Running Recollections and How to Train

87 hitherto made, progressed without ahitch. Bill Bottomley was attention itself, while Mr. and Mrs. Crabtree, of the Albion Hotel, could not do enough to make us both comfortable. Of course, it looked, at first sight, a foolhardy thing to allow myself only a fortnight for an important match like the 470 against Bredin,after training fora sprint ; but, as Bill remarked, I would in any case do the same work if training for 440, only with, perhaps, alittle more running round the ring during the lastfortnight. We got to Higginshaw onthe dayarranged in good time, and found that the bettingwas two toone on me, or seven to four Harper. Harper turned up a few minutes later, and we both retired to the dressing-room to strip. Little time was wasted once we were on the track again, and to a beautiful start Hepplethwaite sent us on our journey. I was soon at my opponent's shoulder,but from 60 to about 90 yards he kept his advantage. At about this point, however, 1 made a desperate effort,and drew level about 20 yards fromhome. It was all over now, and I eventually won by a good half-yard. The official time wasreturned at two-and-a-half yards inside evens, but other watches made it much faster, their times averaging about three-and-a-half inside. As I did this time in my trial, and I always (bar accidents) reproduce my trial form inthe race, I am inclined to believe it. 1 fancy that inthis race 1 put my claim to be considered champion sprinter beyond all cavil. I allowed myself no relaxation after the Harper match, but re-started training almost immediately formy 470 with Bredin. Everything went on all right until a week from the race, when I fell ill with quinsy—a nice state of matters, truly ! I had to keep in bed for two or three days, and was