The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-06-17

RHs
4, L. Mase writes to the Globe:
A few of our Twin City papers, in
reporting Mr.. McIlraths 6OO-mile road
ride last week. have shown a misunder-
standing of the purposes and objects of
his remarkable long distance perform
ance. He has been credited by some
with having broken the state record for
the distance, and by others with having
broken Dan Carmichael's time for 500
miles. Both statements are erroneous. :,
! The state record is still held by the Min
neapolis Professional, A. A. Hanson, and
Carmichael never rode a greater distance
than 100 miles for record in his life.
Consequently it was impossible for Nc
Ilrath to break any Carmichael record
after the 100-mile mark had been passed.
There are two general classes of century
road records-a mileage record, gen
orally made over surveyed routes meas
uring at least twenty miles from start
to turn, and a course" record, made
over regular century courses, generally
measuring mile or two over the exact
100. McIlrath's ride was made over the
official st. Paul-'Tonka century course,
measuring 1013s miles for each century.
The former records over this course are
as follows: One hundred miles, Dan
Carmichael; time, hours 46 minutes; 200
utes; 800 miles, w. B. Dixon, Is hours SIS
minutes Up to last week there was no
record over this course for a longer
distance than 300 miles, consequently
whatever time McIlrath made for 400,
500 and 600 miles will stand as course
record, providing it was made in accord
ance with road record rules and inside
the time limit set for the distance by
c. r. c. road rules
In his trip last week McTlrath started
with the purpose of lowering the 100, 200
and 300 mile records and establishing
course records for 400 and 500 miles. He
missed Carmichael's 100-mile record by 19
minutes but lowered the 200-mile record
IS minutes, and the 300-mile record by
hours 80 minutes. The terrific rain
storm of Tuesday night was a severe
trial to the plucky rider, who finished
the 400 miles in weather which would gen
orally be considered impossible to tide
in.
McIlrath still believes in his ability
to lower the course record for 100 miles,
and states that had he not experienced
a severe fall during the first fifty miles
of his first century he would have set the
mark down to hours 80 minutes. lie
will. no doubt, make another trial for
the 1OO-mile record later In the season.
Before closing l wish to correct another
erroneous idea In connection with llIS
ride. I find many are laboring under the
impression that this 600-mile grind must
have been accomplished only under i'm
mense physical strain and that Mcllratn
must have reached almost the extreme
limit of physical exhaustion by the time
the sixth consecutive century had been
completed Many cyclists entertain the
above views, and McIlrath has been
criticised rather severely in some quar-
, ters for his remarkable 600 mile ride OF
last week What are the facts? Nc
Ilrath finished the trip at Coz Thursday
morning; went home, took rundown
and went to bed for four hours; got up
for dinner, ate a hearty meal, and at
2 D. m. mounted his wheel and rode over
to Minneapolis to return an umbrella he
had borrowed during the storm of Tues
day night. On Friday he rode fifty miles
to "get the stiffness out Of his legs.
Those who are disposed to criticise Nc
Ilrath's distance riding should under
stand that ever since Jan. l he has been
practically in training for such trips.
Minnesota has OF late years been bring,
ing UP the rear of the procession among
the states in competitive athletic sports.
Our football teams, our oarsmen, our
ball teams have been defeated so gen