Running Recollections and How to Train

31 It will thus beseen, that in one month, I had travelled upwards of 2,500 miles, and before that year was out, I had completed 5,000 miles in this country alone. Changes of water, air, beds, and food, are bound to affect any man, still more so one who is expected to be in the " pink of condition " at every meeting at which he runs. Besides, at that time,I could rightly havebeen described asbeing " of no fixed residence." 1 was sometimes for a week at a time without putting mypumps on. How I ran, as wellas Idid T is a marvel to me. I suppose 1used to have a happy knack of throwing all trouble on one side in those days, and probably that fact helped to counteract the effects of my mode of life. I can always runbest when my mind is easy,, and I think everybodycan do their best ina like condition. This applies more to pedestrians, than to people in any other calling, because, especially in sprint running, one- wants to feel as lively as possible. 1 remember once I was running atrial atPowderhall shortlybefore the New Year Handicap of 1897. As I walked on to the ground, I was handed a letter bearing a most unpleasant intimation. I ran my trial, but did so badly that my backers decided not to back me for the Handicap, but backed my trial horse instead. He got beaten in his heat, and I won mine in two yards faster time than I had run in my trial. Then there was a fine to-do ! 1 was accusedof not doing my best in my trial, of wanting tothrow my backers over, of having some other men backing me to whom I was giving information, and of 1 don't know how many crimes. All this, because I happened to feel oft' colour in mytrial. I told my backers that thebest thing they could do nowwas to back me forthe final, which they did. But, alas, for human hopes, I was beaten in the second round !