The Athlete for 1866

118 HINTS ON TRAINING. or other appliances of the old school. Our best amateur times for 200 yards seldom touch on 214 seconds, though we finda, furlong a very favourite amateur distance, sometimes done in 24 seconds. After thisdistance real sprinting falls off, as at thelimit we have assigned to it, say 300 yards, the time taken falls off down to and 34 seconds. The best amateur time for 100 yards is 10 sec. : 150 yards, 15} sec.: 220 yards, 234 :iec - '• 250 yards, 271 sec.Professionals have done100yards, 9.1acc,: 150 yards, 14^ sec. : 200 yards, 194 sec.: 300 yards, 31 sec. HURDLE RACING. For the practice of hurdle racingthe same method as that suggested for the preliminary stages of high jumping andsprinting may be adopted, bearing in mind, however, that the style of taking the leaps is of paramount importance. The usual hurdle race distance is 120 yards, with 10 flights of urdles 3ft. 6 in. high, and10 yards apart. This gives a run of 15 yards at both ends. The quickest way of getting over them is by taking them in stride,or technically bucking them. If the groundis firm and level, this can be done ; and three Strides will take the jumper from hurdle to hurdle, the fourth taking him over. Should the ground be uneven, slippery, or heavy, great care is required in bucking tht m.Touching the top bar will inevitably be followed by a fall or a Stumble sufficient to pnt the jumper out ofthe race. In bucking, the spring is taken from one leg, and the alight comes on the other; so that the jump, instead of being an actual interruption of the regular strides, as happens when the spring and the alight come n the same leg, is merely an exaggerated stride. The advantageof bucking is apparent to any one who has tried both systems tinder favourable circumstances, and whois str ng enoughtobearthestrain which the highhurdles require. The lower the hurdles are,the greater is the supe­ riority of bucking over jumping. To acquire the art of taking thehurdles in stride, practise overjumps about 2 ft. 6 in. high, at the proper distance apart, until the style is learnt. The best amateur time for the 120 yards hurdles is 16 T sec. In a raceof this description,time depends much on the state of the ground. Of all athletic sports, hurdle racing is perhaps the most graceful, and curiously enough, the least in vogue. QUARTERAND HALF MILE RUNNING. In our remarks upon sprinting, we limited the distance to 300 yards. After this, weseldom find any distance run less than the 440 yards (quarter of a mile), which perhaps next to the 300 yards is the most patronized of any. Assuming our trainee to be in robust health, the muscles should be gradually accustomed to the exercise by slow spins of half a mile each, two or three times a day, taking about from 3 min. to 2 min. 25 sec., according to the individual, to do it.When the distance is accomplished withcomparative ease, practise style and pace for about 300 yards to 350 yards to within about a week of the rjice, when the whole distance may be run, two or three times at top speed for 400 yards, slower the last40. Ease up the practice in the last three days, merely workingup pace for 100 yards or so. The same method of training will suit the half mile runner, with the exception of his spins being longer, and more attention paid to an equal pace of going. The quarter requires more speed than the half mile, consequently thatpoint must be attended to. A steady machine-like style of g ing pays best for the half mile runner. The best amateur time for 440 yards is 504 sec - > an d for 880 yards is 1mia*