NURMI’S “SIMPLE LIFE.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19256, 21 August 1924, Page 5

NURMI’S “SIMPLE LIFE.”

Writing a couple of days before the opening of the Olympic Gaines, “Outpost” (Athletic News) has this to say of the great Finnish runner, Nurmi: — The most amazing thing I saw in the practice trials was the training spin of Nurmi, the Finn. Ho had just concluded a long and arduous task, and naturally I looked for a famous athlete to be valeted and waited upon like a prince. Nothing of the kind. Nurmi finished his training run, and a press photographer asked him if ho would poso for a few' seconds while he snapped him. I suppose in good Finnish Nurmi said, “No,” and, dripping with perspiration, which ho wiped away with a small, hard towel, he proceeded to disrobe in (he open air. I have heard and read stories of Finns who were massaged and almost “baked upon the stake” to got fit. and achieve fame, but I have never heard of such self-imposed by so distinguished a runner as Nurmi. My information is that ho abhors massage, and is content simply (o drv his skin after a physical effort of track training. If he is w r ell advised, and results prove the methods adopted to bo successful, wo are going back to where we staried many generations ago. My opinion is that Nurmi and his compatriots—the brothers Kohlcmainen—are phenomenal. They arc the class of men who come along in jSeriods, generations like Harry Hutchens, rieerfoot, and others who would have run and won whether there had been any embrocation or masseurs on the earth or not.