Track Athletics in Detail (extract)

IO TRACK ATHLETICS IN DETAIL to be carefully carried out for three weeks, may be strongly recommended: Monday. —Practise the start six times, running at speed only about 20 yards from the scratch. Rest between each attempt, and end up by jogging 50 yards, finishing up the 100 at speed. Tuesday.—]o% a quarter of a mile, for the purpose of devel­ oping the stride. Wednesday—Kun. 75 yards at speed; rest, and then run 50 yards atspeed. Thursda —Practise the start ten times, running, as before, not farther than 20 yards each time; jog 220 yards slowly for stride. Friday. —Run 50 yards at speed twice, witha rest between. Saturday. —Run a trial 100 yards on time, and, after a rest, jog around the track for 220 yards. To an ambitious young athlete who feels he is a future record-holder this schedule may seem altogether too light. There are no words strong enough, however, with which 1 can urge him not to attempt to do a bit more at the beginning. What is more, at the slightest sign of fatigue at this work quit for the day. For practising starts, where a pistol is unavail­ able, get some one to snap two boards together. Don't start by oral command. Get in the habit of getting off the mark at the crack of a pistol, or to a sound as nearly like it as possible. The jogging around the track should be taken very slowly, and is intended purely as a leg exercise