Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

PART II. RACING IN ALL ITS BRANCHES. DOCK VII—PEDESTRIANISM, AND THE GENERAL TRAINING OF MAN. CHAPTER L PEDESTRIANTSM AND ATHLETIC SPORTS. SECT. 1.—WALKING, RUNNING, AND LEAPING. PEDESTRIANISM is without doubt oneof the oldest descriptions of sport in exist­ ence, inasmuch as it is carried on with the implements assigned by nature to the human frame without anyexternal aid whatever. Pedestrianism " proper" is usually understood to include a walking or running contest between two or more men, or between man and time ; but jumping, throwing theham­ mer, putting the weight, and occa­ sionally other contests, areincluded in the amateur athletic sportswhich have now become so popular. IN RACE WALKING , what is termed "quick" walking is the only kind of any use, and this description of contest requires more pluck, good condition, and endurance, than any other kind of pedestrian exercise, the difficulty con­ sisting in being obliged to place the heels on the ground first, and at the same time maintaining a continued high rate of speed. In order to ac­ complish this the whole muscular system of the human frame requires to be brought into play, not only of the feet, legs, and loins for actual locomo- ticn, but of the ribs, shoulders, chest, and arms, to lighten the weight of the body on the heels. Fair walking may be defined as " toe and heel," i.e., with one foot always on the ground, and the heel always touching the ground first, in contra-distinction to running, wherein both feet areoff the ground at the same time, and the toe firsttouches term firma. In other words, walking is a succession of steps; running, of leaps. The heel, then, should touch the ground first, and be dug firmly in to obtain a good spring for the next step. The ball of the foot and toe should be dwelt on as little aspossible, in order not to lose time in the stride, in addition to the risk of throwing the weight of the body on the toes, and thereby causing the walker to run. A great point is to throw the legs well out at each stride, atthe same time twisting the corresponding hip and loin com­ pletely round—the right side towards the left, and the left towardsthe right. By so doing the feet touch the earth in an almost straight line, and prolonged length of stride is acquired. Mean­ while the upper part of thebody should by no meansbe idle, as the arms must be kept up, the elbows slightly bent, and the shoulders be swung well across the chest inan upward direction, alter­ nately with each stride ; thus the heels are to a certain extent relieved of the weight of the trunk. It is essential to fair and fast walking that the body should be kept strictly upright, with the shoulders thrown back, the chest out, and last, but by no means least, the knee-joints must be kept as rigid as possible. "Genuflections" throw the weight ofthe body on the toes, and are the primary cause of "lifting." The chief complaints which trouble a walker are what is termed"shin soreness" and stitch. If the former comes on very badly, the only thing is to stop and rub the legs, as it is caused by weakness, and gradually disappears after a few fast walks. In a case of stitch, the best method is to "grin and bear it," and persevere, in which case it gene­ rally disappears. A pedestrian cannot start too fast in a walking race, as after the first few hundred yards he gains his second wind, and then settles down into a regular stride, the motion be­ coming almost mechanical. The con­ ditions of walking matches are, that they shall be fair " toe and heel;" and a referee is appointed to see that this rule is not infringed. One or more