Bredin on Running & Training

2 RUNNING AND TRAINING. before the gaze of a sport-loving public. My f1rst appearance, scantily clad in university costume, and feeling doubtful as to whether the shoes with their long spikes would not lead to my kissing mother earth instead of skimming over her, was due to the ridicule thrown on my dormant powers by Frank Townsend, the old Gloucestershire cricketer, and father of the present fme bat of like name, at whose establishment in Clifton I was "cramming " during the summer of '85. A cricket match clashed with the Ariel Rowing Club's sports, and on my mentioning that I could not play on that occasion for our team, having entered for the open 120 yards handicap, Townsend truthfully informed me that I had not the ghost of an idea how to run, and added that there was a London man named Cowie who could certainly get along on one leg as fast as I could on two. Undismayed, though feeling some– what less confident, I turned out; and, thanks to the liberal start of nine yards, was able on my return from the Zoological Gardens, where the sports were held, to gleefully exhibit my maiden prize. I remember that the cup was filled with champagne many times during its passage round the study table, surrounded by a gathering of the senior boys. It is related in the Badminton series on athletics that L. Junker, the celebrated Russian, was chaffed into running, and the late Nathaniel Perry was fond of recounting the tale-how a stranger appeared at the club, and being pr~sumably informed that Nat was one of the trainers, curtly demanded," Think I could jump?" and on receiving the obvious answer, "How do I know?" blurted out," Think I could run? " whereupon he was