A System of Physical Education, Theoretical and Practical (extract)

SECT. II.] RUNNING. 171 joints connecting the lower limbs with the trunk, and it is greatly owing to the neglect of this point when we ee men, as we often do, stepping under their stride; and the habit of stepping short once acquired, it is very difficult to relinquish it without encroaching on the second quality, rapidity. Length of stride is how- ever so very valuable, that no care and no labour should be spared in cultivating it. If but one inch in the step be gained, without trenching on its velocity, it will give fifty yards m the mile. For the second quality, rapidity, there is still some- thing due to possession by inheritance, though un- doubtedly more is left to culture; some men in addition to great mobility of joint and extreme rapidity of muscular contraction, show an aptitude for these exer- cises of progression and a facility of execution of the movements required which no care and no culture of itself can ever give; and this too without any apparent cause from shape or size of limb. They also show a kind of instinctive liking for these exercises, quite inexplicable, and are drawn in the direction of their practice quite involuntarily and irresistibly. Others again with unwearied efforts never exceed mediocrity b. b I have, in my own practice, proved that endurance and velocity are essentially different qualities, and that a mn.n may have one in fair degree without the other. I have never been able to exceed six miles in the hour, although I have frequently walked sixty with and without knapsack, without experiencing extreme fati~:,rue, or unfitnes for the road next day.