Track Athletics in Detail (extract)

6 TRACK ATHLETICS IN DETAIL plished an athlete is certain to knock off one-fifth of a second from his best previous record. The first thing of importance is to fall into an easy position, with the hands on the scratch-line and the starting foot from 6 to 9 inches back. The other foot should be from 2 feet 6 inches to 2 feet 9 inches farther back. The runner should be raised up on his toes in an easy, springy attitude. Illustration No. 1, on the opposite page, shows ex­ actly how that position is taken. Many runners lean on their knuckles, but a better way is to have the hands open, and to rest on the extended fin­ gers. This gives more spring. In order to do this, and to keep hold of the running corks, fasten a rubber band at each end of these, and slip this over the back of the hand. When the starter gives the word to "set," the runner should lean forward as far as he can with­ out losing his balance, his head lifted so'that he can get a full and clear view of the track ahead of him. When the pistol sounds he shoots ahead with all the force of both legs, but his first two strides are taken in a crouching position. Do not attempt to stand erect at the very start. Let the head and shoulders rise along a slanting line to their proper altitude,or there will be an infinitesi­ mal but still noticeable loss of time. As soon as the runner has got into an erect position, however, and into his pace, he should run with only the very slightest forwardinclination of the body, but