Why? The Science of Athletics

SOME MATHEMATICS IN ATHLETICS 249 TABLE OF CLASSICAL ONE-MILE RECORD TIMES r886 r8g5 1902 1913 1915 1921 1923 Progressive W.G. T. P. J. J. P. N. S. A. G. Laps George, Conneff, Billks, ]ones, Taber, Hill, E. Wide, Gt. Brit. U.S.A. Gt. Brit. U.S.A. U.S.A. Gt. Brit. Sweden 440 yds. . . ' s8! 6s 6oi 6rt sa 59t 58lo- 88o " .. 2 If 2 IO 2 6~ 2 9% 2 5 2 4 2 r-h- ! mile .. 3 7! 3 14 3 14 3 16!- 3 13 3 rr t 3 7-h- One " .. 4 I2f 4 r8 4 r6! 4 14% 4 12t 4 rgt 4 rgn,. Per Lap. rst 440 yds... s8! I 6s 6ot 61} sa 59i s8fo- 2nd 440 , .. 63! 65 66% 671 67 64% 63-h- 3rd 440 , .. 66 64 67t 660 68 6if; 6s/o- 4th 440 " .. 65 64 62g sat 59t 62t 6s-th Total 4 I2f 4 18 4 r6! 4 14t 4 12* 4 I3t 4 13n,. 1923 1931 1931 1932 1933 1933 1934 J. J. E. J. E. L. G. Progressive P. R.H. Ladou- Love- Love- Bon- Cunning- Laps Nurmi:, ·Thomas, megue, lock, lock, thron, ham, Finland Gt. Brit. France. N.Z. N.Z. U.S.A. U.S.A. 440 yds. . . sBfo- 6r 6o! 57t 6r% 6ri 61g 88o , 2 1frr 2 4 2 4t 2 2 2 3t 2 3/o- 2 st ! mile .. 3 6f!rr 3 9 3 8 3 r6 3 an, 3 ~it 3 7/rs One " .. 4 ro-ti, 4 I3t 4 gt 4 12 4 7t 4 4 6! Per Lap. rst 440 yds... sSfo- 6r 6o! 57% 61 t 6rr, 6r! 2nd 440 , . . 63-itr 63 63t 64~ 62t 62frr 63f!rr 3rd 440 , .. 64-t\r 6s 63! 74 6snr 6sitr 6r "' s 4th 440 " .. 63f!rr 64% 6r t s6 ss-r~r 6onr 59% Total 4 ro-ti,j 4 rgt 4 gt 4 !2 j4 7t 4 an, 4 6irr record remains unbroken, Paavo Nurmi and Tommy Conneff. It is, however, interesting to note that the only way in which Jules Ladoumegu~ found it possible to break Nurmi's record of 4 mins. IO 2/5 secs. was by training himself to an almost equal excellence with Conneff in level pace lap running. Nurmi in I923, incidentally, was prevented from sticking to his pre– arranged schedule by the pace forced upon him by Wide (whose times are also given) in the first half mile of their historic race at Stockholm.