten yards apart, thus leaving fifteen yards from the starting-line to the first hurdle, and the same distance between the tenth and the winning-post. Sprint hurdle races must always be run on a straight course. In this country they are almost invariably run on grass, which must be perfectly level; but in America it is customary to use the cinder track, which is undoubtedly faster. Hence the American records are slightly better than our own.
The Hurdle. The modern hurdle consists of an obstacle specially made with perfectly level top bars; the result is that flights of uniform regulation height are secured, and no competitor is benefited or impeded by any irregularities in the top bar, as was so often the case in the old style of hurdle.
They are fixed on short pedestals of about a foot in length, and are much superior to the old hurdles in that they can be easily moved and the necessity of dri ring into the ground is obviated.
It was early discovered that in the race of 120 yards with ten flights, each 10 yards apart, three was the requisite number of strides on the flat between the hurdles; and no one can hope to attain even mediocrity as a hurdle racer unless he can accomplish what is generally known as the "three stride" method. This consists in taking three complete strides on the flat, the fourth stride carrying the runner over the hurdle.
To accomplish this the runner must be careful to approach the first hurdle at the highest speed attainable, and in rising from the left foot (jumpers usually preferring to spring from the left) the right knee is raised upward and forward above the hurdle, and HURDLE RACE. the leg (from knee to foot), brought inwards across the line of the body with the foot on as nearly as possible the same level as the knee, traverses the bar in an almost ATHLETICS] horizontal position, and is then brought to the ground as rapidly as possible. In the meanwhile, the left leg, with the knee point-high, he should commence by practising over ing outward, is brought up rapidly as the body passes over the bar and is carried forward to the ground, thus constituting the first of the three strides.
The practised hurdler manages to gather up his legs in clearing the hurdle in such a way that only an inch or two intervenes between his body and the top bar.
Hints to Beginners. A beginner must remember that the hurdle must be cleared IOI will) that the regulation hurdles are too Should the beginner find (as he no doubt three or four obstacles of about 2ft. 6in. in height, but always ten yards apart.
When he can accomplish the three strides height and number of the obstacles. over these, he should gradually increase the the making of a crack hurdler. He must There are several qualities necessary for is that good hurdlers are frequently good have speed and jumping power (hence it long jumpers); he must have, too, dash and HURDLE RACE. in a stride (i.e., he must rise from one foot and alight on the other), and that he must in no case jump it; he will soon discover that jumping the hurdle will necessitate his taking five strides instead of three. Godfrey Shaw, of the London Athletic Club, probably the finest hurdler this country has produced, clears as much as fifteen feet in his stride over the hurdle, thus leaving the same distance to be accounted for in the three strides before rising at the next, and goes over the ten hurdles without so much as touching one. It will be seen, therefore, that the three strides, which appear almost insuperable to the novice, average only five feet each, or much less than he would be taking if running 100 yards on the flat. determination, and not be afraid of falling or barking his shins. That there are comparatively few hurdlers may be attributed to various causes. Among other reasons, this branch of sport is not supported or encouraged by athletic clubs as it should be, by facilities being given for proper practice, or by including hurdle competitions in the will take to hurdling, as there is little doubt programmes. Again, few good sprinters that the mechanical and artificial action necessary in hurdling interferes with speed on the flat.
With regard to training for hurdle races, rigid dieting is comparatively unimportant. constant practice is the thing most needed; In hurdle handicaps, where men have been known to give as much start as twentyfive yards, the runner most heavily weighted starts so many yards behind the scratch, and 15 A. H. HEALEY, WINNER A.A.A SPORTS, 1909. is usually described as "owing so much."
Thus the limit, or longest start competitor, is usually placed on the scratch; though it sometimes happens that, on account of the length of the course being limited, the longest start man is placed as much as five yards in front of scratch, and has then only ten yards to run before reaching the first hurdle.
Finally, the beginner must remember that in hurdle racing constant practice will probably effect greater improvement than in any other branch of athletic sports. Frequently men who as novices are very slow, and who have the greatest difficulty in mastering the three strides, develop eventually into first rate hurdle racers.
C. L. LOCKTON.
LONG JUMP. -Long jumping ability is made up of two elements, pace and spring.
Pace in the run-up supplies the impetus; spring enables the jumper to lift himself into the air so that this impetus has time to act before the law of gravitation takes effect, and also adds a certain amount of forward motion itself. A man who can jump well but is a slow runner can achieve a certain degree of success in the long jump by virtue of his spring alone; similarly a fast runner without much jumping power can [ATHLETICS cover a certain distance if he learns to rise a little at the end of his run. The best kind of long jumper is the man who is both a fast runner and a capable high jumper.
Thus it is clear that in training for the long jump, besides practising the long jump itself, a man must cultivate his sprinting and high jumping powers to their highest pitch.
Practice at the long jump will enable him to combine the two skilfully.
Before beginning such definite training, it is necessary first to get into general condition by playing cricket, football, or any other game that gives good exercise; or to go through a course of grinding walks.
