The Pedestrian's Record

72 the pedestrian's record. without strength of body and hardness of muscles the taxation on the cinder-path cannot be sustained, as restricted action duringlocomotion imposes severe strain upon the body, the ill effects of which fine muscular developmentwill alone counteract. RUNNING. Sprinting is a term applied to short-distance running, overwhich course a sprinter is capable of performing at top speed throughout the entire journey ;and for such racing the arduous preparation required for the walker would be injurious, as such training would harden the limbs and rob them of that elasticity which is so essential to the success of sprinting ; in fact, avery limited amount of work is required. Mr. Walsh, the late editor of the Field, once related to us a case of a tailor, whose work compelled him to sit upon the bench all day ; but in the evening he was wont to run 100 yards, which he covered in very good time. This man never appeared in public, although, according to account, hewas out of the common. Walsh argued that in this case his tendons ormuscles had never been overstrained by running, and the daily posture with crossed legs on the bench gave constant rest to those parts, which caused the preservation of active mobility so necessary for top-speed running. This instance affords an example ofhow easily a sprinter