Athletics of To-Day 1929

-- --- The Distances-2 to I o Miles ro3 runs at little over walking pace of two to four miles three times a week are the order of preparation. One long walk a week should be taken right through the whole period of training. In the preliminary period alternate walking and jogging, study to correct faults, and devote five or ten minutes a day to body– building exercises. A course of cross-country running through the winter months is probably the best preparation for achiev– ing good distance performances on the track during the summer. Judgment of pace is, of course, of the first importance and the runner must build up his time schedule according to his ability and the distance he is planning to run. When Ray made his sensational two miles indoor record his intermediate times were as under : 440 yds. 88o yds. r,320 yds. r mile 62! 2.rr! 3.22 4·29! Per i mile 62! 69! 70! 67! 2,200 yds. 2,640 yds. 3,080 yd . 2 mil s 5·39! 6-48~ 7·59 9·8f Per! mile 69i 699 7It 68i The merit of Ray's regular running may be seen by comparing it with the table of great mile tim son page 82. The man who aspires to run two mil s in ro mins. should aim at running the first quarter mile in 70 secs., allow 75 secs. each fors cond to sixth inclusiv , rest a bit by running the seventh quarter mile in 8o secs., and try for the eighth and last quarter in 75 secs., from which he may happen to knock off anoth r 5 s cs. if he is pushed hard. When racing form is r ached, plan your training schedule so that you run between two and three mile on Monday to build up stamina; a fast mile-and-a-half on Tuesday, concentrating on judging speed; devote Wednesday to a six miles walk at normal sp ed, and Thursday speed up, by running two miles