Then should follow a week or fortnight of easy exercise on the cinder-track, consisting chiefly of sprinting and a little high jumping. This preliminary training will have got the muscles used in the long jump into working order, and actual practice may then begin. An experienced performer will not require more than a month's further practice to produce his best effort, though some men prefer to take much longer. Both in preliminary and in actual training for this event, it is absolutely essential not to do too much work a day. Two or three days a week may be given to serious long jumping, prefaced by about three high jumps and two or three short sprints. The other days should be devoted to serious high jumping and determined sprinting, A novice who has to learn the way to long jump must give himself six or eight weeks in order to obtain sufficient practice without overworking himself. Hurdling is an excellent subsidiary exercise for a long jumper, and it is a good thing to run over the entire length of flights or to take three or four flights four or five times. Hurdling and long jumping ability often go together, and if a man wishes to train simultaneously for both events he must give himself long enough to practise both adequately without having to do too much work a day.
The long jumper's sprinting practice should be very much the same as that of a pure sprinter. He should confine himself chiefly to short bursts of forty yards, with an occasional run through the hundred yards, varied by a stride over three hundred or a lap well on his toes. ،، In his high jumping practice he may follow the methods of the professed high jumper, supplemented with occasional high-long" jumps-i.e. over a lath fixed at from four feet six inches to five feet and taken at the end of a fast run of about twenty yards.
With regard to actual practice at the long jump, he must aim at three things to learn ATHLETICS] to take-off with the ball of his foot on the taking-off board; to do that when going at full speed; and to jump as high as possible into the air.
There are two reasons for taking-off on the board: first, that if the jumper takes-off behind it he is not credited with the full distance he has covered, all jumps being measured from the edge of the board nearest the pit to the hindmost heel-mark; secondly, because the board is firmer and more springy than the cindertrack. When a jumper takes-off six inches behind the mark, he loses a foot, if not more. This accuracy in taking-off is partly mechanical and a matter of practice, partly a matter of eye. When a man is fit and in good jumping fettle, his eye, brain, and foot work so well together that he takes-off exactly where he intends. At the same time, it is fatal to look at the taking-off mark while runningup. His eyes ought to be fixed eagerly on a spot where he hopes to land-i.e. somewhat beyond his usual jumping distance. It is most helpful to have a piece of paper put in the centre of the pit about a foot further than he has ever jumped. It not only takes his eyes off the board, but draws him out.
In order to gain mechanical accuracy, a mark should be made on the cinder-track.
Behind this the jumper should start and, after a few yards' run, plant his toe on it, continue at full speed up to the board, and then jump determinedly. In nine cases out LONG JUMP. of ten he will have taken-off behind the board, as can be seen by examining the track. Before starting for the next jump, the mark should be moved forward as many inches or feet as he took-off behind the board.
It is a great mistake to shorten or lengthen the stride in running up. It not only makes it impossible to acquire and OLYMPIC GAMES, 1908. F. C. JONES, WINNER OF RUNNING BROAD JUMP. practise mechanical accuracy in taking-off, but lessens considerably the impetus which is the raison d'être of the run-up. The length of the run-up should be between forty-five and fifty-five yards. Practice will soon discover the suitable length. A man's run-up to a long jump should be the facsimile of the first part of a hundred yards as run by him. The whole run should be a winding-up for the jump.
The reason for jumping high has been mentioned. The difference between a firstclass and a moderate performer in this respect is most marked. It is possible to jump too high, just as a cricket ball may be thrown too high for length; but at the end of a run-up at full speed it is practically impossible. As a working rule, it is safe to advise a long jumper to jump as high as he can-i.e. much higher than he feels inclined.
The best kind of shoes for long jumping are ordinary hurdling shoes with one or two spikes in the heel. It is useful to have a pair for practising with thickened heels, as the heel is planted with great violence on the ground in taking-off. Bruised-heel is a common complaint with long jumpers.
Care should be taken that the pit is well dug up and softened before jumping, and that no rake, spade, or other edged tool is left near the pit, in case of a sprawl or fall out of the pit after landing. It is a good thing, especially in cold weather, to rub the legs and back well before starting work. A gentle sprint and two or three small high jumps as preliminaries should always be taken in order to get the muscles into working order and prevent them from being strained or torn by the sudden concentrated effort implied in a long jump.
C. B. FRY.
POLE JUMPING. -Owing to a few unfortunate accidents, usually resulting from POLE JUMPING. lack of care in the selection of a suitable pole, this, one of the oldest of our English sports, has practically dropped out of the list of events of most sports-holding clubs.
This is deeply to be regretted, as in addition to being a most popular item with spectators, it is in itself a splendid exercise demanding much all-round ability.
Broad Jumping with a pole was for many years a necessity, and subsequently a sport, in the Fen districts of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, and from this doubtless the pole-jumping of the present day had its origin. It seems strange that broad jumping with a pole should never have found its way into our athletic programmes; but as sports-promoters are ever on the look-out for attractive novelties, it is possible that it may yet be seen. Though originating in the Fens, pole-jumping is now almost entirely confined to the Furness district of Lancashire, and is especially associated with the town of Ulverston, from the immediate neighbourhood of which most of our recent champions have sprung. Here it still retains its hold on the people, and may it long do so! He who would attain [ATHLETICS excellence in this branch of sport must be at or once a jumper and a gymnast and must have no lack of pluck, for strains and bruises are of common occurrence.
