New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-27
THE CENTURY RUN.
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The Century run" has come into existence
So recently that the term has scarcely found It's
way in,o m. dictionaries as yet. Its author APP
rears 10 be- unknown though probably In time
there Will be AS many claimants for the honor
Of inv-ufing II as there were towns that con-
tended FOR the honor 81 being Homers birth
place. II IL. however. an established TACT ana
unless all signs are misleading II Is with us 10
stay and to Increase Ia frequency. The century
run Is an outgrowth Of the Invention Of the
safety bicycle and the pneumatic tire and has
accordingly only few years standing II IL not
term that defines Itself 10 the reader must
understand that century run signifies the rld-
ing o. 100 miles bicycle IN "A single day
How many persons hav. already done this We
have no means OF knowing but the number Is
certainly considerable. and Il II steadily growing
Prior To- the general use II the pneumatic tire
trip - this kind was ont ~ the question for any
but the most expert and enduring riders. for In
only few places could sufficiently good roads be
found - Justify the undertaking with pueu-
matte tires. however. any road that Is not sandy
or rough and rutty Il capable ~ being ridden
over. ana 80 In many regions the century run
has hrcon. an easy !, s~ibllity. For such a run
does not mean a hundred miles on racing track
or back AMI forth for u short distance the best
trip u 100 miles s,raigh, away, or else NIFTY
miles OF direct riding and. return. IT, do this
In twelve or fourteen hours demands muscle and
considerable powers Of endurance az well as an
.nsv-golng bicycle: 81 couisc centuries have
been mad. In much less time requiring speed
"a nigh IA sixteen or seventeen miles an hour.
one ~ the most notable ~ century runs took
place on Long Island on Sunday week. when
nearly 800 riders early In the morning from
sax IIarlslr 10 ride 10 Brooklyn Some $50 OF them
were able 20 complete the trip and I'D 80 just
after nlghtfau The distance between the two
points Is 100 miles. the century was actually
completed AT jamaica. and thos" who chose had
the privilege Of taking train at that point
stu few OF them DID this. although the toughest
part ~ the riding 10 DE found within IN"
city limits ~ brooklyn. on" Of the most strik-
tag features u This great century run IL the fact
that eleven women took part In II, OF whom
not loss than nine rode the entire distance. rms
makes "A significant addition 10 the number OF
women In the country who have ridden cen
turtles" OF the nine successful female riders
one was a girl II fourteen. who. II IL reported.
dd not appear at all exhausted by her severe
experience
II is certainly a drbarable question whether
m. riding " 100 miles on IA bicycle In a day IL
a good thing Medical men would undoubtedly
pronounce agains' IT. and condemn with severity
ih, parents of the fourteen-year-Old girl for al
lowing her to enter such IA contest. Indeed. The
r Lancet" N.ondon) recently had some remarks
an.nt The strain endured by man who rode
almost without stopping for rest and absolutely
without sleep from Lands End 10 J"hn o
/ Greats In about cighty-sx hours. and declared
that his life might be materially shortened by the
/ violent heart action which H. must have ex-
perlenced on hts Journey. The delights OF bi-
! cycle riding are many. and there IL an exhara-
ton about II that probably no other species
~ exercise affords: but II Is manifestly subject
10 abuse and may become a source ~ harm For
young and vigorous men century run may nave
no clements Of III. but the majority OF riders.
especially women, will do we'll to curb any
ambition in that direction which may have
sprung up In them