Track Athletics in Detail (extract)

18 • TRACK ATHLETICS IN DETAIL sprinters, coming downa short, straight track, lose a fraction of a second of their speed by slowing up too soon. The half-mile run requires even a greater judg­ ment of gait than does the quarter, and it is a much harder race to run, having now been devel­ oped into such a speedy contest that a man should never attempt to enter any other event in games where he runs a half-mile. Moreover, the athlete who adopts the half-mile as his specialty should give up every other event and train continuously and solely for that distance. He must get himself into such shape that he can tell, to a fraction of a second, just how fast he is going. This is learned only by having a watch going all the time, and while training there ought to be some one on the track to shout the time every furlong or so. The preparatory work for this distance is simi­ lar to that of the quarter—that is, there should be lone and short work, over and under the distance, on alternate days. A half-mile trial on time once in two weeks is sufficient. The start and gait are the same as for the quarter. In the illustration of the start of the half-mile race at the Intercollegi- ates of 1895, opposite, it is plain to see that Kilpat- rick is determined to get the pole if he can, while Sichel and Kingsley, who have inside positions, are determined to keep them, even if they have to take a sprinting start. Hollister, on the other hand, has apparently made up his mind to let Kil-