The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-20
SONED BEFORE TRYING DIS
TANCE RUNS.
DIET AN IMPORTANT AGENT
IN MAKING THE MUSCL3 NEEDED
TO RIDE A CENTURY In
A DAY.
PATRON SAINT OF oCYCLIsTs.
French Riders Think the Wheel
Should Have One-PrOpOsed Gem
sus of Bicycles.

Now that the riding season is fairly
under way, it is time for the
ambitious road rider to give
thought to his ways. Not neces-
sarily the racing man, but the distance
rider. There is always a class Of riders
who pedal along for the very pleasure
of wheeling They are first and fore
most collectors of miles," After that
they consider the way they may go;
route and picturesque scenery are sec
ondary considerations to mileage There
is also the class Of Wheelmen who real
ly tour through the country; they like
to ride long distances and to see the
landscape in all it's phases, a good road
or bad one is alike to them so long
as they are able to ride and see new
country. Both Of these classes may
we'll consider a few simple suggestions
that experience has shown to be CT
value to the distance rider, says the
Providence Journal.
Early in the season the muscles are
not hardened to long trips A ,ider
may be in the habit of doing 81 me
ten or even more miles a day and find
no especial i'll effects from riding a
hundred, but if he were to make two
long rides on succeeding days, he would
probably be 'stale" by the end of the
week; that is, he would be afflicted with
that tired feeling. Careful prepara-
ton and training will overcome this
lassitude. The man who rides steadily
every day for a considerable distance
is too apt to give no attention to con-
ditioning. He thinks that only the rae
ing man needs training. But a little
consideration will show him that if he
gives careful attention to the food he
eats, avoiding sweets and rich ft cd,
keeps reasonable hours and takes his
exercise regularly, riding his distance
little further each week, at the end
of month he will be in far netter
shape to enjoy his rides than other
wise.
Starting in on distance work the
Wheelman should not try for speed 1t
is better to ride slowly, we'll within his
powers each day until he is thorough
ly seasoned, then he may gradually in
crease his pace, with the knowledge
that he will not go backwards in his
work
The two great difficulties of all dis
lance riders are WEAKNESS and saddte'
soreness. The best known way. to over
come the former is by giving due at
tention to what is eaten and to eat
often. A man who is riding, over twenty
miles a day requires more food than
one who is content with half, that dis
lance. Cyclists are. -aptc 30 eat, only
When they are hungry, nearly to the
point where appetite has vanished and
fafntness warned them that the stom-
ach requires food. Frequently a man
Will be better off, when riding long dis
tances, by eating four or more meals
q day than otherwise Then the per
mclous habit of dismounting at every
town to stop the thirst at soda water
place, filling the stomach with ice cold
drinks, is responsible for much of the
weakness suffered on the end of a
long run One of the sure signs that
the stomach is not being rightly treat
ed, is that drying up Of the throat; the
unnatural thirst which is not quenched
by drink. When cyclist is contin-
ually bothered with this he should stoD
riding, cool off and get a reasonable
meal Saddle soreness may be caused
by one of half a dozen things. The
best way to avoid it is to get a seat
that fits and then stick to it. 1t will
work off during the season as the rider
becomes hardened to his work.
Honors in the long distance field are
seldom won by men who rush the pace
early in the year. The best way to
get a respectable mileage is to plan
a schedule week by week, riding
gradually. increasing distances until
by the end of the season long rides
may be regularly made with ease. A
steady mileage per day, with occasion
al centuries on holidays, will pile up
greater total than off and on work.