Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES the quarter-rniler's carriage should be slightly more upright. Nor should he make quite such a pronounced knee-lift as does the man who is running roo yds. The arm action should be looser, and the forward extension of the leg in completing a stride less violent. The actual running should be done, in my opinion, on the ball of the foot, although some coaches recommend a ball-and– heel landing of the foot going forward, and permit their athletes to let the heel down lightly upon the track. Personally I am opposed to this style. Some American coaches suggest that the coasting period should occur after 220 yds. have been run in the quarter-mile, but should not last for more than ro yds. I will say more about this in a moment. Meanwhile here is another suggestion which comes from America. It is that the first 75 yds. of a 440 yds. race should be run at nine-tenths effort and the next 150 yds. at seven-eighths effort; then comes the coast for IO yds. at three-quarter effort, followed by IOO yds. at seven– eighth~ effort, full effort being put in only over the last 105 yds. Athletes training for the 440 yds. should be well coached in strategy and tactics, in which connection it is, of course, very necessary to have a knowledge of the capabilities of one's oppo– nents. I remember Jack Lovelock's telling me that 'before the Olympic 1500 metres race was run at Berlin he had kept himself informed for some considerable period a~ to the preferences of his opponents in running a 1500 metres or r mile race. 'In other words, he had a fairly good knowledge of just what each man would do, and therefore made his own plans for defeating his rivals accordingly. In the case of the quarter-miler the coach should see that he knows, concerning each of his opponents, how far each man likes to sprint at the beginning of the race, how he is likely to challenge for the lead, and how he will react when c~allenged. At which point in a race is a particular man likely to make his challenge, and, finally, how far can each of the runner's opponents hold his sprinting power at the end of a race? When a quarter-mile race is run on an unstringed course the first essential is to sprint far enough and fast enough to mi ke sure of obtaining the lead position on the pole. Nowadays, however, almost all quarter-mile races are run in lanes. This custom has introduced a new feature into quarter-miling, because the man in the lane farthest from the pole will obviously, if he is anything 2!2