Athletics of To-Day for Women

264 Athletics of To-day for Women Eat a good meal before your walk, but do not stop to buy food on the way. Walk clad warmly enough for the prevailing weather. Walking long distances, or walking on a hard surface, is tiring for the muscles, and too much of it will ruin their resiliency. As soon as your legs begin to feel stiff or sore, break into a gentle trot for three or four hundred yards. After your walk, rest with the legs stretched well in front of you, and slightly raised, so that the blood may flow and return freely. In February add short runs to your walking and gymnastics programme until the middle of March, when road running begins. Sprinters and field events girls should not run more than half to one mile. Some girls prefer cross-country running for their winter work. Nowadays, too, various women's cross-country races are held. A girl should do her cross– country running warmly clad, and should not take this sport too seriously, but rather use it as a preparation for her next season on the track or in the field events. I men– tion the latter, as this exercise is equally good for throwers and jumpers, since running exercises every muscle of the body. Run across country with an easy natural stride, and drop your pace to a dog-trot the moment you begin to feel leg– weary or lung-tired. The arms should be carried loosely and easily to help to balance the body. Run with short strides, well back on the ball of the foot, and let down your heel when you want to do so. Be sparing with the jumps and never jump any obstacle unless you can see cl arly what is on the other side of it. Run with the 1nuscl s w ll r 1 xed and do not tauten every muscle if you slip. o with the slip instead, and it is a thousand to one again t your falling at all. Finally, wherever and whenev r you compete, keep your mind on your own job. Do not mix with the sp ctators, do not worry the offici ls, and do not discuss prospects with other athletes, and, above all, always take time and trouble over the preparations ilnmediat ly pr c ding your event.