EVENTS TO COME.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 237, 28 March 1885, Page 6

EVENTS TO COME.

March 28— Harilnn v. Beach ; £500 a-side and championship. April 11.— A.A. Club Sports, Domain. April 11.— Tea-mile Championship Bicycle Race ; Domain. April 18— Intercolonial eight-oared race ; Parramatta P.iver. D. Craig v. G. 'Cutler, half a mile, £50 aside, April 21sfc, at Cambridge. Ponsonby Regatta, Easter Monday. April 25. — Intercolonial Eight-oar Race ; Parramatta River.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Chas. Bbown (East Coast").— Would be most happy to insert if we knew what you meant. Who's McD. anyhow ? and why don't you tell us where it came off. The East Coast extends from the Southern point of N.Z. to Cape Maria, aud is hardly sufficiently distinctive.

Cricket is dying-. The football was rolling merrily in several suburbs on Saturday. Quite a good game at North Shore, and not a bit too hot. I know, for I was there, and in it.

On Monday evening a second deposit, "bringing the money now put up to £25 a-side, was made by Rayner and McKune on their stake of £50 aside, to be walked for on the 11 th April. Both men are getting very fit for the 12-hour job, and it should be a thoroughly good contest.

The match between Joe O'Brien, of Kyncton. and Backhouse, of Bega, is fully arranged. Stakes, £200 a-side, one hour's run; man who does longest distance in the hour to cop the £400. O'Brieu gets £25 exs. for going to Bega. They run on the 6th April, and O'Brien will win.

Lots of young fellows are in training for the Amateur Club's sports on the 11th April. Some good colts are expected to turn out from amongst the new members. Any wishing to join can leave their names, addresses, and occupation, and names of proposer and seconder, with Mr Harry H. Hayr, at his his office, High-street.

" Inquirer," Christchurch, writes: — "Sir, — As I have written in vain to the local Press asking the following question, and as I notice your answers to correspondents are always correct, I venture to appeal to you. What I want to know is, what was the greatest distance W. Matheson, of Dunedin, threw the "161 b hammer V" Answer: 139 ft 4ins, at Dunedin, January 1, 1884.

W.' Murphy, the feather-weight boxer, informs me that he intends retiring from the plugging business, Tout before he puts up the shutters he would like to meet Barney Donovan in a final contest with soft gloves for a small purse. If they do come to terms I hope both will train and get properly fit, and not get pumped so soon as they did last . journey.

The funniest coincidence in the whole history of cricket, bar none, was observed at the late cricket match, Auckland C.C. v. Bay of Plenty. As the Auckland boys sat in the door of the tent previous to the game, Jack Matheson looked forth and beheld eleveu ducks gravely waddle across the ground. "Hello!" says Jack; "look at that, now; that means bad luck !" The first to tumble to the joke was Cheeseman, and si*re enough these two, Matheson and Cheeseman, got " two ducks " each in the match ; while altogether the two teams showed " eggsactly " eleven duck's eggs on the score sheet. Who won't believe in coincidence now?

The Auckland Bicycle Club have added another to the many paltry meannesses they have perpetrated since their formation. The Amateur Athletic Club took them in tow, and deserved thanks for it, as the Bikes did not seem able to raise a good turn ■which deserved another. The A.A.C, however, reserved the right to retain all ropes, hurdles, &c, bought out of the gate proceeds, as the absolute property of the said A.A.C. The A.B.C. representatives never «ud a word at the meeting, but subsequently started a growl, refused the terms, and withdrew. Gloria]^ .They can stop away. The Ciiamionship race and other events will go on all the same, and the Waiteniata Bike Club will make all the greater endeavors to make a success of the affair on the 11th.

A.C.C. y. Our Boys.— This, the third match between these clubs this season* was commenced on Saturday, by Bipley and Hill, for the latter club, opening the batting, to the bowling of Matheson and Beale. Mills played a very good innings for 25, and "Whiteside for 10. It seems a pity that the latter does not practice and play regularly for his club. The total amounted to SO, none but the two mentioned getting double figures. Matheson got one wicket for 26, Barton 1 for 8, and Beale 8 for 37 'runs! Barton and O'Brien started the batting for A.C.C, the latter being stumped by Nesbitt

off Walker with the score at 21. Barton shared the same fate, after having made 25, and with the score at 43, Bobinson was bowled by Walker ; Dewes and Blair added 16, when the former was well caught by Bipley at point took two balls whentime was called, leaving the Auckland C.C. 21 runs to get and 6 wickets to go down.

