Bredin on Running & Training

II8 RUN 1 ING AND TRAINING. won, and could scarcely have failed to win with the exercise of a little judgment, as I had shortly before run a trial on the Stamford Bridge grounds (where the championships of that year were decided) in 49-iths. Old Nat Perry was supervising my track work in those days. Just before the sports commenced he mentioned the time of this trial to a few of the A. A. A. officials, some of whom were inclined to be a trifle sceptical, so that old Nat felt his honour impeached-watch hold– ing he regarded as a sacred matter. Probably owing to these doubts cast on his integrity Nat was particularly anxious that I should accomplish a good performance, and therefore strongly advised me to run right away from the start, which I foolishly did in the final heat from an outside position, covering more yards than was necessary by endeavouring too soon to obtain the lead, and racing on the outside of the other competitors round the first bend, with the result that I beat myself in the first part of the race and was caught by C. Dickinson and D. Basan about sixty yards from home, from which point we three struggled on together and the judges took some time to agree as to which had won, finally deciding in favour of the first-named, placing me third. I am perfectly certain that I didn't win, but a very good authority who was in a position to glance along the worsted holds to this day that the second man virtually won that championship. My opinion is that judges are always· too anxious to find a winner. If there is sufficient doubt as to who has won a close race to necessitate anything approach– ing an argument, that race ought to be called a dead heat, and the competitors who have created this division