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Special Preparation for a Long-distance race

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HINTS ON TRIAL RUNS.

This brings me back to a point which I have hitherto passed over, and that is that when running on the track in training try and run in company as often as possible.
With companions running beside you you won’t feel anything like so lonely as you will by yourself. Besides which the distance will be shortened, if not in fact, then at all events in seeming. For when running alone, par-ticular as a beginner, the miles seem to be positively interminable, and each additional one at least 400 yards longer than the last.

For your actual “trial “ runs-those in which you are, trying to discover what you are really capable of-exert your utmost endeavours to enlist the services of a few pacemakers-either runners or cyclists. These will serve a double purpose, since they will bring you along, and moreover, if well selected and experienced bands, will enable you to dispense with the clock.

They should be able to cover the distances for which they are doing duty to the scheduled time met forth above, and will thus help you fur more than would a friend with a stop-watch calling out your times at each quarter-mile.

In the latter instance, you may have unwittingly got behind or in front of the clock, and so will be worried a8 to whether you should sprint up or take it easy for the next quarter so as to rectify matters. You will, besides, be running regularly all the time, keeping to your man, and so will be doing far better work.

Even with the advantage of many years’ experience, when you are able to run instinctively to the clock, and can tell yourself almost to the fifth of a second in how much time you are going to cover a quarter, it is elways advisable to get a pacemaker. You can get him in those circumstances to run a shade faster than the schedule, and so get yourself quickened up. A man just in front of you is about the beat incentive you can have to in-duce you to put your best foot foremost.

Keep your training up-right close up to the day before your race. If you are in business try and get a half day off just before, so that you can have all the necessary rest.
I would advise no one to ease up till then. Take the day off just before, and only put in, may, two two-mile walks, and these not too fast.

TRAINING FOR THE SHORTER LONG DISTANCES.

By these I mean for a five-, six-, or eight-mile race, or for any intermediate distance. In these cases a very similar routine should be observed to that for a ten-mile affair, the only variation being that the distances of the practice spins should be cut down proportionately; but since the strain of the shorter course is not so great. I would not recommend the percentage actually reduced being in an exact proportion.

For instance, for a five-mile race the three-mile spins might come down to two and a-quarter miles, the four miles to three miles, and the limit of five miles, of course, adhered to, save on one or two occasions, when six miles can be profitably covered. The fast-run two miles should, however, be kept to that distance. This is speed practice, and you want decently long speed training.

Six-, eight-, and other mile races should be trained for on the same rule. Common sense and a little considera-tion will tell you what distances to cover in your train-ing without any necessity for me to cover the whole ground over again.
Training, however, should be fairly strict. Not less than three good spins a week.

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