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Preface

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It has often been sugested that there would be a fairly consideralble demand for a book on running by some prominent modern-day pedestrian, and that, in view of the records associated to my name, it was my plain duty to supply this long-felt want.

I have hitherto resisted these kindly suggestions, as I have felt that I was possessed of the ability to write a book which anyone would particularly care to read; but persistent and quite recently increases presure having been brought to bear, I have at last ventured to issue this book dealing with my ideas: firstly, as to how a runner should train; and secondly, how he should set about running any race for which he might be entered.

It was pointed out that, having regard to the forcoming Olympics Games, and to the fact that the American Athletes genarally were anticipating a general series of triumphs in the field of sports, I, who am no debarred from competing in any pedestrian event as an amateur, may at all events assist my country’s representatives with the benifits of such experience as has fallen to my lot during a fairly long and successful career.

Now it must be admitted that the results of the last few running contests between the United Kingdom and the United States have given the representatives of the latter country certain grounds for their confidence, and for that reason I have been tempted to offer these opions of mine on running matters generally, in the hope that they may prove of some slight assistance in redressing the balance

For I certainly am no partisan of those Jeremiahs who seem to be only too ready to bewail the decadadence of British athletics, and to accept the superiority of the American pedestrian as a fact which cannot be disputed. I have myself visited most of the American running tracks, and have seen the majority of theor leading athletes, with the result that the only superiority which I have discovered them to possess lies in the training methods commonly in use.

Not that I regard these as being the best in exsistence, for, vanity apart, I am inclined to fancy that one or two of our English trainers could give their best men several valuable points. But I must confess that the American pedestrian, as a rule, takes his sport more seriousily than is the custom here. He is more highly-strung, if I may say so, and seems to set his mind more determinedly on winning than does his British rival.

That, however, is a matter of temperament, and can, I think, be more than counterbalanced by British doggedness, if this quality he only allied with common sense, practical methods of preparation.

The Briton has, I am convinced a far greater stamina, as has been proved over and over again by our superiority in long-distance races, a superiority which our American cousins even will readily admit, once they are seriously challenged on the point.

There are not too many long-distance events on the Olympic programme, but those there are should all be annexed by British representives if only our men will make up their minds to do so. The Marathon race, which we have hiterto allowed to go to one or another of our rivals, should be regarded as a British preserve, as it is just the sort of race at which our men commonly excel. 

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