Athletics and Football (extract)

RUNNING AND RUNNERS 93 over a quarter and a half mile arise from the fact that, as he beginsto tire and labour in his running, his stride appears to lengthen instead of shortening. Those who have noticed him running quarters have seen that about the middle of the race, whenthe Englishheavy-weightsprinters take their first breather,. Myersis enabled to shoot awayand place a gap of half-a-dozen yardsbetween himselfand the second manwithout an apparent effort. Having, in fact, no weight to carry, no distance under a milecan tire him, and this it is, we think, which enables him to run right awayfrom any opponent at any distance where stayingpower is a necessityas wellas speed. Certainly Myers is unlike any of his predecessors at this distance ; whetheran­ other will everappear like unto him it is hard to say. A very favouritedistance at athletic meetings is 600 yards; but, although the race is so common, it can hardly be con­ sidered a distance in itself, as it is very rarelythat the winner whocan manage 600 yards is not capable of doing a half-mile as well. The fine sprinter, who may be able, by a certain amount of staying power,to make a first-class quarter-miler, cannot, as far as ordinaryexperience goes, manage 600 yards. In fact, at any distance over the quarter, one may say that stayingpowers are more important than speed. The man who can run 600 yards comfortably can probablydo any distance whatevercreditably, whilemany sprinters could hardly cover a mile as fast as a schoolboy. In a 600 yards race, therefore, the sprintingquarter-milers are found conspicuousby their absence. It is a race which cannot be won by the winner rushing off fast and making use of his pacewhile he has it. In a word, the man who can run 600 yards comfortably maysafely train for a half-mile as well, and it is not necessary to consider the runner of 600 yards apart from the half-miler. The medium distances, however (600 yards, half-mile, 1,000 yards), produce a distinct type of runner, who must be trained in a distinct way. Many men, like the Hon. A. L. Pelham, H. W. Hill, of the L.A.C., and T. E. Wells, the Oxonian, were half-milerspure and simple. The half-miler is