Athletics

FLAT RACES. 69 of the sprinting muscles of the calf. Without doubt, the Macadam road is not the place to get fit for a quarter; plenty of path work; short sprints of fifty yards or so to increase one's pace, followed by a fast 300 or 350 yards, will in a very short time get you thoroughly fit for the most trying quarter. Some advocate " striding out" these longer sprints, but I am strongly infavour of a man doing his best inpractice. Of course, to race a quarter constantly would be suicidal, but a fast run of 300 yards, easing immediately you feel at all "punished," willnever tend to make a man stale. One day a week off, exclusive of Sunday, willprove beneficial to most men and often render you keener on the renewal of your work. Don't be afraid of plenty of hard work; if you have a good constitution, training is the best appetizer in the world, and a man who eats heartily andwith a relish is not a likelysubject to be troubled with overtraining. During my last year (1889) on the path I was running regularly four or five days a week from the middle of February tillthe championships at the end of June, witha fortnight off at the end of April, and I never lost the keenest interestin my work, or felt in any way stale. As regards diet, again I would say it varies, and must vary, with different constitutions. The amount of liquid must be kept within limits; half a pint with each meal of solid food should prove ample. Indigestible food must be avoided, otherwise, I think, a pretty wide margin may be allowed without anyill effects; chops and steaks day after day would make a manstale far sooner than an abundance of hard work. Training for the longer distances, 600yards andthe half- mile, should bevery similar to that followed for the quarter. Stride out quarters for the former, and600 yards for the