There are two distinct types of polejumping, the old and by far the more graceful type, and the new, or what may be called the gymnastic, type. The old type of jumper, now rapidly becoming extinct, grasped the pole firmly in the lower hand slightly below or on a level with the jump he was about to attempt, took a longish run, and having planted the pole firmly in the ground about one foot in advance of a horizontal line drawn between the bases of the two uprights, sprang into the air, throwing his feet as high as possible and then with a twist raised his body clear of the lath, being careful at the same time to loosen his grip and throw back the pole before the lath became displaced.
In contradistinction to this, the new type of jumper, running slowly to the take-off, springs into the air, and the moment his pole assumes the perpendicular, climbs rapidly hand over hand up it, and with a quick lift raises his legs and body clear of the bar.
This method, though demanding great ability, is, we think, more in the nature of a gymnastic display and should, we venture to suggest, be confined to such competitions.
Though recognised as legitimate pole-jumping by the English Amateur Athletic Association, it has never been recognised or allowed by the A.A.A. of America.
To turn now to practical details. The first thing to do is to procure a good, strong, flexible pole as light as is consistent with safety, not less than eleven feet in height, E. B. ARCHIBALD AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES, 1908. made of ash or hickory. It should be thickest at the base, which should be shod with three steel spikes arranged in the form of a tipod, and these should be firmly ATHLETICS] secured by a metal ring. This gives a firmer grip than one spike. The pole should gradually taper from below upwards.
The uprights should be square.
Take-off. The take-off should be selected with great care, and a pit of large POLE JUMPING. dimensions provided on the landing side, which should be filled in with sawdust and earth. By these means many a jar and accident will be avoided. High jumping must be assiduously practised and also gymnastic exercises of all kinds, rope- and poleclimbing being essential. REGINALD WILLIAMS.
RUNNING.--Before the days of organised athletics, runners were heard of who had the reputation of being able to beat their opponents at any distance. In the present days of highly specialised effort, a runner who essays all distances is likely to prove the master of none. One never hears to-day of a sprinter who can perform well at long distances, or of a long-distance runner who is anywhere near the front rank of sprinters; and the few all-round athletes who appeared in the early days of the athletic movement would, if they had been competing to-day, have been compelled to devote themselves to one particular class of distance if they desired to acquire championship honours. Nowadays, a runner is either a sprinter-that is, accustomed to run from 100 yards up to 300 yards at full speed-in which case the limit of his special abilities will probably be a quarter of a mile at the outside or he may run the middle distances -that is, from a quarter to a half-mile; or he may be a long-distance runner, with distances from a mile upwards. Men cannot, of course, be measured by exact standards, and he who can run a mile well and he who can run a quarter may often meet together on even terms at a half; but for purposes of rough classification, to divide runners into the three classes of sprinters, middledistance men, and long-distance men, is to draw the dividing lines as closely as nature will allow them to be drawn.
Sprinting is the name given to the running of short distances at "full burst." Sprinting is perhaps more popular, both with spectators and athletes, than any other class of race, and a sprint handicap at 120 or 150 yards is likely to produce the largest entry of all at a sports meeting. But although the number of mediocre sprinters is large, the number of really fine sprinters is very small, and it is seldom that a man reaches his best form until after two or three seasons of steady practice.
Success in sprinting comes more from the rapid repetition of the stride by bringing up the legs quickly than from artificial attempt to lengthen the stride. The more the runner practises "bursts" of speed the more he will find his stride is naturally lengthening by his striding from the hips and not from the knees. The natural sprinter is nearly always a man of big thighs and strong back, and the capacity for attaining to really first-class form consists in being able to "put one's back into it," and to keep up a prolonged and vehement burst at high pressure throughout the whole distance one has to go. A great practical exponent of sprinting once expressed an opinion that to win a sprint one should " like a madman." There is some truth in this: the sprinter has to learn to keep up an abnormal burst of speed or he will be left behind.
To run come to practical directions, the sprinter must continually practise short bursts of speed; he must stride well from the hips so as to lose not an inch of his stride; should run as straight as an arrow goes from the bow; and should be careful not to throw his shoulders too far back, as this tends to shorten the stride: the rest must be left to natural capacity and to assiduous practice.
It is of immense importance to a sprinter to start quickly. Until about seven years ago the received method of starting was for the runner to stand on his toes with the right foot seven or eight inches behind the left foot so that it could be brought up quickly for the first stride, the body being kept square to the starting-line. Of late years most sprinters have taken to starting with both hands resting lightly on the starting-line. When the pistol is fired, the runner gathers himself up and darts forward, at the same time rising to the perpendicular. There can be no doubt that the new style is efficacious, as it is now almost universally adopted. It has undoubtedly rendered the starting of sprint races much easier and fairer, for while the runner has his hands on the ground he cannot "break away" from the mark, and if a runner "breaks away," he is, under the A.A.A. rules, put back a yard.
