Running Recollections and How to Train

P A R T I I . CHAPTER I. EDGAR CHICHESTER BREDIN. E. C. B REDIN was born in Gibraltar in the year 1867, and was destined to become one of the most famous middle- distance runnersof the century. His career has been a very varied one, both in his private andpedestrian life. As an amateur, he secured races from 250 yards to 1,000 yards, and championship honours for both the quarter and half-mile, the former twice, and the latterthree times. Later, in the professional world, he secured, the first time of asking, the world's championship at half-a-mile, which he successfully defended andretained against all comers, till in an evil moment Harry Cullum,of Cardiff, in the terribly slow time of 60 seconds, defeated him, not only fora considerable stake, butthe much-coveted title ofthe half-mile champion. Again, in a private capacity, have we not heard of him, tea planting out in Ceylon; and again, doing the duties of an out-rider in the Mounted Police of the States or Canada, in company of a couple of kindred spirits. These three, by the way, issueda challenge to back a man at billiards, at fighting (weight for weight), and at running anydistance from250 yards to half-a-mile. But this is, perhaps, adigression. We must refer to just a few of his chief matches, simply saying, by the way, that Bredin has secured as many first honours as anypedestrian ever known.