Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

A.A.A. JUBILEE SOUVENIR if he is a road walker, his course costs him nothing beyond his ordinary contribution as a ratepayer. No wonder that he turns up in his hundreds to compete in what is one of the healthiest, cheapest and, it is submitted, the cleanest of sports of the present day. Probably the idea of a collective, or team, effort in walking has been the greatest thing in the annals of the sport. When the Southern Road Walking Association was formed the test was for a Club to field four men who, together, could beat four men of any other Club. This fostered the team spirit in an extraordinary fashion, and a long lecture might be given on the good results which followed. To walk for his side, even though he does not score and receive a medal, is a revelation to the average youngster, and stands him in good stead in the years to come. It is not surprising that Team Walking, both on a scratch and a handicap basis, has become a most popular feature, giving, as it does, the slowest competitor the opportunity of putting his Club up a point or two. Following the lead of England and Italy, walking has of recent years made immense strides (no pun intended) on the Continent and in North America. The French were always notable for their walking powers, and Napoleon is credited with saying that his campaigns were won by the legs of his soldiers. They have many established races, and many walkers of repute, chiefly over distances. Other Continental countries promote walking races of various kinds, and though the standard of judging is possibly not quite on a par with ours, many excellent per– formances have been put up. In " God's Own Country" one naturally expects something wonderful, and we have not been disappointed, at least from a walking point of view, in respect of times. It is most gratifying to see that a walking event has been restored to the programme of the Olympic Games-but a long-distance walk. We had a short-distance walk in the earlier Games, but it evoked so great a dis– sension that it was dropped. Now, thanks to a proper appreciation of the definition of walking by the various governing bodies, a real walk has been restored to the programme, and we can only hope that efficient judges will be appointed to see that it is properly carried out. To conclude, may one be permitted, in this motor-infested age, to repeat the dictum of a very wise old Frenchman ? When near his eightieth birthday, he was asked to what did he attribute his good health. He replied, "Throughout all my life I have had two excellent physicians in constant attendance, and my good health is due to them. They are M. my Right Leg and M. my Left Leg, and they have never failed me."