Frequent practising at starts and bursts and an occasional run over the full distance [ATHLETICS less than 50 seconds, as many amateur runners have done and can do, he must obviously go at full speed nearly every yard of the distance. But there are many runners who are but indifferent sprinters and yet can do marvellous performances at a Quarter. The two best quarter-milers of a few years ago, E. C. Bredin, of the London Athletic Club, and W. Fitzherbert, of the Cambridge U.A.C., were each of them good enough on their day to beat 49 seconds for a Quarter Mile, and yet as sprinters they were barely in the second rank. The same remark applied to L. E. Myers, the American, and H. C. L. Tindall, of Cambridge, the two best amateur quarter-milers of their day. From this it appears that it 15 25 FINISH OF A SPRINT. he is training for, should be the regular work of the sprinter; above all, he should never run alone, but have some one to sprint with him. When a man sprints alone, he often gets slow and sluggish without noticing it.
A sprinter must do his best, by one form of exercise or another, to get hard and muscular without getting stiff; for stiffness is fatal to speed. It is undoubtedly a good thing to be well rubbed over the back and legs after each day's practice. On the day of his race, the sprinter should always take a short "burst" on his way down to the starting-post to warm the muscles.
Sprinting requires at least as many weeks' practice as any other form of running; a month, at shortest, is necessary to acquire one's best form.
Middle Distances. - The Quarter Mile.- A great many sprinters; after a little experience and with careful training, develop into fine quarter-milers. In fact, when a man is running four hundred and forty yards in is fairer to describe a Quarter Mile as one of the middle distances, for all the men I have mentioned could run equally well at Six Hundred Yards and at Half a Mile.
Still, the fact remains that in the Quarter Mile races two runners of an entirely different class often meet; the sprinter, who is strong enough to struggle home over a Quarter, and the middle-distance man, who is running his own distance.
The training for the distance should be entirely different for the two classes of men.
The sprinter must be careful not to overdo himself and thus get jaded and slow, but he should frequently run spurts of three hundred yards, or thereabouts, to get used to prolonged effort, and must be very careful in his diet so as to preserve every ounce of his staying power. The regular middle-distance man must train differently: he is usually a lighter man than the sprinter, and he can stand more hard work, but when once he has got moderately fit, what he requires most is speed, and he must assidu- ATHLETICS] ously practise sprinting and starting to improve his speed. Again, when it comes to running the race, the sprinter must use different tactics from the middle-distance runner. He must use his pace when he has got it that is, at the beginning of the race for after he has covered the third of the distance he will find that his power of "making a burst" is all but gone; the middle-distance man, who can rely on being able to finish out and to keep his stride to the end, wants a pace- 1895 and 1896. In 1894 and 1897 Fitzherbert let Jordan get well away from him, and was never able to get up to his shoulder.
Many are the races, too, which Bredin threw away or jeopardised by starting like a snail, although he could finish like a lion.
The sprinter, then, who wishes to include the Quarter Mile in his repertory must recollect that, although he has to get hard and strong, it is upon his speed that he must rely; and at all hazards he must retain his dash. He can lay the foundation of his START FOR THE QUARTER MILE. maker, some one who will put him out in the early stages of the race. Let us illustrate these abstract principles by an example. Some of the great struggles of late years at a Quarter Mile were those between Jordan, of Oxford, and Fitzherbert, of Cambridge: their races are and ever will be memorable historic contests. The Oxonian was a fine natural sprinter; the Cambridge man had only learnt to run short distances fast by assiduous practice: he was not a natural sprinter. The tactics for Jordan were to try to get away from his opponent early in the race; if he did not, his slower opponent could outstride him and cut him down at the finish, as he did in staying powers by walking, which hardens the legs and back, or even by rowing, or by lawn-tennis or any hard exercise; but when he begins to train for his races, he must be careful not to get slow and stiff by pounding round the path at longer distances.
The middle-distance man can train for his Quarter as he trains for the Six Hundred Yards or the Half Mile, of which we shall now proceed to speak.
Six Hundred Yards. This is a very The popular distance which is often run. pure sprinter cannot last the distance, and the middle-distance men have it to themselves, but it is an interesting race, because a Half Mile race attracts many who are really long-distance runners with staying power and no speed except that which comes from a long natural stride; but a Six Hundred Yards race is necessarily confined to middle-distance men alone. To run fast at Six Hundred Yards, the half-miler has to be careful to push himself along either by a pace-maker or by learning by means of a watch-holder how fast he is going the first half of his distance.
The Half Mile Race produces perhaps the most interesting of all athletic contests. It lasts but two minutes, or thereabouts, and therefore cannot grow tedious, and it presents scope for staying power, judgment, and spurting. While many long-distance runners can do fine performances at half a mile, they are bound to be outpaced by the really fine middle-distance runner. There are plenty of instances of men who, though good at a Quarter, have not sufficient speed to hold the sprinters, and good at a Mile, yet are unable to keep amongst the first flight of milers, and yet at half a mile are magnificent runners. It is fortunate, therefore, that a Half Mile now figures in the Oxford and Cambridge programme, as the middle-distance runner used to have little scope for his abilities at the Universities.
