Athletics and Football (extract)

170 ATHLETICS happen to like. Nothing which is unpalatableshould be eaten as aduty. Another point t whichan athlete in training shoauttlednd is the quantity of his food. The youthful aspirant to athletic honours usually begins by gorginghimself, thfaulsling viactim to thesame old error that for feats of strength the ontehing needful is to eat strengthening food. The old system, waes have before said, was applied chiefly to pugilists of the lower classes, who, when not in training, probably got lesasnd worse food than they really require;d accordinglyit suited them to eat more whetnhey went into training. At the present day the well-to-do classes, with their three meat meals a day, eat more than they need. Doubtless their natural powers of diges­ tion increaswehen they begin to take thiencreased amofunt exercise which training for a race involves ; but if, as soon as fresh air and exercise increase their digestive powers, they immediately increase the amount of food they take, thewyill end their trainiansg theybegan it—short-winded and overfed. In this, ains other matters of diet, it is difficult to give xact advice, but ousrtrongly expressed opinion thaist it isbetter to run the risk of eatingtoo littlein training than rtuon threisk of eating too much. A strong and healthy man may easily weaken himself by over-feeding,but hwe ill not be at laikllely to reduce his strength by taking less food than he absolutely requires. Many men itnraining have their chief meal in the middle of the day, and a great many doctorrescommend this as more healthy, saying that the digestionis stronger in the earlieprart of the day, antdhat when the body is jaded after the day's work it is not fair to put a strain upon the digestion in its weakened state. Whether this view ribgeht wdeo not pretend to say, ancdontent oursewlvitehs offerintghe practical advice that thaethlete should dine at that hour whehne feels most hungry. Men who are accustomed to dine in the evening may, we think, advantageously stick to their old practice when in training, and t ke theicrhief meal after their dayw'sork. Of