Bredin on Running & Training

MY CAREER AS AN ATHLETE. 173 London Athletic Club £5o for the hire of the ground, and at the same time insured it at Lloyd's against damage should the crowd prove unruly, a stipulation was made that the lowest charge for admittance was to be fixed at 2s., a somewhat prohibitive sum for one event, lasting a couple of minutes, when an afternoon's sport, such as the championship meeting, can be witnessed for half that charge. Having placed the club in a safe position against any loss, it seemed hardly reasonable that they should so curtail the profits arising from the match. During my membership we had twice let the ground for professional running, and I think I am right in stating that on neither of these occasions at a cost of over £Io. Having won my stake money, and a small amount in bets, I had less cause to grumble than my opponent, who was far from satisfied, and not altogether without reason, as he had run his most important race at London owing to my advice. Being the most celebrated half-miler in the world, having paid his expenses from America, and wasted nearly six months in this country with a view of competing in an inter– national match, with presumably the best British runner at a like distance, to receive £36 in addition to loss of reputation was not a princely remuneration. The I,ooo yards match we abandoned. I never relished that distance, and felt inclined to be contented with my success in defeating the one runner above all others that I had wished to meet at his best distance, principally owing to the remarks in the American Press during the Inter-Club matches at New York, held in the previous autumn. We met no more on the