ATHLETICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10734, 3 November 1928, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

IMPORTANT PART OF TRAINING;

“COASTING OR RUNNING THROUGH.” .

(By “Stride.”)

A.few. weeks ago.l dealt with the •early part of training-and the importance of laying a good foundation prior to commencing anything of a ispeedy nature on the track.

To any runner who lias followed my advice I now submit, the second stage of training which, in tlie main, will, assist hiin to develop good style and staying power. Any athlete of experience should fully realise the importance of “coasting or running-through” and should spend at least a month on tlv’s essential phase' of track athletics. ■ In is in this second stage of your preparation that you begin to look for speed as well as keeping'on building up'* more power and reserve strength. When yon come on the track .warm up as usual by jogging slowly and neatly around the oval. .Then take a short rest, which may be passed by walking and stretching, and then begin your ruimingthrougli practice. The distance will of course vary according to what event you are training for. Tlie sprinters will go over 150 yards, the “quarter-milers” 250 to 300 yards, the “880” men 600 yards, and the “milers” ICOQ to 1320 yards. The athlete himself should be able to find out what distance suits him best.

Start off at a fair pace, keeping the body perfectly balanced, hanging slightly forward in the case of the sprinter and more upright for the distance men. Do not overdo these positions. An exact balance can soon he cultivated with a _ little practice. The arms greatly assist in this perfect balance but strange to relate few athletes realise the fact. If correctly timed with the spring of each stride, they give powerful assistance to the feet and legs, besides acting as governors that maintain equilibrium as the legs carry the body along. Endeavor to tlie utmost of your power in these “run-throughs” to cultivate an easy, graceful, gliding style. Make your running machinelike, and cut out the flash work.

Do not speed up too much for a start whilst “coasting,” but increase each day as you feef sure of your stvle. The sprinters can mute safe.lv do two or three of these “run-tlr-nughs” but the distance-runners will find one effort quite sufficient. Few athletes I know would care to follow cut these two stages of training as submitted, but to these who do excellent results will bo obtained. Perhaps the following illustration may interest my readers. Whilst 'n Gisborne Jackson Scholz, then 200metre champion of the word, informed the writer of tins article of the training schedule which won for him tlie Olympic crown. Nine months were spent by the great American sprinter in preparation for his attempt to win world s honors. His training was divided into three sections, each of three months. Firstly, jogging round the track to lav a concrete foundat'on secondly, .‘.‘coasting or running-through,”' to develop style and stamina: and,, thirdly, fast work to develop his speed. Surelv, if such a. wonderful sur’eter as Scholz «ees fit to divide his training into three separate courses, the same can he followed hv athletes who will perhaps never , approach the American in stvle let alone speed. During the last week I have observed several well-known local runners dashing up and down tlje track as though they had l;“en m- hard training foe months. They are certaiiiy fit through a hurried preparation, but J can assure them that they won’t "show any wonderful improvement hv their present methods. In a later article the third phase of training will be dealt with.

SENSATIONAL MOTOR PACING.

HOW CYCLE RECORD DATES BACK TO 1882 i.

Another world’s cycling record was cracked,on the famous Montliery motor speedway in France when Leon Vanderstuyft, -the Belgian pace! follower, performed the . remarkable feat of covering 78 miles 18 yards m one hour. ’ The previous record stood to the credit of J. Brunier, with 76 miles 280 yards. This is the s-ebond time' Vanderstyft has annexed , the hour record, the first being m 1925, when he cove-red 71 miles 476 yards. It is astounding that a. humanly propelled cycle can attain such a speed, but .suction from the pacing machine plays a big part in a ride or this description..,-- - . A The history of the hour cycle record dates back to the eighties. The first cyclist to ridei 20 miles in the hour was H. L. Cortis (England), who, in 1882, covered 20 miles 325 yards in 60 minutes.. Cortis rode a>. 60-inch Invincible ordinary high wheel bicycle, with thin solid rubber tyres, and his effort probably entailed a greater physical test than Vanderstuyft’s sensational ride in It is worthy of note that Dr. Cortis. shortly afterwards, came to Australia to live, a-nd died in New South Wales in December, 1885, aged only 28 years. A monument to hi s mem-.-ory was erected in Bathurst in 188 y-

AMERICAN TOUR VETOED. It will; come as-,a'surprise to athletic supporters in New Zealand that the American tour has -been cancelled, and no visit' will eventuate .this year at least. Although the American Amateur Athletic' Union has sanctioned the tour, the Foreign Relations Committee has refused- sanction owing to tlie visit; extending over 21 days. Such a state of affairs is incomprehensible, but,. to the existing rules, is quite in order- +wo or the suggested athletes, _ m Borah :( sprinter) and Leonard (distance-run-ner') were not available at( the. last moment, and naturally;G. Itrogness, tlie N.Z. representative was up against it evep if the. tour had, -received officia Recognition. '/

BIG LOSS TO FRANGE.

OLYMPIAN CHAMPION • TURNS “pro.”

-El Ouafi, the Algerian runner who scored the only French victory at the Olympic Games by winning Hi© mariaitiibn, has' turned He sigiled a? contract -to go tp, the,Unit-: ©•JT i States, a-nd 'during*' five months run ten .marathons,. and ten races ot fifteen miles each, ; in 7©turn_ for •*• a • payment stated- to he -about £2OOO.

[Continued hi/ Next Cel than d :