Bredin on Running & Training

RUNNING AND TRAINING. obtain all that is necessary in this respect. At the commencement of his training nothing further than a slow four laps should be run, until a certain slight amount of bodily fitness becomes noticeable to the athlete himself, when a variation can be made both with regard to the length of the course practised over and the pace employed during so doing. This differ– ence will to a certain degree depend on the capability of the runner, and the event he wishes to excel in. However, the ordinary athlete training for races from one to three miles, after having previously worked off the soreness and stiffness that are usually found attendant on the commencement of all track work, by slow and easy running, will be well advised in alternately covering long and short distances: for instance, to take one week's work, on Monday, eight laps; Tuesday, three-quarters of a mile, somewhat speedily; Wednesday, a mile, taking the first three laps very steadily, and then gradually increasing pace throughout the whole of the last one so as to be going at full speed about fifty yards from its conclusion; Thursday, another slow two miles; Friday, a fast half-mile; and on the last day of the week an extra amount of work rnay be undertaken by covering about four miles, as there is the Sunday's rest to intervene before the track is again visited. But in placing on paper any definite pro– gramme with the hope that it may be of use to the athlete, I must at the same time point out that any such proceedings with reference to training are likely to be somewhat unsatisfactory, as each runner must be guided by his own perceptions, and, unless he is fortunate enough to be one of the very robust species