Why? The Science of Athletics

CONSIDERATIONS IN RELATION TO COMPETITION 147 system must be practised until this type of regular, deep breathing becomes absolutely automatic. Other points made by Silfverstrand and Rasmussen in dealing with this matter ip. their book Illustrated Text Book of Athletics (Athletic Publications Ltd., London) is that the rate at which the athlete walks must not be too fast for his comfort, that a certain amount of the walking should be done in a hilly locality, or, failing that, that he should vary his road work by walking across country, but breaking into a run for short distances of about a quarter of a mile if his legs show signs of stiffness. The early November walks do not exceed 4 to 5 miles, the distance then being increased according to the nature of the event for which a man is training. The sprinters, as their winter condition improves, are sent for walks of 9 to I 2 miles, the middle distance men go as much as 20 miles and the :M;arathon runners may walk as far as 25 to 30 miles. Towards the end of winter training, short road runs are instituted and go on with the walks and the gymnasium training until mid-March. Mter that serious road run– ning starts, the sprinters going about 5 to IO furlongs, the middle distance runners 5 miles, and so on. Such is the training the Scandinavians use during the winter for increasing the general, permanent efficiency of the heart and lungs and for generally conditioning the wliole organism. They derive, also, great benefit from ski-ing. As pointed out -in the last chapter, a temporary increase in efficiency may be brought about by the process of limbering-up. In this connection it will be remembered that I said in my preliminary remarks upon the subject that the custom of the distance runner of trotting a lap falls partly, but not altogether-, into the category of informal movements. Now I w~nt to explain why that particular reservation was made. When Paavo Nurmi went to America, after his brilliant series of successes at the I924 Olympic Games, he did not