Running Recollections and How to Train

CHAPTER VII. I AM MATCHED WITH E. C. BRBDIN. NEXT to Bradley, Bredin figures as having run the greatest number ofraces with me. Our first meeting was at the West of Scotland Harriers'Sports in1894. He and I-jWere matched to run 250 yards on level terms for a gold watch. Bredin was greatly fancied for this event by the promoting body • but even in those days I was a good match-maker, andwon by seven or eight yards in 26 l-5sec. We did not again meet till the spring ofthe following year, at Kennington Oval, in the South London Harriers' Sports, upon which occasion we ran 350 yards. Neither ofus should have competed, asBredin was only half-trained, and I had been getting into condition to run Bradley 120 yards at the same meeting. The last-named, however, did not turn up, and the committeeappealed tous in desperation. I wanted to run 300 yards, but " with great magnanimity "—this is a critic's expression, not mine—gave in,and we ran 350. I made the mistake, which I have never done since, of allowing Bredin to make therunning, trusting to my superior finish to beat him in the run in. The latter, however, has such long legs, that I had to keep too far behind him, and was thus giving away too much when we entered the straight. In the endI was beaten by half-a-yard. Our next meeting was at Glasgow, about two months' later, in a 300 yards matchat sports promoted by the West of Scotland Harriers. This time I led all the way, and won by nine or ten yards in31 2-5sec., which established a new amateur world's record. A 350 yards scratch race at Crewe on the following Saturday was our fourth and last meeting as amateurs.