Bredin on Running & Training

I• RUNNING AND TRAINING. at any rate during this period. Such being the case, doubtless the wisest and most effective plan is to resolve from its commencement to refrain from smoking in all its forms. Inveterate smokers may at first find this sudden change is apt to cause a certain amount of sleeplessness; this, however, would soon pass off, but one pipeful for the first few evenings, prior to the last stroll in pursuit of fresh air, will minimise this evil, and is scarcely likely to do much harm. Still, one is playing with temptation by even this slight indulgence ; and the man who has determined to allow ihimself every possible chance to excel on the cinder-path must not object to a few depri– vations. The desire for tobacco with constant smokers is often retained long after the seductive weed has been laid aside. This want is chiefly a mental one, as on lighting up after passing some few weeks only as a non– smoker, it may be noticed what an unexpected and almost disagreeable taste is produced by the first few whiffs; however, if smoking is then persisted in, tobacco will very shortly regain its usual place in our apprecia– tion. A eraving for tobacco, and, in fact, all sorts of things that we endeavour to do without, or use in moderation, becomes most acute when the body is excessively tired, a condition that men in training will do well to guard against, from whatever cause arising. To those who run merely as a pastime-that is to say, caring little whether they are successful or not on the cinder path, and who therefore are not inclined to de– prive themselves of any small indulgences throughout their so-called "training "-1 can only point out that the most harmful time to smoke is likely to be immedi– ately before and after meals-before as it lessens appetite, ri t.~