Bredin on Running & Training

HALF-MILE, MILE, AND DISTANCE RUNNING. 41 athletic sports, and are fond of knowing what time they are likely to do before their race takes place, without ascertaining the same by running a trial over its entire distance. Mile and distance runners I must also divide into two classes, the one composed of men who travel at a fast and equable pace throughout their races, and the other of those who can run fast, but prefer to adopt a waiting policy, being able to sprint home at the finish unless completely tired out. "Good gracious!" says the exasperated reader, "wha t, more sprinters, and stayers, and striders? I had hoped those expressions were done with." Much as I regret it, they are not. Truthfully sorry am I that I cannot coin any other words to take their pla ce, although even if I were able so to do, the astute reader would no doubt at once detect my hidden meaning. However, I will own that in again committing them to paper, I experience somewhat similar feelings to those of the itinerant painter whose artistic powers were solely restricted to the representation of a lion, and who obtained his living by redecorating old sign-boa rds that swing over the entrance to most country inns; when, after a lengthy a rgument with the proprietor of one of these hostelries, which worthy could not be persuaded to accept the king of beasts making its appearance on his board in place of a ship in full sail, he sadly observed, "Well, if you will have a ship, I suppose I must paint one, but I warn you that when it's finished it will greatly resemble a lion." The runner during his training for one mile, or for a further race, requires no sprinting practice; by constantly finishing the distances he daily covers at full speed, he w ill