Bredin on Running & Training

TRAINING. 73 journey twice a week to the nearest track is advis– able, provided there happens to be one within any reasonable distance. Certainly the first appearance of an ordinary road, from an athlete's point of view, is uninviting, and he is apt to conclude that its hardness will be certain to occasion strains; but the elastic properties of an india– rubber-soled shoe in lessening concussion would prob– ably about bring it on an equality with a cinder-path in dry weather, the usual running shoes being worn. In winter the road is frequently at a discount, for whenever frost follows snow, running is virtually im– practicable. My first experience of road work only dates back some three years; but residing in the country at that time-no semi-suburban district, for the nearest house to the one I then occupied was half a mile away-and having two matches then in view, about three months to get f1t in, and being without a trainer and left com– pletely to my own devices, I decided to commence by trying whether a level piece of road near at hand would not prove an efficient substitute for a cinder– pcl.th. After six weeks' work, running every weekday, with occasional skipping and walking exercise, I ran a trial at Stamford Bridge when the weather happened to be so wet that the inside portion of the cinders adjoining the grass was under water in various places, which necessitated my covering a measured 440 yards around flags placed along the middle of the track, the latter naturally very wet and heavy going on any part of its surface, and the watch denoted exactly fifty seconds. This was satisfactory, as I had started work