There was of course a natural reluctance to interfere with the programme and with the chance it gives to strength, as distinct from speed, in the Weight-Putting, and Hammer-Throwing events, and it was at one time thought necessary to have an uneven number of events.
However, to return to the half-milers.
The middle-distance men are bound to have a good deal of staying power, and should not be afraid to take a good deal of work.
In practising, they must learn to run to a watch-that is, to keep going all through the race by learning to run the first quarter fast.
If a man wants to run a Half Mile under two minutes, he should do his first quarter in 58 seconds, and nothing can teach him to know that he is keeping up his pace better than the "running to a watch" held by his trainer. He should frequently run Quarter Miles and Six Hundred Yards in practice, and occasionally the full distance, starting to do his distances slowly when he begins his training, and gradually quickening up as he is approaching fitness and his best form.
Nor must he forget to practise bursts of speed, as every runner is the better by improving his pace and by learning to make a sprint, but the main thing a half-miler has to achieve is to go strong and brisk in the early stages of the race. Many half-milers are inclined to be sluggish in the first stage, and for such the best tactics in a race are to [ATHLETICS وو start a runner who will "make the pace for them. The pace-maker can run his first quarter in fixed time, and he will thereby draw out the half-miler, who will hang not far behind him, until he takes up the running after the half distance. The American, Kilpatrick, who held the amateur world's record for Half a Mile, was rarely known to do a fast time without a pacemaker to draw him out. The pace-maker in such contests should have orders to run the first quarter in about a second faster than the "crack" requires to do the same distance, and this is pretty sure to produce the desired effect.
One Thousand Yards and Three Quarters of a Mile are distances occasionally run.
Experience has shown that the former is particularly a middle-distance event. Most half-milers can cover the additional 120 yards if called upon. A race at Three Quarters is usually chosen because it makes rather an open thing when a good miler and a good half-miler are matched at a distance which is half way between the two. At this distance the chances are all in favour of the miler, for three-quarters of a mile is a distance generally beyond the powers of the middle-distance runner.
Long Distances.--All distances from a Mile up to Four Miles are common at meetings at the present day, nor is a Five Miles Race by any means a rarity, and, since paperchasing became popular, a Ten Miles Flat Race has formed part of the championship programme. It is hardly possible to separate long-distance runners into classes, and the only general remark that can be made as to the classification of long-distance men is that the lighter their weight the more likely are they to be able to spin over the long distance. The rules for getting fit for long distances are fairly simple; the runner must get down his weight, and do a lot of work. We do not of course mean to say that cases of men overworking themselves and getting stale are not common enough, but the long-distance runners succeed by their endurance and staying power, and are able to stand a lot of work, and every pound of superfluous flesh will tell in a long race.
It is by no means uncommon for a runner to hold the championship at One, Four, and Ten Miles in the same year, which should prove the point we contend for, that all long-distance men belong to one class. To win the championships at One and Four Miles in the same year the runner has to do both races in the same afternoon. The Ten Miles championship is run in the spring at the conclusion of the paperchasing season, at which time all the long-distance men are ATHLETICS] likely to be as fit and hard as only paperchasing can make them. For a man to work up to his best form in long-distance races he must run to a watch in the way we have mentioned before. His trainer (or he himself after a season or two, for every man should soon learn to gauge his own strength and health), can judge on each particular day whether he should do a little more or a little less work, for this depends on the state of a man's health. It is a fatal mistake to attempt to get fit by doing too much work in a limited number of days. A slow and steady increase of Boys' Races. -A word should be added as to running races for boys. It should be almost superfluous to say that growing lads should not be put to so severe training as men. The best foundation for training with boys is to let them have plenty of games such as Cricket or Football. By these they harden the muscles and improve the wind. We are no believers in open races for boys. Every boy should be encouraged to run in his own school sports in classes with boys of his own age, but in these school sports there should not be many races of a long distance, and no long races A FOUR MILE RACE. IST LAP. work, which means doing the distance selected at a gradually increased pace, is the safest plan for success.
The runner who confines himself to the Mile race only must possess some considerable speed. The first quarter in a Mile championship is often covered in a minute or thereabouts. In 1885, when the amateur record was made by F. E. Bacon, the first quarter was covered in 58 seconds, and the half mile in 2 minutes 5 seconds. As the distances get longer, scope is given to the man whose capacity consists almost entirely in being able to keep pegging away. But for all long-distance running the road to success consists in steady training, a quantity of work, and a rigid dietary. at all for young boys, who so often have more energy and spirit than strength. Boys also should be encouraged at schools more than they are at present to practise the High and Long Jump and Pole Jump. They afford plenty of amusement and healthy rivalry and can do nothing but good, and it is as natural for a boy to leap as for a kitten to play. When jumping is taught in English schools, we shall see more and better jumping than is common in England at present.
MONTAGUE SHEARMAN.
