Running Recollections and How to Train

33 the man whom judge number one gave as the winner was only third. That scenewas worth going amile to see. At another meeting I was given as having runa dead-heat with three others. I had been left on my mark owing to the inefficiency of the starter, and I have a very good idea that I was nowhere in the racewhen the worsted was broken. I was never one, however, to dispute the referee's decision, and won the decidervery comfortably. I may mention that this incident happened at aboutthe onlysort of place at which one would expect it to occur—at school games. The judges at these functions areusually (asin this case theywere) two of the masters at the school, who never seeany other sports except those of their ownschool, and, inconsequence, are pt to make the mostglaring mistakes. 1 recollect once competing at a meeting in, if not exactly the North of Scotland, very near it. The starter had a muzzle loader right enough, but had not provided himself with powder, trusting to a far-seeing Providence, or the committee, to find him some. We were started by the report of THE CAP ALONE —surely a unique experience at amateur sports. The committeeevidently didnot know for what purpose worstedwas intended, as the winner of each race had to breast a clothes-line before beifig granted the verdict. These are oidy one or two of many such like instances which I have noted in all parts of the country. I now append a list of some of my performances as an amateur. n