STAY AT HOME!

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 248, 23 November 1914, Page 2

STAY AT HOME!

| COLONIAL ATHLETES AND ENGLISH TRACKS. WHY OUR RUNNERS FAIL ABROAD Specially written- for THE SUN. [ln the following article, Mr C. S. Thomas, of Christchurch, half-mile amateur champion of New Zealand, embodies information acquired by him during his recent visit to England, during; which he competed with many of the best mnners in the Old World.] The question is often raised iu the colonies as to whether it is really a wise plan to send our athletes away to compete in other quarters of the globe, and more especially in Great Britain. The pros and cons are many, but the cons are rapidly outdistancing the pros, and it is only a question of time, say many people, when we will discontinue the practice. Of course, some people think our athletes are the equal of any in the world, and rightly so, but these people ought first to realise that to notch a win our men would have to be far more than the equals of other competitors for the one and only reason that they are working under overwhelming disadvantages CLIMATIC CHANGES. Armchair critics pooh-pooh these disadvantages, but they are real, nevertheless, as the following enumeration will serve to illustrate. Firstly, there is the climate, aud this is by far the worst difficulty our men have to overcome. Our climate is dry and sharp, whilst that of England is dull, damp, and enervating, producing a feeling of utmost laxity during training. Our men seldom hay£' more than three weeks in which to get fit, and it is absolutely impossible for them to. do justice to themselves in that time. Experience, has shown that it takes at least two to three months to get even fairly fit, and much more to reach Home form, i ; The Americans have realised this and have adopted a plan to overcome It, They train their men until they are a little "overdone," and then ship them over just a week before their races. Light exercise and rest - affe. taken on the boat, and then after one or two runs they take part in the big event. The result of this lias been! most satisfactory, and they have found that their men have, run splendidly for a week or ten days after landing/ but.after that the climate has got hold of ■ them, x-aiid'. they haive fallen away very badly. Our men,- however, unable to do this —the journey is top long, and six weeks of boat-life leave one flabby and useless. Men who have not been through' the effects of these elimatie changes are unable to realise them, but the failure of so many of our champions should surely convince of their reality.

CINDER TRACK AND GRASS. Secondly, iVere are the tracks. Practically .universally, from the 220 yards} up, the English tracks are cinder; 'and to a man who is accustomed to run on grass this means a great deal. Cinders are very fast—perhaps J isee in a. quarter faster than grass, and athletes who go Home always have the hope of bettering their times on such tracks, but they forget that they have also to train on them. A man who runs on grass, if he looks after himself, rarely has any trouble with sore tendons, but let that man train on cinders, and the effect brings a sore surprise. They are so bad that unless one has a good masseur the legs are sure to "go," and men have often trained for a couple of months without losing the pain, which i 3 the same as our "first day or two" training pains. This, no doubt, seems a small thing, but it is another trouble, and a lot of little ones soon combine and make one large unsurmountable one. *

Thirdly, the surroundings are unfamiliar. All of our athletes are used to running amongst familiar faces, knowing that many are keen and anxious for them to win. In foreign countries it is difficult, and every cry is heard from the spectators except "Kia ora." This is rather damping, to say the least of it. Fourthly, there is the question of a trainer. It is quite certain that if our athlete is sent Home, his trainer should also be sent with him. An athlete's own trainer understands his man, and can nurse him and can also give him confidence at a time when he much needs it. Also, a flew trainer massages in a way to /vvhich the muscles are not accustomed, and to which they are often quite unable to become accustomed in the short time at the runner's disposal. Further, the trainer would see to proper hours being kept for food and sleep.

THE CALL OF PICCADILLY. Last, but not least, there are the gaieties of London, and to these many of our colonials have undoubtedly fallen, though not so many as are popularly supposed. To a colonial used to the frivolities of a back-blocks town the call of Piccadilly, Frascatti's, and a thousand other places is \jery strong, and though it parhaps shows great weakness, it can hardly be marvelled at that many answer the call, and keep answering it.

The foregoing contains a few of the more cogent reasons why we should discontinue our practice, in ' the main, of sending Home our athletes, and should "only do so when w6 have a "freak man" —a veritable champion. Pace alone will not win international events on the other side of the world. It is quite as essential that the man sent should have an equal 1 quantity of brains, grit, and determination if he wants to do any good. When we have a man combining these four qualities, then will be the time to start a subscription list for his expenses and those of his trainer. CV S. THOMAS.