Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-07-30
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

running qualities of the bicycles rid
den and the tires will all receive great
er attention.
Perhaps the one thing that viii in the
future go further toward deciding q
race between men vino are otherwise
equally fast will be their condition OF
an interesting study.
When little Jimmy Michael was IN his
prime as a paced middle distance ey-
clist. he did most OF mis- training on a
health at the time OF the contest-that
is to say. training will be carried on
even mere scientifically than at pres
ent. OF course the same rules and
methods for getting into condition for
race do not apply to different riders,
and every racing man and trainer mas
his own ideas The different training
methods of some of the best known
professionals and their handlers make
wheel Walking. running, HORSEBACK
riding and dumbbell exercise were ms
most prominent means OF gettlng mo
and keeping in form. His diet was
what most American riders would con-
slider very heavy, consisting chiefly or
steaks, rare roast beef and ale. Nil
chael had one queer idea. He told me
one day that when he felt that he was
going stale" he was really only just
rounding into condition and that, as a
rule, when he felt out of sorts and
overturned before race he nearly
always did his hest work. His idea was
that an athlete. as rule, does not
really go stale, but that the monotony
OF training is beginning to tell on him
and that if he should enter in compe-
tition the excitement OF the race would
make him do his best work. EXjress-
ed in a few words, Michael trained ex-
actly like a pugihst preparing Tor
prize fight.
Harry Elkes, the one hour record
holder, employs a method Of training
radically different from Michaels He
totally bars running from his list of
exercises. but walks extensively and
does most Of his work on the wheel by
means of unpaced riding. He eats
principally foods that are quickly di-
gested and escnews much meat. He
drinks very little coffee or tea and uses
no alcoholic liquors or tobacco. His
mainstay is milk, with each glass OF
which is mixed about two tablespoon
tals of some beef extract. He retires
at 10 every night and gets up at z,
taking cold sponge bath every
morning on arising.
The man who pays least attention to
rules and regulations in the matter Of
training and never seems to follow any
settled plan VIZ ~ preparing for a cam
paign on the track Is Eddie Bald. lie
eats anything that suits his fancy and
puts himself into shs ne in what seems
to be very haphazard fashion. Unlike
most cf the crack pros" he has no
trainer o. manager, but merely hires
young fellow to rub him doyn and do
work of that sort for him. Nhe fact
that Bald has been SO SUCCESSFUL for
the past four seasons seems ID show
that his method is the right one for
him, and there is no doubt that the Nj
son has studied his own needs and coy
stitution very thoroughly. Still theIi
are many experts who are of the opinA
ion that really capable trainer could
get much better work out OF Bald if the
latter were TO follow instructions to the
letter.
In direct contradiction to Bald is
Floyd MacFarland the speedy Califor-
nian. His life when in training is laid
out according to rule every minute OF
the day and night. He does just so
much work of such and such a charae-
ter at fixed hours and is very strict in
the matter of eating and drinking.
Some of his comrades on the circuit de-
clare that MacFarland makes q martyr
of himself in his strict adherence to set
rules, but there is no doubt that much
of his wonderful success and speed Is
due TO these very limitations he places
on himself
The methods of most of the well
known cracks" are similar TO one or
the other of those | have mentioned.
Tom Linton, the Welsh middle distance
rider, who has recently returned 10
America, trains practically like his ia
nous little countryman. while most OF
the American riders adhere more near
ly to abe methods employed by Harry
Fixes. OF course long or middle dis
lance rider will train differently in
matters Of detail from Splinter. Any
young fellow, however, who is amoi-
tious to attain distinction as a racing
cyclist. either amateur or professional,
will do well to adhere to the following
general rules
First, consult a doctor as to whether
the constitution is capable OF with
standing the strains OF racing II tie
reply be favorable, take some medicine
that viii thoroughly clear out the sys-
ten. This is very weakening, and for
a week or so only light exercise should
be taken. Have regular hours for cat
ing and sleeping. Take a cold plunge
on rising from sleep Eat no rich meats
or soups of any kind. Fresh fruits and