Pedestrianism

76 modern pedestrianism. York race-course, the 9th September 1811, beatingIsaac Hemsworthof Bolton in Lanca­ shire. Beal is one of the swiftestrunners in the kingdom, and he challengedall England fora four-mile match. The Lancashire men accepted it, and were allowed one month to find an antagonist, and one monthfor train­ ing him. The noted Abraham Wood was fixed upon as the competitorof Beal. These pedestrians accordingly startedaboutone o'­ clock, on Wednesday the 13th of October. Woodtook the lead, and'kept it for nearly a mile, whenBeal passedhim withease. Wood again headed his opponent, but before he reachedthe two-mile post, Beal passed him, and, keeping the lead, won the race appa­ rently with ease, beating Wood about two hundredyards, andperforming the whole dis­ tance in twenty-one minutes and eighteen seconds. Beal is a youth only nineteenyears of age, five feet seven inches high, andweighs no more thannine stonesand sevenpounds. To runa mile within five minutes requires great agility, and none bustwift runners could accom-