The 100-UP Exercise

8 THE " 100-UP " EXERCISE mile walking handicap to be held at Birmingham resulted in the future famous runner entering his name as a competitor in this, his one and only walking race. Started from the 45-yards mark, he made a dead heat. The " decider" looked like finishing in the same way, but as excitement among the onlookers increased, it infected the two contestants, until both broke into a run, sprinting the last 50 yards as hard as they could go; for which offence, however, they could not be disqualified as they were only competing for prizes already won. George lost by six inches. His First Running Match. This was remarkable for two things : it was the first and last contest in which George was given a start (45 yards) ; and after he had finished first in 4 minutes 29 seconds, he wa objected to on the score of making too good a time for a novice ; and it was suggested that he was a professional, running under an assumed name. The race was the mile at the Notts Forest Football Sports held at Nottingham in 1877. After proper enquiries had been made, he was awarded the prize; but never again did he start in a distance race from anywhere but the scratch line, a record probably unique in racing annals. Subsequent Amateur Career. After winning a mile handicap at Chesterfield on rough grass, from scratch in 4 minutes 31 seconds, George ran, in 1878, his first cross-country race,