Athletics (British Sports Library)

RELAY RACING 121 95 yards out of the full 100 more than once in a season, and· the half-miler, even if a good average performer, no more than 820 or 830 yards in half a mile. The consequence was that many of our athletes acquired a style of running not calculated to carry them fast to a strong finish over the full distance. Relay teams usually comprise four runners, each one of whom covers an equal distance. The popular distances are 440 Yards (4 X llO yards), 880 Yards (4 X 220), 1 Mile (8 X 220 or 4 X 440), 2 Miles (4 x 880), 4 Miles (4 X I mile). There is also the Medley Race, as practised at the English Championships, in which each of the first two runners runs 220 yards, the third 440 yards, and the fourth 880 yards. There is also the 480 Yards Hurdles Relay (4 X 120) run backwards and for– wards. Schoolboys should note that the Achilles Club, which consists of Old Blues, now promotes in April of each year at Queen's Club a Relay Carnival open to schools represented by past and present boys. Style and systems of training have already been outlined in this book for the various track events and hurdles ; we may therefore confine ourselves here to the consideration of the system and tactics of relay racing. The first thing for the coach or team captain to