STEEPLECHASING. For many years past no athletic sports programme has been considered quite complete without a steeple- IIO chase, and at country meetings especially this event provides more interest and amusement than any other. One would naturally have assumed that such encouragement would attract a larger number of cross-country runners to this undoubtedly good sport; yet not only have steeplechases of recent years at athletic meetings produced as a rule thin fields, but the class of competitor, with a few exceptions, has been distinctly poor. The explanation may lie in the fact that steeplechasers have enough discomforts to put up with in any case, and are not prepared to make themselves ridiculous for the amusement of the crowd by being asked to take almost impossible jumps.
To a considerable extent sports-managers have only themselves to blame for driving distance runners on to the flat.
A good steeplechaser must combine speed, endurance, and jumping ability, a combination which many of our cross-country runners possess to a marked degree, and which would bring them the highest steeplechasing honours if they turned their attention to the sport. The steeplechase course is generally laid out on a grass enclosure, and comprises a number of artificial obstacles placed at intervals of about eighty yards, generally in the form of hurdles, which should not be too difficult, say three feet in height and tipped with furze. The pièce de résistance, however, is the water jump, a ditch about six feet wide by two and a half feet deep, the approach to which is guarded by a solid structure such as a fence, more thickly studded with furze than the other hurdles, and which must be cleared and not rushed.
The favourite steeplechasing distances are from three-quarters of a mile to two miles, the amateur championship being at the latter distance.
It is surprising to note how few competitors take the obstacles scientificallythat is, fly and not jump them. The obstacles should be taken in the stride as in the hurdle-race, so that the runner alights on one foot and at once resumes his stride.
The generality of steeplechasers jump the hurdles, often clearing them by several inches, thereby uselessly exhausting energy; but the real fatality of this method lies in the fact that the runner alights on both feet, coming practically to a dead stop and entirely getting out of his stride. It is evident that a recurrence of this at intervals of every eighty to one hundred yards is not only exhausting, but loses an immense amount of time, probably several seconds in a mile. There is no necessity to clear the ordinary hurdle, as, if the timber is topped, [ATHLETICS the furze will yield to the impact of the body. The chief attraction so far as the spectators are concerned, centres in the water jump, and it is here that the experienced steeplechaser is seen to greatest advantage. Unless he is a jumper of exceptional ability, he never attempts to clear the ditch, but jumps into the middle of the water with arms and body slightly bent forward so that he may grasp the edge of the ditch with his hands, and spring out with a minimum loss of time.
There is usually not wanting the competitor who seeks to arouse the enthusiasm of the spectators by clearing the water jump, but the effort is very exhausting, and the exhibition steeplechaser is not to be taken seriously, as he seldom finishes in the first three. The usual rule of athletics as to passing applies to steeplechasing, but special care is needed in approaching the water jump, particularly if the men happen to be in a cluster. It is an unwritten law that the man just behind has the courtesy, to use a mild term, to swerve in his jump either to the right or left, otherwise a serious spiking accident is likely to occur.
So many qualities combine to produce a good steeplechaser, that it is to be regretted that more good men do not apply themselves to cultivate the art.
A steeplechase across country differs in many respects from that described above, but primarily in the fact that it is held over country supposed to be open, and the obstacles encountered are natural and not artificial. The courses naturally vary in accordance with the country traversed, but care should be taken to make them as varied as possible; and to apply the term " crosscountry" to some courses, mainly consisting of road, is a misnomer. In the crosscountry steeplechase of the present day it is seldom that hedges or gates are cleared, though vaulting is an extremely useful accomplishment, and should be more cultivated than at present. Most runners get through a gap in a hedge, or take a ditch very gingerly, whereas with a little more pluck and determination the obstacle could be negotiated much more quickly, and with less personal injury. Racing for a gap is quite legitimate, provided the holder does not wilfully hang back with the object of impeding those behind. Further hints on crosscountry running have been already given in an article under that heading.
HAROLD WADE.
THROWING THE DISCUS has had a precarious existence in Greece since classical times, but cannot be said to have been con- ATHLETICS] formed to rule and formally introduced to the athletic world until the Olympic Games of 1896. Its obvious elegance deserved a better fate.
The discus is circular, having a diameter of 22 centimetres (about 8½ inches), and is composed of wood surrounded by a rim of iron. A nucleus of lead is let into the centre, bringing up the total weight to 2 kilogrammes (about 4½ lb.). The performer stands in a square of two metres and holds the discus in both hands above his left shoulder. The fingers of the right hand grip it tightly by the upper edge; those of the left merely support it. The left leg is advanced. Then the body is THROWING THE HAMMER. FLANAGAN, WINNER IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES, 1908. code, which compels the performer to throw from a circle of seven feet diameter. The American circle has a raised rim to keep the thrower safely in. The hammer must weigh 16 lb., must have a total length of not more than four feet, and the head and THROWING THE DISCUS. swung half round to the right, so that the face is turned towards the discus, the latter having been brought round by the right hand to a position above and behind the performer's head. At the same time, the right leg is put forward. It is this attitude which is depicted in the celebrated statue of the "Discobolos." The left leg is then brought swiftly to the front again, and the discus is hurled with all the swing of the body. The hand must at the moment of ejection be horizontal, so that the missile may traverse the air horizontally. The distance thrown at the Olympic Games was rather over 95 feet.
