Bredin on Running & Training

RUNNING AND TRAINING. his own." Mr. Mills then felt or simulated a certain degree of curiosity, and inquired what sort of a runner I was, in reply to which Sam observed, "Oh, he can run a bit, but not as well as he thinks," which brought forth the statement "I shaH do twelve inside" (mean– ing twelve seconds inside one minute). " Oh, well, if you get to do that it's all over," said my trainer. "But what can he really do?" demanded Mills. "Can he run a quarter in fifty? " "With great care and a fine day I believe he just might," answered Sam. "Hum!" from Mills, and then, "Let me tell thee, lad, it's a d--d fine runner that can run a quarter ten inside." But to curtail a long story, this match over a quarter was at length definitely arranged and fixed-Mills found two or three local men to provide his stake money ; the race was to take place at Rochdale on Jan. 3oth, '97. For sixteen weeks I conscientiously went through a careful and systematic course of train– ing, once more turning out at the L. A. C. grounds in a trial over the distance on Jan. rrth, when a London fog enveloped that part of town, dense enough to cause one to lose sight of all objects some thirty yards distant. On this occasion, though very fit, I did no better than sri sees., I presume owing to the atmosphere, for on the following day over the Reading track, a slow one at all times, but especially heavy in ordinarily wet, wintry weather, I covered a similar distance in 49! sees. Some few days before the date of this contest I journeyed to Rochdale. And here I must observe that, with the object of killing two birds with one stone, I had arranged to run Downer a level 400 yards race on the Saturday following the Mills match.