ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3, 3 January 1903, Page 4 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS.

The Amateur Sports Club's new rooms in His Majesty's Arcade are just now having the finishing touches put on them, and during the last few days have been much admired by members and prospective members. The rooms are spacious and most comfortably fitted up, and when finished should be second to none of their kind in the colony. The Pioneer Amateur Bicycle and Athletic Club held a series of championship races at Lancaster Park re.cently to decide who should hold the Champion Cup for the year. The heavy rain that had fallen earlier in the week made the track slow, and the keen easterly breeze also prevented fast times from being recorded. The Champion Cup was won by E. T. Harper, with nine points. Lieutenant Hawtrey, of the Engineers, the well-known English longdistance runner, has been ordered to the West Coast of Africa, and the running path will probably know him no more. The following interesting remarks by the ex-champion, W. G. George, should be particularly interesting , to harrier runners, and, indeed, to all athletes. They appeared recently in a letter to "Sporting Life": An experience of over tweaty-five years, both active and as a keen observer, has taught me that cross-country running (not racing) is decidedly advantageous and beneficial to both long and short distance men in path running. My contention is that slow crosscountry work builds up and develops the whole system to a far greater extent than exclusive path running does. Uneven going, such as is experienced in cross-country running, far from being damaging to limb and muscle, is decidedly beneficial to both; inasmuch as, instead of the strain falling on any particular set of muscles continually, as is the case in path running, it is, by reason of the varied nature of the course, equally distributed over the whole muscular system, giving alternate rest and exercise to the whole body, which must obviously be good. If steady crosscountry work increases strength and stamtina, it stands to reason thatextra speed must result, provided the two extremes, viz., "pace" and "crosscountry running," are not indulged in at one and the same time. A fast sprinter of to-day, in my opinion, if he ran across country all this winter, would be all the better and stronger sprinter next snrmj for his season's exercise. Then, with a -judicious rest and proper training, he would in all probability run faster next Easter than previously. I have seen this demonstrated on many occasions. Neither J. M. Oowie nor H. R. Ball

could ever finish a quarter properly till they ran across country for a season. Then both in turn won the 440 Yards Chamndonship, and improved at shorter distances. I am firmly of opinion that J. Dixon, Sqoiires, Mrmiiigerj Dunning, and lastly, Appleby, would never have put up their wonderful records had they not combined cross-country work with their path running. Damage to limb and muscle in cross-country work is generally the result of racing or carelessness. With ordinary care, accidents of this sort are far less numerous in cross-country than in path work. During my eight years of active cross - country running, I never experienced a breakdown or accident, whilst on the path I met with many. More than this, I do riot recollect ever hearing of any serious accident happening to any cross-country runner, finally, it is far easier for an ordinary athlete to run five or ten miles over country than to negotiate a. similar distance on the path. This is because the mind is • diverted during the actual work by pleasant, instead of monotonous, surroundings. I am convinced that cross-country running provides most health-giving and pleasurable sport and exercise, provided it is indulged in discreetly. We have harrier clubs in Christchurch and Dunedin. When is Auckland going to wake up in this direction.