THROWING THE HAMMER has always suffered from diversity of rules. We need only concern ourselves with the present 4 H. A. LEAKE, WINNER A.A.A. SPORTS, 1909. handle may be of any size, shape, or material. The Inter-University circle of thirty feet has now vanished, and may there- II2 fore be dismissed, as may also the Scotch or stationary method, which is of very limited application. The performer stands generally with his back to the direction in which he wishes to throw, with the head of the hammer resting on the ground outside the ring beside him. He obtains the impetus required by whirling the hammer round above his head as many times as he deems necessary, keeping his feet quite stationary. When he has obtained sufficient swing, he brings his whole body round with a jump (some performers contrive to gyrate twice or even thrice within the circle, but this practice is not recommended), keep- [ATHLETICS able to compass on the wheel fifteen miles an hour without any distress to himself, constitutes an incontrovertible argument in favour of the bicycle. At the same time, from the point of view of physical condition, there can be no comparison between the cyclist and the pedestrian, who, in six hours, while the former is travelling his seventy or eighty miles, is content to cover his twenty-five miles on foot.
The late Sir John Astley, one of the keenest of sportsmen, brought long-distance walking into great prominence a few years ago, when some wonderful performances were accomplished. Since his death, how- WALKING RACE. ing his arms and the hammer as far outstretched as possible, and having thus arrived at the front edge of the ring, he discharges the missile. The cardinal points to be observed are (I) keeping absolutely stationary while getting the swing on the hammer, (2) rapidity in jumping round (most important of all), and (3) continuous command over the weapon, so that it may be thrown with the whole force of the body, and not merely with the arms.
TUG OF SPORTS.] G. S. ROBERTSON.
WAR.-[See ever, walking has relapsed into its former oblivion. Still, it is sure sooner or later to revive. Of track-walking the writer does not propose to treat. It is entirely for the benefit of amateurs who may feel inclined to attempt a long-distance walk that the following hints, the result of some experience, are intended.
Patient and systematic training is the chief consideration: to get condition and keep it. Good feet are indispensable, and without them long-distance walking must never be attempted. Assuming, then, that MILITARY the intending walker has naturally good feet, they must in addition be well cared for. It is the greatest mistake to suppose that a horny foot is durable in proportion. The skin should be supple and pliant. After the bath the feet must be thoroughly dried, well hand-rubbed, then soaped all over. Some advocate soft soap, but good brown soap is preferable. The socks, too-lambswool is WALKING, LONG-DISTANCE. Of recent years walking has fallen into desuetude, and nowadays it is rare indeed to hear of feats of endurance approaching those of Captain Barclay or Mr. Ross. This is the age of hurry, and the fact of a man's being ATHLETICS] the best material-should be well soaped.
Strong shooting boots or shoes are to be recommended, having a long, low heel, with plenty of nails (but large nails are a mistake) at the toes and sides. It is also well to bear in mind the maxim "The heavier the man, the stronger the boot." Flannel underclothing is indispensable.
Training. The preparation should be gradual. The man who attempts only fifteen miles on the first day will at the end of a week cover thirty with infinitely greater ease. The feet must, on returning home, be the first care. Excessive tubbing is not recommended; it is far better to rub them well first with a damp towel and then with a dry one, followed by more hand-rubbing.
Regular hand-rubbing also for the legs, back, and loins is the great secret of keeping in condition. Diet. A man in really hard work can eat anything. The less he drinks, no matter what the liquor, the better; and the sounder his condition, the less thirsty he will feel.
During the early days of training, a man naturally perspires a great deal, becoming, in consequence, very thirsty, a craving that should, however, be fought down. It is an excellent plan to rinse the mouth with water.
Sluicing the arms up to the elbows in water will also be found to relieve the thirst to an almost incredible degree; and water which is not fit to drink may still be utilised by standing in it above the ankles for a few minutes. The feet will soon dry, and if the pedestrian keep going, he will suffer no ill effect.
As a practical instance of a long-distance walk, the writer undertook on one occasion to walk from Derbyshire to the north of Perthshire, a distance of 347 miles, in a week. He had trained, it is true, to a certain extent, though not by any means as carefully as he would now, were he fit to undertake what he then accomplished. At the end of the first day, after he had covered fifty-eight miles, his feet went completely to pieces, which may be partly attributed to the fact that for the last seventeen miles the road was paved with great cobblestones.
The second day, on which he started in acute pain, put another forty-six miles to his credit; on the third his feet gradually improved, and he ultimately arrived at his destination with three and a half hours to spare.
FRED COTTON.
WEIGHT PUTTING. -The weight should weigh 16 lb., and in England must be of iron. It is put by A.A.A. rules out of a seven-foot circle, in America with a THE TATE CENTRAL LIBRARY BRIXTON, S.W. raised rim. The put used to be measured in England along a perpendicular, from the pitch of the shot to the side, or side pro- PUTTING THE WEIGHT. duced, of a seven-foot square; consequently crooked putting was then disadvantageous in England.
