Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

616 PEDEST-RIANISM. cautions are generally given by this official, according to the conditions of the match, beforea competitor is dis­ qualified, in which case he entirely loses his chance. Tables of thebest perform­ ances in this and other pedestrian sports will befound in thenext chapter. RUNNING may be divided into three heads—viz., sprinting,which generally includes alldistances upto 400 yards ; medium distances,from one quarter to three quartersof a mile inclusive; and lastly, long distances, from one mile upwards. The first is very much in vogue, andis by far the most favourite class of pedestrianism, whether amongst amateurs or professionals. In fact, at Sheffield, the birthplace and nursery of professional sprinting, hundreds of thousand poundsare annually won and lost over handicaps ;and the scene at the Hyde Park Cricket Ground, when the men areon their marks for the final heat of an All England Whitsuntide, Doncaster race week, or Sheffield fair handicap, isone of such intense excite­ ment that it must be seen to be realized. The reason of the prevalence ofsprint­ ing over other distances is, that it is more suitable tonine pedestrians out of ten, and requires less arduous training. A great point in all kinds of running is to go lightly and well on the toes, with freedomof action from the hips, whilst in sprinting a sine qua non is being able to start well; in fact, half the hundred-yard races runare won by the start. A foot apart is quite enough to keep the feet on the mark. The body should be kept with a slight in­ clination forward, and the weight on the hindermost foot;by no meansin a bent-double position,or with the feet a yard apart, as one too often sees. On receiving the signal, the pedestrian cannot get off too quickly, two or three short steps being taken to get fairly into the stride, after which he should look straight before him, set his eyes steadfastly on the tape, and race away for it with a good stride, above all tilings picking his feet up quickly off the ground and not dwelling thereon ; also taking care not to get out of stride or swerve to the right or left. In sprinting, thewhole coursemay be run at top speed, since the exertion is not so prolonged as in long-distance run­ ning.^ As sprint races are almost invariably run in heats, care must be taken to ke'jp out of the hot rays of the sun and away from excite­ ment during the intervals. The most refreshing method of resting is to lie on the back with the head and feet raised, and should nature require sus­ taining, to partake of a small quan­ tity of brandy in cold tea, and a dry rusk or crust of bread. At the com­ mencement oftraining for sprints, the pedestrian should run from three to four hundred yardsto get therequisite muscles into play. Of "medium dis­ tances," a quarter mile is the most diffi­ cult ; in fact, no more trying or ex­ hausting racecan be named, inasmuch as the pedestrian is obliged to run at top speed throughout, and therefore requires endurance as well as pace. A man should begin by running from half to three quarters ofa mile, accord­ ing to the distance, and afterwards commence by going 300 yards or so at top speed. "Light weights" are the best at long-distance running, provided they have good pluck and wind, as they get over the ground with less exertion to themselves, and consequently do not tire so soon. In fact, it will be found that our great "long-journey" pedestrians (with the notable exception of"Deerfoot") have been invariably light, wiry, and springy men. The best distance tocommence this classof running is a mile, gradually increasing the length of the day's spin according tothe distance to be accom­ plished in the race. In no case, how­ ever, should the full distance be run before the actual contest itself, as doing so tiresthe pedestrian and makes him stale. HORDLE-RACINQ is one of the prettiest of our pedestrian exercises, but is hardly ever practised by professionals. Amongst amateurs, however, it is much in vogue. The usual distance is 120 yards with 10 flights, 3 ft. 6in. high, and 10 yards apart, which leaves 15 yards at each end. The obstacles should be "bucked" or taken in the stride, as much time is lost by halting to leap them. This method, however, requires long and assiduous practice, and there are few who are A 1 at it. It is almost needless to add that care must be taken not to touch a bar, as "topping"an obstacle almost invariably proves fatalto success. LEAPING is effected by a sudden con­ traction of the legs followed bya still more sudden and jerking extension of