Track Athletics in Detail (extract)

T H E R U N N I N G B R O A D J U M P lo becomea successful broad jumper the ath­ lete must, to a certain extent, combine the skill of the sprinter, the high jumper, and the hurdler, for broad jumping is a sort of combination of the other three. Like every other athletic feat, this one requires systematic work both of the body and the head, and persistent, continuous effort be­ fore any kind of form can be developed. 1he first difficulty for the novice to overcome is the laying out of his run and the arrangement of his take-off. These details are both of the highest importance, for although he may be a good sprinter and a good jumper, these two quali­ ties are nullified if the take-off is uncertain. I he run differs with almost every individual; each athlete must determine this for himself by experiment. It is necessary to lay out two marks on the cinder-track; the first one must be a given number of strides this side of the take-off, and the second at a distance farther back, to suit the taste of the jumper. Bloss, for instance, counts back nine strides from