Excellence in shot-putting, as in hammerthrowing, depends entirely on the capacity to bring the weight and strength of the body OLYMPIC GAMES, 1908. RALPH ROSE, WINNER. to bear upon the missile. To acquire this, the elbow of the arm which supports the shot, should be kept directly below the hand, and the hand close to the shoulder, which it should not leave till the very instant of discharge. Further, the performer should stand sideways to the intended direction of his put, keeping the right shoulder and the shot well back, and being careful to rest the whole weight of shot and body on the right leg. The left leg is raised and held in front to balance the body. A hop forward is taken in this position, the right shoulder being kept as far back as ever; then by a rapid twist of the whole body, the right side and leg are brought to the front, and the shot is propelled. This twist corresponds to the circular jump in hammerthrowing; and in both cases, rapidity and the continuous application of all available strength and weight to the missile are of the highest importance.
G. S. ROBERTSON.
GLOSSARY.
Amateur Athletic Association. - The A.A.A. was founded at Oxford on April 24th, 1880, when the representatives of the chief clubs met and formed a federation. It is the governing body in all athletic matters, and every athletic meeting must be held under its rules. It has taken the place which the Amateur Athletic Club, founded in 1866, tried, but failed, to fill. All the chainpionship contests are now held under its supervision. [see Rules infra.] Cinder-track. A running or cycling path made as follows: The surface is dug out to the depth of 12 or 18 inches, according to the soil. Some 6 to 8 inches are then filled with brick rubbish or large gravel. Above this are placed 3 or 4 inches of rough cinders or clinkers, and finally 3 inches of fine cinders. Amongst famous running tracks are, or were, in London, Stamford Bridge, Lillie Bridge, Catford Bridge, and Queen's Club; Aston Manor at Birmingham; Iffley Road at Oxford, and Fenner's at Cambridge.
Consolation Race. A race at the close of an athletic meeting, for which all may enter without extra fee who have competed in previous events but have failed to win a prize. The character of the race varies, but it is usually a sprint of 220 yards.
Corks. Small cylinders, usually, but not always, made of cork, held in the hand to enable the fist to be clenched without straining the fingers or palms.
Dead-heat. The result of a race in which two or more competitors reach the finish exactly together. Event. A completed race, including preliminary Heats (q.v.), which are not in themselves " events."
Final.-[See HEAT.] Flights. Each leap that has to be taken over a hurdle, and, therefore, by extension, each hurdle, is sometimes called a flight. In the ordinary hurdle race there are ten flights.
Fly. To take the hurdles in the stride without pausing, in contradistinction from jumping them.
Foul. A wilful jostling, crossing, or obstrucing of one competitor by another. Also used as a of one competitor by another. Also used as a verb. [See Law 18.] Hand-spring Start.-A method of starting only employed in the shorter races. The competitor stands, or rather crouches, with his fingers, [ATHLETICS or corks, upon the line and his feet and body behind it. The first in England to succeed with it was T. L. Nicholas, of Monmouth, the champion quarter miler of 1890.
Handicap.-(1) The start which a man gives to another or receives from him. (2) A race in which men receive or give starts. Contrasted with Scratch Race (q.v.). (3) As verb, to assign city. starts to competitors in proportion to their capa- Heat. A division of a race in which the competitors are too numerous to run all at once. The race is decided eventually by the winners (or Race or Heat. winners and seconds) running together in a Final Heel and Toe. - A description of fair walking, in which the heel of the walker comes to the ground before the toe. It is also sometimes used in a sense equivalent to that of the old "Toe and Heel," which meant that "as the foot of the back leg left the ground and before the toes had been lifted, the heel of the foremost foot should be on the ground."
Lap. One complete circuit of the track.
Lifting. Unfair walking, the toe of the back foot coming up before the front heel is down.
Limit Man.- The competitor with the longest start in a handicap race. was London Athletic Club. - The L.A.C. founded under another title in 1863, but in 1866 took its present name. Its headquarters are at Stamford Bridge.
Marksman. The official who is responsible for placing competitors upon the proper "mark," which shows their start and the point from which they race.
Mixing. A deliberate attempt to put in a few running strides when in a walking race. To be distinguished from "Lifting," which may be accidental. Novice. A competitor is a novice if he has never won a prize in the class of event for which he is competing, e.g., a quarter-mile champion might be a novice at a walking race, but not in a mile race, even though he had never before run the distance.
Pacing.-Going in front so as to quicken the speed at which the race is being run, or at which some particular competitor is running. a Penalise. Strictly speaking, a penalty is minus handicap, i.e., the man who is giving the other competitors starts, is placed behind the line from which the distance to be run is reckoned.
This method of handicapping is usually employed towards previous winners, and is most common in hurdle races.
Pit. The space hollowed out beyond the board which limits the Take-off (q.v.) in the Long Jump. The result is that if the competitor overrun the line, he cannot get a jump at all. Run-in. The distance from the last hurdle to the finish of the race.