The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12

very successful at the Garden recently. Re-
lay races have attained a wonderful amount Of
popularity, but they afforded no opportunity
for stayers at the Garden. while the distance
each man had to run was limited to a quarter
of a mile.
The University of Pennsylvania has made o
big stride In the right direction by including
in the programme OF its spring meeting. tc be
held April 25. a relay race, in which each man
will be required to run n full mile. The re-
Spouse from the colleges affords gratifying
proof Of their sympathy with the movement,
and among so many men willing and apparent
ly ready to go a mile there may be several un-
developed stayers. capable of going much fur
Their IL the distance is stretched gradually. To
an athlete whose gifts tend to endurance rather
than speed. the comparatively easy pace of q
long run presents no difficulties. Ambitious
young Americans entering on a gymnastic or
athletic course cannot all be sprinters. and Q
mar without natural speed is exposed to far
less danger in striding along over a distance
than in forcing himself to attain pace in shorter
races, for which he is not adapted. Rowing
three or four miles Mt high pressure takes much
more out OF an athlete than running similar
distances. Once started the oarsman must
stick It out to the bitter end at whatever stroke
is set. whether the effort is taxing his powers
master, and can regulate his pace to suit his
ability. The agreeable recuperatiye process
klOWn rs RtlllIR lht Sf'pi'l IN 10 u luA-
ury denied to competitors in shOrt-distanco
races. where, the highest pressure must be
man it is an important function. and the ath-
lete who tides oyer this stage OF his race bya
judicious pull at the right time need have lit
tie fear OF subsequent distress.
A glamour has been thrown
around long distance running by the event put
on the programme OF the recent Olympic
games at Athens. 10 commemorate the gallan-
Try OF the SPARTAN youth who ran from Mara.
ages ago. The history of those days has II
that the boy cropped dead after delivering his
message. and the action OF the men at Athens
in holding Il race over the same course bears
eloquent testimony to the superior endurance
and training of modern athletes, and tho
harmlessness of distance running as at present
conducted. That the international committee
saw no possible element Of danger in such a
race should serve as "a decisive retutation of the
theory that races over n mile are too much of u
strain. Indeed. statistics all over the world
show that an athlete who makes a speciality OF
long-distance, racing preserves his form for
years inter MS r9ntemporfry sprinters have re.
not wanting here and In England where active
followers OF the sport exist in ntpsands. Vet.
Grams of ten years experience at the game turn
out week after week with unimpaired enthusi-
asm and effectiveness.
racing In this country are still sound of wind
and limb: Further evidence will probably he
where q tive'mile open handicap takes place
under, the auspices OF the New York A. C.. Al
severest test on The American schedule. the
indications point 10 n large and representa-
1--WE entry anu u race bI tACtItlluhl interest.
A story ON distance running would be in
complete without a reference to George Cross-
land, the noted north of England stayer, who
is rated by his COuntrymen as n phenomenon
at his specialties. CrOssland's latest achieve
mentS startled the entire athletic world and
are almost without u parallel for consistenCe
and hrillianCy. For the cross country cham
p~ionshlp OF the English northern counties run
last month he lad 10 face a field ~ over a hum
drcd OF the most rCdouhtablc distance run
ncrs In that section, hut he never left the Issue
I'm doubt. and scored "A rather easy victory,
covering about ten miles Of country well in
side the hour. Two weeks later lie turned out
again, this time for national honOrs, IN a
truly formidable nGgr. CATION of runners. Tho
result was the same, a, Grassland was In the
front flight throughout and had the race in
hand miles from the finish. lie again COM
pletrd his task well within the hour, although
the course WAS said To Ice n liberal ten miles,
lie also won the national event last year.
Crussland's greatest achievement on the fiat
was at stamford Bridge Grounds, London. on
sept, .? last, when he covered twenty miles
in the worlds record time Of hour 81 minutes
a. seconds. His intermediate times, after pass.
ing the fifteen mile mark, were also worlds
TeCOrdr. as follows:
l5L miles. Is24eB; i5h miles, li2bib5: lba
miles, lE2T322; ~ miles, l32S3I6; 1914 miles,
! $50 II; ldhs miles, l:Al 80; lbR. niles, I:3S:lHi
II miles, | dli2Ii ia miles, l;H5;,S IN miles,
1881 Is, Ia. miles, lass 49, II miles, Gi4O:lOi
ia miles, l:tltH7; lN1 miles, l'I3;4Si lsH
miles, l;iI.3 3 10 miles, %l.ibiOO; lV4 miles,
! AZ 20; l0h miles, l'+"ioo, lvA miles, ! 10000,