Athletics of To-Day 1929

Athletics of To-day let the leader get away from you and do not allow yourself to be shut in. If you are lying second and two or three men move up, go at once into the lead, but let the man you have replaced come up again if he will; if he will not thus oblige you, then push the lead on to one of the men who have moved up, but make sure yourself of the second berth. If you are boxed in watch for and take the first opportunity of breaking through. It is permissible for all distance men to run fiat-footed for a short distance to rest themselves, and in jog-trot training to build up endurance this "bad" style of running is a help. Race mainly on the ball of the foot, however; it lessens the shock to the nerves and muscles and gets more spring into the stride. TRAINING Devote the first month to endurance work. Twice a week trot an easy four miles, introducing from two to four sprints of rso yards at half, increasing to three-quarter, speed into ach run. In the third week increase the distance of sprinting to 220 yards and in the fourth week to 440 yards at half speed. In the second month get down to the study of your event. Work out on the track at 88o yards,! mile, and r mile. Two or three runs a week will be sufficient, study body carriage, stride action combined with regular breathing, and change of pace. Begin to work out at pacing and sprint-starting and finishing. Learn to take the curves of the track at a fast, well balanced clip. In the third month get right down to speed work, inter– spersed with easy jog-trot runs up to a mile. Train five days a week, working out one day for sprint speed for the finish and the next concentrate upon the initial part of the race. Start with a fast 300 yards and increase the distance roo yards a day until you can tackle 66o yards at good speed. When you are in competition form try to plan your work-out on a definitely divided schedule. It should be one half endurance, one quarter speed, and the other quarter judgment.