Running Recollections and How to Train

9 Upon one occasion I had had three or four cracks with the pistol, and had run ahundred yai'ds trial with Johnny Gow, who was one of the best local men at the time, when somebody came into the dressing-room and asked for company forhalf-a-mile. I at once expressed my willing­ ness, and went the distance with him. I may mention that the distancenearly did forme, and I think that this was the only time that I have ever attemptedto run half-a-mile either in public orprivate—as an amateur. During my first season I managed to win a couple of seconds, and felt that my training (?) had not altogether been in vain. I broke down at the end of the year, but, as the season was practically over, this was of small account. During my whole athletic career I have only been penalised once for getting over my mark before the pistol was fired, and this was in my first season, in the second race I ever ran in—at the Heart of Midlothian Sports, in1890. At this meetingI won my heat, although I was penalised, andwas second in the second round, but was denied my place in the final on account of a wrong- number beinghoisted. This reminds meof an amusing incident that happened in a heat in which I was once engaged at the West of Scotland Harriers' Sports. One of the competitors, upon removing his coat at the mark, presented an appearance which might have been expected of a South Sea Islander. He was allowed to run onlyon condition that he turned out in the secondround, if he Avon his heat, cladin another and more respectable costume, and that he WASHED HIS LEGS. He did not win his heat—so that he was saved the iiseof soap and water for that day