Bredin on Running & Training

MY CAREER AS AN ATHLETE. 115 Wharton contest this intermediate distance. Both of these men failing to enter, the secretary wrote to me asking whether I would not come down and run, at the same time pointing out the reason his committee had for giving the race, and adding that they were anxious that, being already advertised, it should not fall through owing to lack of entries. I had done no training since the spring, and was therefore quite out of condition, but nevertheless I duly arrived at the ground on the appointed day, where I soon found that the result of the race was considered a foregone conclusion, for in those days there was a very fast sprinter hailing from that part of the country who had won the Midland . Counties Championship at 100 yards, besides many good performances in short-distance handicaps. The track was again a grass one of 220 yards in circum– ference. Having gained experience, and bearing in mind the Exmouth race, I left the dressing-tent im– mediately the previous event had been concluded, and placed myself on the inside position on the track, intending to stick to it if possible; but when the other competitors reached the mark a feeling of shame prompted me to inquire whether it was not customary to toss for choice of stations, when the local crack, speaking for himself and presumably the other runners, calmly remarked, " Oh, stay where you are; it won't make the slightest difference." This, however, was a mistaken view of the case, for, thus favoured, I led throughout and won by a yard. One more reminis– cence shall conclude the first portion of these memories of bygone races. For shortly after the L. A. C. spring meeting in '87 I left England, and made my first I 2