Athletics

78 ATHLETICS. CHAPTER VI. WALKING. By the Editor, Referee for Walking atseveral Amateur Championships ; Bronze Medallist, L.A.C. 40Miles Walking Race, Boxing Day, 1878 ; Silver Medallist, L.A.C. 30 Miles Walking Race, Boxing Day, 1880. " P ACING " would be the more correctword to describe the gait adopted by far too many of our so-called walkers. The " pace" of thepath, andthe walk of the wood-pavement or stroll of the street, arevery different things. So long as walking is walking, not pacing, it teaches a man an erect carriage, howto poise his body soas to getover the ground with the minimumof exertion andthe maximum of speed; but, unfortunately, few will take the trouble to educate themselves up to this desirable standard of proficiency. They —seldom does an old saying so aptly fita new expression— not only want to run before they can walk, but do so, perhaps totheir own satisfaction, but to the disgust of the spectators and annoyance of the judge. The embryo walker has a harder task before him than the would-be runner. The latter has comparatively little to learn beyond improv­ ing his speed; style is,in his case, a secondary consideration altogether. It is otherwise with the walker. In his early efforts the last thing he must think of is speed ; his whole mind, attention, and efforts must be concentrated on style— in fact, learning how to walk —before he attempts speed or ventures intoa contest. There are, however, extremes. One, speed, completely killed walking in the north of England, wherea contest of this kind is almost unknown now. The farcical " pacing "