A good deal has been said about the exclusiveness of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, and not without reason. It was owing to a great extent, to this exclusive - ness, which some go so far as to call " snobbishness," which assisted to break the concern up two years ago. There has been one instance lately, however, where a young man, who though a simple purveyor in meat, is quite the equal in appearance, manner, and education of two -thirds of the present members, and who has never run in public, and is quite eligible as a member, which has been made quite too much of. He has been told by false friends that he was blackballed. That was. not so, but his electiou was put back simply because he overlooked the precaution of securing a seconder. It is to be hoped that the Club will not be so exclusive as to reduce its numerical strength hy ultra conservativeness. " ZamiePs " usual spite and stupidity appeared in the article he wrote last week on this case. The young gentleman referred to by this particular viper of the " Zamiel' 5 brood had no more to do with Mr S.s rejection or otherwise than the man in the moon. For my part I think the young butcher would make a slashing good member.

I have been asked several times during the past fortnight by aspiring amateur pedestrians to give them a few hints as to the modus ejicrcuuli of training, the amount of work necessary, the scale of diet suitable, and so on. The best way for me to answer these inquiries is to give a few notes on the matter, and some of my own experiences. I will begin by saying saying that just as widely as men differ in their physiques, so they do in the nature of the training necessary to fit them for their tasks. Let us first, then, deal with the light built, lithe, and lean athlete, the man of small rueasxirement, yet proportionate and compact. This man, as a rule, is a sticker, and not often a a sprinter. He is rarely large enough inside the knee, and at the back of the thigh, to have the terrific driving power a really good 100-yard runner wants. . But, put him a,t a quarter, half, or mile, arid his compactness and absence of weight come in ; he can, in a word, keep up his middling fast stride with less fatigue and more consistency than a fleeter man, who will often burst himself in the first 200 yards. Now, this man, standing say oft 6 to 8, should weigh from 9 to 10 stone, and can't afford to lose much fiesh. His diet should be liberal, wholesome, and regular; plenty of whatever he likes, bar pastry and stews ; roast or boiled meat, well cooked, twice a day. Fruit-, and and bread and butter, and a plate of porridge make a grand and healthy breakfast. Baked apples are perfection in this line, as they keep the functions in order. Raw apples are good to have about, they fill the place of a drink, and are less likely to be injurious — in fact are beneficial. As to work : I have always, when I chose, got as fit as any man in the field, though I once or twice went stale a day or two before the sports. I'll tell how that is done presently, and the way I trained myself was this: Five weeks before the date I wanted to get lit for, I would commence rising early (five o'clock), clean my teeth, wash and brush up, and dress warmly — generally a football jersey under my coat. The washing and teeth-cleaning freshens one and drives awaj r the cobwebs. Then sally forth and make for some district where I could get a good hard walk. My favorite was, and is, to the summit of Mount Eden, and if I had a pound for every time I have stood there by half-past 6 o'clock a.m. and drank in the pure air and revelled in the grand view of slowly- Avakiug city, sleeping harbour, and grey distant gulf with its blue islands on the one side, and smiling farms, pretty villas, and rustic beauty on the other, backed up by Manukau with its lofty heads guarding the narrow entrance, I should have quite a heap, anyway. This walk is a good one, as by the time one gets to the'foot of the mountain one is warmed to the work and fit to walk up the rim of a greased rainbow. I should here interject that the ped. should never go out quite hungry. I always take a bit of dry bread the size of my palm. Eggs don't suit me, but to those they do, a raw egg is good. The reason for this is that one is apt to get faint while still far from home, and then the exertion of walking, instead of being beneficial, becomes most injurious. Well, after I walk for a fortnight every morning, and perhaps a few evenings as well, I commence gentle running as follows, but first get all you want in the way of rig out pair of knee trousers, cut just clear of the the knee cap, and fitting neatly, a light singlet, and proper running shoes, with five spikes. Start first time or two by sprinting say 60 or 80 yards three or four times, either morning or evening, though, if possible, the time of day that the race is to be run is the best ; but, of course, young gentlemen in situations can't get away at that time. Well, after about three days of these sprints, have a trial over your distance, that !is if you are going for anything under 300 yards. Put the watch on, and keep a tally to see how you improve after. Then more short sprints

