Athletes in Action

33 THE QU~\.RTER-:\IILE (z) Frc . 3 on the opposite page shows the action of a great quarter-mil·r at the moment when he is about to complete a tride. The forward lean of the body, with the easy and correct disposition of the head, indicates that the athlete is running in such a way that he must be continually overtaking his own weight and, therefore is traYelling at the maximum speed of which h i apable. everal fundamental principle of 4+0 ) d . running are \\'ell illu trated by this picture. The tr mendous work being done by the arms and legs is ob' iou but it sh uld be n ted, also, that the inactive portion f the body, which ar being merely carried al ng, arc rela. ed in an admirable manner and that there is no unnece sary inflation of the chc t. n ther fundamental principle in\olv<..:d here i the a\:i m which lay· dcn.Yn that the quarter-miler must ne\ er let the hand pas behind the 1·vel of the hips, nor must the leading hand S\·ving up t the point of tbc oppo ite shoulder in the c. aggcratcd forward-and-up\\ard punch employed by a sprinter in a 100 ) ds. race. The forwarcl sho t of the lower portion of the leading leg, to increa e tridc-length, i notable, but the third fundam ntal i concerned \\ ith the rear leg and the reader will observe that, in full stride-action, th h cl of the hangino- leg is not allo·wcd t rise higher than the 1 Yel of it own kn c. Thi means that the left leg is oming traight through f r the next tride utili ing the full power of its pu h- ff from the tra k, p rtrayed in · ig. I, and that no\ astcful kick-up behind is going to delay the action. otc that the boulder and hips arc held square to the dire ti n in \\hich the runner i travelling, and that the lcadin foot is about to be put down with the toes pointin~ strai~ht ahead.