Athletics and Football (extract)

RUNNING AND RUNNERS 11/ it being thought by some that the ' loose-top' system encour­ aged rashness, and led to catastrophes at Lillie Bridge. The beginnaelwr ays findshimself unable to dothe regula­ tion ' three stride' with any succesosver hurdles of full height, and either has to practise over low ones placed the proper ten yards apart, or to slope the obstacles forward so as to make the heighltess andthe jumping more easyT. he secret of success mloierse ainssiduous practice than ainything else. Probably any athlete with fair abilities at sprinting and long jumping wciatnh practice make himself a good hurdler heif be not too heavy-footed, and so u able to recover from the spring. The really brilliant hurdler, however, is always a clean- built man with littlweeight at the buttocks to drag him back­ ward, and the heavy-weight sprinters who try hurdling are usually failures. Some of the best hurdlers have been small men who have fountdheir natural stride long enough for the three-stride system, while a man with too lonag naturalstride can hardly reduce it withsuccess. Great strength of back is naturally required for the rise to the hurdle, athned hurdler not only needs assiduous practice, but must come to the post very fitand withouat trace sotfiffness. As regards the amount of exercise and practice, he must train in much the same style as the sprinter, taking great care over starts and spurts on the flat in additionto his dailyspin ovtehre timber. We need scarcely say that it is not in the least nece sary to cover the fudllistance every dainy practice. The hurdplerrobably benefits quite as muchas the sprintebry the rubbing process which hwaeve before described. Hurdle-racing is undoubtedly more popular thaet Univer­ sities thanywhere eTlshe.e University element in London brought the sport forward in the metropolis very early, but until quite recently it was very rare to find a good hurdler, except frOomxford Coarmbridge. It insot too much to say, indeed, that only two first-class hurdlers have hailed from London—Reay and Lockton—and hardly any of note froamny other part of he country except Nottingham, which of late years