Bredin on Running & Training

I32 RUNNING AND TRAI ING. keep going, with the result that I struggled to the front forty yards from home and won by two yards from E. Drinkwater, of the Salford Harriers, who was placed second. On my return to the dressing-room a few minutes later I found some of the other contestants lying on the floor in a very bad way; the third man, S. W. Ashworth, who has since turned his attention to the stage, was in an alarming state of collapse, and took a considerable time to come round, whilst I passed the remainder of that day in a dazzled condition, and can safely say that I never before or after suffered to anything approaching the same extent from physical exhaustion. Perhaps, taking all things into considera– tion, this was my best performance on the running path, the Huddersfield track with its short straights and broad bends being a slow one for the sera tch man in handicaps, as he is on the outside of his field for a considerable portion of a quarter at any rate. Concerning feats of endurance, one that I have frequently heard discussed is that of running a mile during eight minutes, being obliged to rest four or more out of that time. It is reported that ''Choppy" Wharburton and Myers-both of whom have for ever dropped out.of all earthly competitions-accomplished this task in private by covering each quarter in about a minute, resting for sixty seconds before starting the next, until the final one, when they would have allowed a longer interval. For instance, presuming a runner occupied fifty-seven seconds for his first quarter, fifty-eight for the next, and fifty-nine during the following one, with an interval between each of fifty– eight seconds' duration, he could wait 2 mins. 4 sees.