Bredin on Running & Training

168 RUNNING AND TRAINING. appeared more cheerful; but although I had to risk breaking down in the coming race, I also intended to run no unnecessary chances of failure in the event of my safely covering the distance, so refused to avail myself of any such indulgences. Even the most unpleasant times pass, and at length I found myself standing on the mark at Burnden Park Grounds, Bolton, a somewhat hot favourite with regard to the betting. When the pistol went off so did Downer, but I still stood on the mark, until at length I managed to throw myself in pursuit, and after the first fifty yards or so I felt little inconvenience from the damaged muscle, and not only went the distance, but came somewhere near winning, although on a terribly heavy track Downer did 44~ sees ., gaining at least a yard at each sharp corner, the course being almost square in shape. Instead of finding the leg worse from its exertion, this race had the reverse effect, as I could walk without experiencing anything further than stiffness on the following morning, which appeared to me a very surprising result. About that time Kilpatrick wrote from America, expressing a wi h to run me a half-mile race if I thought public interest would be excited concerning our meeting. Having replied in the affirmative, he arrived in England early in March, and shortly after– wards commenced training in the North of England, under the direction and support of Mr. George Drake, a prominent all-round sportsman residing at Leeds, who seemed to prefer backing American to British runners, almost every first-class "pro" from across the Atlantic of late years coming under his supervision.