Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
HOW ATHLETES SHOULD
TRAIN TO BE RUNNERS
Many Men Break Down Because They Fail
to Build Up in Proper Way,
Says Dartmouth Coach.

Not one man In ten has the remotest
idea of how to properly train for athletic
events. They don't know how TO work.
Proper dieting and the correct care OF the
body and mind are two things that the
great majority OF athletes have not the
slightest conception Of, saws Harry Hill
man, athletic coach at Dartmouth Col
iege.
1T is not an unusual thing to hear OF
some former athlete who has gone to the
bad physically. People hear of these
cases and Immediately declare that ath-
letics is not a good thing for our young
men. But you will notice that the men
who break down are always those who
haven been good performers, and there's
good reason why this is Tie men
who have been stars are those who
started out with correct ideas of how t"
train, while the ones who have broker
up physically all started their athletic
careers without the least knowledge on
the subject
Take runners-they are mostly
young fellows who overdo their prepare
tory work, eat the wrong foods and have
their meals al irregular hours, all of
which is bound TO tell when they give up
training and settle down TO business. Per-
laps ten years will elapse before they
feel the results of incorrect training, and
then you will notice it is usually their
stomachs that go wrong.
Hillman says that Ealf the athletes
know no more about proper dieting than
does the average two-year-olt child.
They eat big meals just before going ont
TO compete. no matter what time OF the
day it may be. That's the worst thing
an athlete can possibly do, because IL
takes at least three hours for ordinary
food to properly digest, and it is q
terrible strain on the stomach to do any
running when 1t is filled
Draw up one of your legs and you will
notice that the abdominal muscles are
brought into full play" says Hilman,
adding that man should partake OF
nothing heavier than a couple OF soft
boiled eggs or a little toast and tea be-
fore competing in any athletic event.
Outdoor work is best because it af-
fords good air, allowing the lungs to de-
velop without taking any chances of
breathing in the germs that are bound to
infest the atmosphere of an inclosed
place. and the fresh air also helps to
keep the stomach in good order
The Dartmouth coach believes that club
athletes who run at least twice "A week
indoors are apt to contract diseases be-
cause of the f1ne-drawn condition that
they are sure to attain. College men,
though, must do great deal OF indoor
work. because they have only two months
in the open air Only the most vigorously
constituted are able TO run during the
indoor season. Bonhag, the greatest
distance runner in the country, is fair
example, says Hillman. Bonhag comes
out and does lot of running toward the
close of the indoor season. but he always
takes at least two months rest before he
even starts training for the outdoor
games.
When I first took charge of athletics
at Dartmouth l saw that hardly a single
man on the squad really knew how to
'iiet. and made a strict rule that meat
should not be allowed at more than two
IF the three meals. / did a lot of train
ing at Travers Island during my amateur
career, and | noticed that the men who
tackled the meat platters at every meal
hardly ever made good on the track
Every man Will stay at the table
full forty minutes, | told them. Rather
than eat in few minutes and be COM
PEELED to remain at the table / soon found
that all of the men were putting in the
time slowly eating" says Hilman.
When the call for cTosS-country run