Athletics

76 ATHLETICS. Confidence. —'What is really wanted in every race is a man's confidence ofhis own powers—to know what he can do— however feeble it may appear in comparison with others. In handicaps, nowadays, every man has his look in for prizes, but it is only by carefully training himself that he may indulge in such a violent exercise as running without feeling theeffects of it in after life. MILE AND DISTANCE PATH RUNNING. By J. Kibblewhite,Swindon andSpartan Harriers, Amateur Champion, One Mile, 1889, 1890 ; Four and Ten Miles, 1890-, Southern Counties Cross-countryChampion, 1890, 1891; National Cross-country Champion,1891 ; Holder of the ThreeMiles Record. In givingmy opinion ontraining for flat races of a mile and upwards, I may say I have always found it most advisable to take things verysteady for the first week, say, run afew easy miles about three timesa week. "When not running I believe in taking plenty of long walks,varying this in the second weekby running shorter distances, such as a quarter of a mile one day, half-mile another, and perhaps three- quarters or a milefor the last run of the week; but I never care to run thewhole distance Iam training formore than once during that time. Before running the distance intended I generally take some long sprints ; this I findhelps considerablyto increase the pace. Should I, however, have an easy run, I sometimes take some sprints after as well as before the spin.Following this for about five or six weeks, I begingenerally toget into something like condition. Training for longer distances, suchas from two to four