Bredin on Running & Training

MY CAREER AS AN ATHLETE. 121 As most people are aware, these meetings and those of most other sports are held on a Sunday in F ranee. At the present time some of the numerous band of interfering faddists wish to insist on all such events being decided on a weekday, regardless of the fact that a Saturday afternoon's match, for instance, could draw but few spectators, and consequently would be of little benefit in making sport popular across the hannel. Many men run and otherwise participate in athletic contests in France on a Sunday who would not do so in England-not that they, agreeing with Charles Kingsley, think there would be anything wrong in such a proceeding at home to those who find this day the only available one for their relaxation; but as the great majority of Englishmen have another day, or part of a day, during each week to devote to their amuse– ments, they prefer to keep the British Sabbath as a day of rest. If a man conscientiously finds that there is no harm in his taking violent physical exercise on the Sabbath in a country where he hurts no one's feeling by so doing, surely he might be allowed to please himself. I presume no individual is on any occasion forced to join a team against his will, and also that even in the gay French metropolis there are some busy athletes whose convenience would be much better suited by their being able to cross over on Saturday evening and leave again on Sunday night, thereby enabling them to commence work on the following Monday. So far, at any rate, there have ,been no stipulations made public to the effect that any contest Frenchmen engage in here must take place on a Sunday to suit their conve– nience . However, I think it most unlikely that want of