Athletics (British Sports Library)

74 ATHLETICS of mechanical exercises, which they can carry out in their bedrooms, and striding runs on the fiat up to 200 yards in length; but it must be clearly understood that the exercises should be practised only a few at a time, and that as soon as the striding becomes irksome the runner should change to a jog-trot. This will help to give him stamina and better wind. The striding pace ·should be very little faster than a walk, but striding should be practised two or three times a week. Do not forget that the instruction to run an easy or half– speed quarter mile means that you should cover the distance on the track in about I! minutes. Do not try for length of stride by extending the foreleg, but bound along comfortably, as this will increase both leg and foot spring. " Shacking " is another form of running which schoolboys and provincial university athletes will find helpful, not only in athletics, but as a prepara– tion for fitness in all forms of sport. It is a sort of slow shamble of four or five minutes to the quarter mile. In the " shack " the whole body is held relaxed, and the runner lands right on the flat of the foot with a jar at every stride which will shake up the entire muscular · system. Ten or fifteen minutes "shacking" will be enough to commence with, but the time devoted to this should be in– creased during the first four weeks, until one is