(mind I am talking to sprinters now), and, about the third day, another trial with the watch on, and a man to bring you along. So on, with off days, when only waiting should be done, to release the strain, till the day but one before the sports. Say they come off on Saturday. Well, on Monday and Wednesday, only run short bursts to keep your speed up. Then, on Thursday morning, or evening, have a real trial over a measured course— the distance you most want to win— say the 200 yards. Gret some one to run with you, and someone to give the word "go," while another times you at the finish; and if, after the work I have prescribed, a fairly light man has not gained a second or two in 200 yards on his first trial, ho must be a cure. Then no more, not a yard, till you strip on the mark. Once there, stand cool on your mark, every nerve as well as muscle braced, one foot about 18 inches behind the other (I stand a shade nearer, and with my right foot behind, thoiigh I can start either way, and I don't think many can leave me even yefc vvhou thepistoi cracks), tLo loading 1 foot pointing where you are going, the rear one nearly at right angles to it, both well up on the broad of the foot, heel clear of tiie ground, spikes with a firm hold ; and when the pistol goes just press all your strength on that back foot and shoot it out in the lead, don't move the front foot first, as you arc apt to over-stretch yourself thereby, and on no account let your heels come '• flop " on the ground: the "man that does will see the men behind him shoot past before he stirs, for a tenth of a second does it, remember. Just try this starting twenty or thirty times every time you strip, and see when your back foot and leg are brought well aud hard off the ground, as I have advised, how very hard it is to stop where it alights, showing the impetus your hard pressure on the back toes has given your whole body. Now, the work I have here laid down is ample for the average man employed in sedentary occupations. For the big, coarser-grained, more powerful chaps, double such work would not harm, as in their case they have a difficulty in reducing, while the slight man has more in preventing too rapid loss of weight, which in his case often means loss of stamina. For these big ones I would prescribe any amount of walking fast and fur : to my mind there is nothing like walking to fit a man for any athletic exercise. Too -nuchrunuing soon makes you stale, while walking would seldom or never have that effect if the man got plenty of sleep as well. For long-distance running, of course, the training is more arduous, but I would rarely let a man his full distance more than three times before the race. Too many trials are a mistake. I have seen a local man run trial after trial, do a grand one on Thursday evening, and come to the post like a dead eel on Saturday— stale, dull, and played out, He ran too much, and was wound up too soon, and the effort to beat the man who was bringing him home in the last half mile trial was the one that should have been reserved to win the race, as it undoubtedly would have done. The big strong man's diet, too, ought to be restricted. Few potatoes, little sugar, no milk, no pies, or other pastry ; great moderation in liquor of any kind, but if you must drink something, a glass of good sound ale, and that not more "than twice a day. Then about the bath and rub. lam a great believer in these adjuncts of the trainer's art. Give me a good shower and flesh brushes and towels, and I'll guarantee to keep a man fit for a fortnight who was too lame to do his work. After a run or walk in the morning, a good cold shower or plunge bath, and then a rattling rub down to restore the superficial heat and cleanse the pores. Then a brisk walk for ten minutes, and a rest. After the evening walk, or run ; another good rub down, and early to bed. Follow this regime, and you'll soon get fit and stay fit. I am, of course, addressing amateurs. A professional, who did nothing else while he trained, has no need of early rising, and I should let him rise at seven, potter about a bit, then breakfast ; walk about, read, talk, and keep him cheerful. At eleven, walk him up to the rnnning ground and give him his gruel pretty stiff home, shower, rub, rest, lunch, rest, afternoon walking and plenty of it, rub, read and talk or stroll about, and bed at ten p.m. Repeat with trial four times in four weeks the first two weeks having had walking- alone; six weeks in all.