Coaching and Care of Athletes

DISTANCE AND MARATHON RUNNING In connection with the statistics given on p. 258 it should be noted that Newton made the following records: 1924: 29 miles I408 yds. in 3 hrs. 8 mins. 37 secs. 35 miles in 3 hrs. 32 mins. 36 secs. 40 miles 570 yds. in 4 hrs. 26 mins. 46 miles 352 yds. in 5 hrs. I2 mins. 5 secs. so miles in 5 hrs. 53 mins. 43 secs. 1927: 6o miles in 7 hrs. 33 mins. ss-secs: I928: IOO miles in 14 hrs. 22 mins. IO secs. I93I: 152 miles 540 yds. in 24 hrs. . 1933: 6o miles (Bath-London road) in 7 hrs. IS mins. 30 secs. 1934: roo miles (Bath-Londo.n road) in 14 hrs. 6 mins. Newton suggests that the heel-and-toe action is the best for races up to the Marathon distance, and advocates 1300 to 1400 strides per mile. Pace, he says, should be increased by increasing the number of strides, rather than by lengthening them. Another principle advocated by Newton is that the long-distance runner should run at an average of 20 to 25 per cent. below the speed he can actually ruri at when called upon so to do. Best of all, he is a firm believer in the policy of long and gradual building up by systematic, progressive training for long-distance racing. All of which is obviously sensible, because of the physiological effects of running long distances. Long-distance running, like any other very strenuous exercise, brings abo,ut definite'physiological changes. They are not harmful, provided that the athlete is in sound physical condition when he starts training, and provided also that the strain he is setting out to face 'is imposed gradually. In other words, the building-up process must be prolonged and progressive. Through strenuous exercise the pulse-rate is decreased, and the heart becomes enlarged. This does not mean that there is any dilatation of the heart: the heart muscle merely becomes larger and stronger, in the same way that any other muscle may be developed by work. Vital capacity and the number of red and white blood corpuscles both increase, and there is a fall in the systolic blood– pressure. Sensible training increases the alkaline reserve, thus making it «asier for the well-trained distance runner to withstand fatigue. A return to normal ensues upon the cessation-of strenuous training. Not only should the process of training be gradual, but athletes 259