Athletics and Football (extract)

WALKING AND WALKERS 137 ford Bridge,a little later on in the same year, he covered his four miles in 29 min. 10 sec., going perfectlyfairly, a really remarkable performance; and there is very little doubt that if put to it he could have beaten the record for seven miles,as he wasa fine stayer, havingso little weight to carry upon his great legs. During his visit he met Murray,and was beaten by him, but there was some suspicion that Meek was not trying to do his best. Of Murray'sstyle we feel great difficultyin speaking. We do not consider him to have been a fairwalker in the sense that Merrilland Meekwere fair walkers, but, at the same time, we must admit that he never had both feet off the ground together in a race. Wewatched him at one meeting, as we had before watched Webster, and could see that the toe of his hind foot left the ground at exactly the same instant that the heel of his front foot touched it. Upon anything but a per­ fectly level cinder-track he must have broken into a trot, but did not do so when we saw him walking. He had rather a short stride, with a verygreat deal of arm action, and to look at his body he seemed to be trotting, not walking. Perhaps we maysay that he was not a genuinelyfair walker, but was within the receiveddefinition. He is credited in Americawith havingcovereda mile in 6 min. 294sec. ; two miles in 13 min. 48|sec. ;and three miles in 21 min. 91sec. No doubt at these shorter distances he was faster than, if not so fair as, Meek; but, like so many of the doubtful goers, he was better at short than at long distances. Since Meek'sdeparture we have seen little fast and genuinelyfair walking in England, and at the short distances, which are those in vogueat all athletic meet­ ings, there is a great deal of that doubtful style of whichMurray wasthe most able exponent. We must confess to noting with pleasure a revival at the present day of walking races along the roads for considerable distances. In such races the doubtful goers are conspicuous by their absence, as nothing but genuine road-walkingwill pay in a road-race, and such contests affordfine exhibitionsof power and endurance. In 1886 a really remarkable performance was