The Washington herald., 1909-05-08

%taNtN AlAl1N NA1Sot- "a ga G%AAAEN4[ S--~-s
the international Marathon This win
be the greatest race Of its kind yet run
There is a purse of Sl0,O00, for which
long-distsnce runners from all over the
world viii compete. This IS another
proof OF the prevalence Of Marathonitis.
a disease that first affected the Greeks
nearly 500 years before the beginning OF
the Christian era, and which has recently
obtained a secure grip on Americans in
a manner without precedent IN the an
nails Of amateur sport on this hemisphere.
When Johnny Hayes q comparatively
lesser light IN athletic circles in New
York. carried the Stars and Stripes 10
victory by winning the Marathon in the
renewal Of the ancient Olympic games
in the London Stadium IN 1905. he not
only achieved everlasting glory for him
self. but caused a revival OF interest IN
lons-distance running, the like OF which
America has never known. Since the
triumph OF Hayes nearly every city IN
this country has had Marathon races
While il was generally conceded that
the team from the United States would
score an Overwhelming victory IN the
matter OF points in the Oiympiad. there
was little deep-rooted confidence in the
ability OF the Americans 10 carry on
premier hOnOTs in the most coveted
race on the programme For years field
and track sports OF all sorts had been
enjoying a healthful Development in this
country. but the improvement in the
class OF long-distauce runners had been
so gradual that it was hardly considered
likely that any American would be able
70 successfully match strides with the
stars representing the nations that had
for centuries made an especial effort 10
foster long-distance running
n the hope OF at least making a cred
liable showing In the Marathon. several
Americans went 10 the mark. The result
Is history-DorandO. failing IN sight OF
the goal. while Hayes sped TO victory
L was not until the 'SVs that Amerlcss
track athletes pitted tnemseI-es against
the English. Myers and Merrill in lSs1
being pioneers IN the movement that mad
It's elimination IN Hayes achievement
While one Of the Oldest events on the
athletic card, the 8iarthon race was al
most forgotten until the revival Of the
ancient game in an International ath-
letic contest in Athens in 1856. These con-
tests were held in the restored stadium
that had existed so 3. c. toward
whose first erection patriotic citizens had
contributed everything from the gold OF
one 10 the thousand yoke OF oxen that
another gave. and whose seats were
covered with marble clabs by Herodes as
g gift TO the Panathenaic festival Time
and war. and fOrgeffUlness had buried the
stadium, but in 1853 1t was partially ex-
cavated, and before these international
contests Il had been restored TO its orig
inal design. the underground chambers
for the athletes being the same as when
first used. 200 years before.
There the first athletic Marathon race
was run in memory Of that historic day,
2.Z76 years before, when one Philippides,
an Athenian soldier. ran from the plains
OF Marathon 70 the place n Athens 70
tell the King Of the victory OF Militades,
and his Athenian and Piatean freemea
over the mercenaries OF Darius The run
ner dropped dead at the feet OF his ruler,
so history and tradition assert The city
accorded him every civil and military
honor. his body lying IN state IN the
capitol for three days Among the most
ancient pieces Of sculpture is that o. the
dying Marathon runner.
Marathon lies on the northeast coast
Of Attica- There the worship OF Apollo
had its first home, and the district boasts
that Hercules was first worshiped there
On the battlefield is q mound, OF soros.
where the 10 Athenian dead were buried
after the battle. Il was from this historic
place that the course Of a novel race was
laid out IN 1896. a course that FOL
lowed. as near as history could show. the
path taken by Philippines. and measur-
ing twenty-six miles and 3S5 yards On
the day OF the new Marathon the King or
Greece was to receive the runner, as did
his predecessor. though this time %, ,005
people waited knowing. for the coming
OF many runners. The fact that the
runner was Spiros LOUces. a son OF .
peasant OF Attica, brought forth the
greatest applause OF the whole contest
and enthusiastic chroniclers aver that the
great shout rolled Of against Mount
Pentillicus on the one side, and Mount
Hymettus on another. as did the joyous
scclamaIiOns OF the people twenty-five
centuries before.
Marathon races had little hold on popu-
larity after this until the London event
last year. though IL was hoped at the
time Of the Buffalo Exposition that the
Stadium erected there might remain per
manently. and the Marathon. run then
under such climatic difficulties, would be-
come g big event IN future athletics
Hayes Inning acted as an inspiration
TO the athletes OF American, and club
men. schooIboys. and college students i'm
mediateiy took 10 distance running. which
even now IS completely overshadowing in
public favor track contests at shorter
distance.
IN this country the colleges exercise
such a decided influence over athletics
that the clubmen copy the methods and
systems followed by the students. and
the most successful field and track teams
representing clubs depend largely upon
former college men Tor their real strength.
Johnny Hayes has written many ar
ticles on how 70 excel In the sport. point
ing out especially that the most inpor-
tant quality n a runner IS logged per
sistence IN training. Many Of the great
est runners the world has ever known
first took Up the sport for exercise alone.
and it was on these pleasure runs that
they discovered that they could attain a
speed great enough to enter races. In
nearly every city there are a. present
clubs that were organized TO encourage
Marathon running. Thousands Of men
and boys, who before last year never
donned q running shoe are now under
going especial courses in developing wind
and limb in the hope OF not only imurov-
ing their health. but becoming good ath-
letes.
The usual mode Of training Is 70 5oz
a couple Of miles three times q week on
p good road until the athlete or his train
er feels that he IS sufficiently developed
10 take longer distances, when he COM
meuces 10 90 ten or fifteen miles with
ont stopping. SO numerous are the races
fhnrn 7c 1ffF1a