The morning call., 1890-11-16
ATHLETICS.
Lack of and Too Much Exercise-Cigar-
cite Smoking.

Lack of and Too Much Exercise-Cigar-
ette Smoking.
1t is astonishing how fast sprinter can
deterlorate in speed by remaining away
from practice week. In that short time
lie grows in flesh, bis joints which should
ALWAYS be kept fabricated become slightly
stiff. and when lie resumes practice he finds
that the last ten yards of q hundred was
decidedly hard travelling. 1t may seem
rather strange but there Is no dlSputing the
fact that a strong runner, who f6rSakes
the cinders for week, will have to take at
least two weeks practice to bring un bis
lest ground. There are times when
a runner, 10 use the term, goes stale ana re-
ouires rest to sOothe his weary limbs. 1t Is
not necessary that he should remain away
from all practice because Of his StalenesS
/. is too much sprinting at practice that
brings on that feeling OF stiffness or stale
ness, as il is athletiCaiiy termed, which to
overcome a rest must be had. Once run
ner finds himself in condition IT Is an easy
matter to keep the hinges Of the neither
limbs fabricated and keyed up to running
shape by light practice.
With amateurs it is, and in all probability
will continue TO be, common custom to do
too much running during practice. When
crowd Of ambitious Youngsters come together
on the campus there is no telling how many
spins viii be taken before a halt Is called
Too much exercise at che time is worse than
no exercise at all, and, as before stated,
when q runner is in gond condition couple
of short daSheS of one hundred yards distance
taken each day will tie amply sufficient to
keep him in first-elaSs shape until few
weeks before any special meeting, when, Of
course, little more exercise must be taken
to bring ont his fullest speed at tie time OF
the contest.
As there are young men, members Of the
Olympic. who indulge To dangerous ex-
VaFF 10 lin Ngat rrr n
vices by Professor Baird might add cGnsid-
erably 10 do away with the habit, which Is
fast spreading. The club has now num-
=. Der of young men, frst-class athletes by the
way. who seem to take especial delight IN
the cigarette. There IS nothing in the way
juTe an athlete more than the inhalation OF
the smoke from cigarette.
The Mount Olympia contest, an event
which is announced for the Olympic Clubs
field day, is no doubt an excellent scheme by
which to develop the lungs and also the
veloping speed it will certainly be failure,
as any violent exercise such as hill-c.imbing,
ETC., Will assist materially to Stiffen the
muscles and cause q shOrt-distanCe runner
to become slow aid loggy. Athletes whose
prlpciral game IS crosS-country running Will
profit by a race of this kind, but a spriuter
certainly not.
The Sacramento Club has adopted the
Olympic Clubs plan of inducing its athletes
10 practice on Sunday. The club will give
several races at East Park. among which
will be lGO-yard handicap race. President
George Clark and Vice-President Ira 4.
Robe are also down for 100-yaTd dash, the
. President being allowed six yards handicap.
Sacramento has number of good outdoor
men, who will in time make things lively
> for the outdoor men of this city.
To-day the Olympic Club athletes viii en-
low themselves at the new grounds running
for practice There has been no special an
nouncement of any event to be run, but as
the Thanksgiving field day will soon be al
= hand Captain Scott expects to see the club
ru ners strongly represented, and, no doubt,
some good racing will result.
As the Amateur Athletic Union declines
to relnstate Malcolm W Ford, new ath-
letic association will be formed on Long
Island. the main object Of which will be to
fight the union.