El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-23
ENGLAND LOSES To
AMERICAN RUNNERS
Specialization In Training
Gives This Country the
Lead in Athletics
CBy John j. Hayes)

CBy John J. Hayes.)
Winner Of 1905 Olympic Marathon.
New York, n. Y. Dec Elm thu
summer Of 1906 at Athens. the Ameri-
can athletes won the greatest number
Of events they have triumphed IN al al
Olympic gathering.
In the five mile. event George Bon
bag was forced to lower MS colors tl
Lieut. HaWtrey, the Engllsn cndul yLo1l
In 26 minutes % is seconds IN those
DAYS this time was considered very
fast. because the art Of specializing
had not begun 10 play so prominent
part in track athletics as it does today
HaWtrey won because ne USED sly &c
common among English distance run
ners. 1t consisted Of an extreme sps -
in the early part Of the race, win tlls
result that after a few miles the BRIT
ish lieutenant was running IN the lead
all stone
Bonhag, like the majority Of Ameri-
can runners, affected the americas
method which differed in the respect
that they used no early speed ana oe-
pended on an average pace TO WIN. u
running parlance, the new method was
termed running from the gun, ana II
typifies the highest form OF speclall@a-
ton in distance running.
Gains Wisdom Through Deteal'
On his return home, BOnhag, himselL
a great student Of the game, real-1ltlS
this style was capable Of better resut is
and faster time, trained 10 master the
English method with a view TO linpL
ing the time in this event InaJ ne
succeeded IS proved by the fact that TO
dav he is still q champion ana mas con-
tinued 10 slip seconds from the I've
mile figures up to the present day 70
day his five mile time is the American
record % minutes 9 is seconds. In
addition. he has made the best time
in the 10 mile championship run, held
at Celtic park in 1903, of 81 minutes
"a As seconds. -
The United States olympic teaIns
have proved victorious on many foreign
strands. Their success, due in great
measure to specializing OF Wmch the
Bonhag example is criterion, mas
spread our fame as the premier o. an
athletic nations. On the contrary Eng
land. which has always exceIed IN inc
distance events, seems to nave neslecteu
to specialize within the past rev yeaIss
with the result that she has fallen lnto
an athletic lethargy-
Making Of Champions.
The essential element in the making
NJ obamDions on field and track IS
termed specialization This term means
the instilling into the mind OF the am
letfc aspirant the fact tnau 10 suCCSeu
he must learn to cover a certain as
lance with the least waste OF energy OF
effort -
Three methods have come in vogue OF
late wears which have tendency 70 pIo-
duce good athletes and champions
Specialization or lllpiotS 81
First. the professional coacns
Who has become the rule, where, years
ago. he was the exception, mas pIoeeo
his worth by turning cut cnaInplons -
srv year who not only break ali me eA-
istinE times but prove themselves 70 -
better and more capable OF eoplhg w
our athletic rivals than their preaeces-
TeachInE NovIees Proper style.
Secondly. by teaching noTlces proper
STYLE ia track athletics, the Iau1Is WIlCI
efoB- uB-fn a prospective clalLl 7lolls a.
vbioh sometimes prevent a classy per
-ormer from ascending to the enaIIi k!D-i-
shin are corrected. Coaches nhe Ma
,TrrDhv. Lawson Robertson and Bernle
Vefers change the style OF practlca-lly
every man who comes unQel lli-t -
-e1ape The reason for TINS IS Lnat
'arITs in form are very hard to correcI,
10 the trainer has to start 10 teacu -
,fhIefe in an entirely new way lnsl5au
IF the tedious manner or CORRECTING al
ais faults This teaching OF sLyIS -
cry essential and is productive OF Won
ierfuI results. A novice mas an ak-
.endencv to slip into number OF lauLts
vhfcb retard his development 20 suen
IN extent that he never accompIlsnes
anything in athletics. ,.
TO cite an example; Jimmy sullivan, I
hree years for the St Bartholomew
dub without the advice OF coacn DuF- {
ne this time he was long marx man
nd was never capable OF better man /
our minutes and 40 seconds IN 1sOl I
i'm Joined the sh-American- In the {
hree months he was training under the 4
vatchful eve Of Ernie Hjertherg ne ae- {
iuired the ability to run mile ID lout /
minutes and p seconds, Wnlcn up 70 4
hat time was the fastest mile ever run /
s seconds from the near champions 4
ime is certainly the eXemplihcation OF I
God coaching and is an example OF the 4
,enefits Of specialization
Tables Produce Good Results.
Thirdly. the installing Of training Ia
les bv the big athletic clubs and col
eyes has been productive of very good
esults The men have regular hours
or meals and are taught 10 give Lhen-
elves proper time for the dlgeSJlon OF
God before DOMINIC their track suits
o train. In the big clubs, one ike the
American A c., the athletes VINO
re employed in the city can come d.
ect from business to the track at Gel
ic park and after a work fut supper IS
MOVED and then after a couple Of hours
{ longing the men go to bed. This
lethod has been productive Of wonder
III results and is an incentive TO a
respective athlete
II is through the neglect of the fore
sased TO be regarded by the athletic
uthorities as Formidable in distance
vents. In England professional coach
8 and training tables are taboOed by
ne amateur rules, but they viii in time
don't the methods which the Americans
nd Canadians have proved to be so
0peful ia developing championship ma
sriaL
The benefits of Bonhag's observation
nd application OF English long dis
nee method have produced such ster-
ng performers as John Paul Jones, Of
orneII. the one mile record holder;
outs Scott, Tom Collins Abel Kiviat,
eIvin Sheppard and Tell Berna, the
ornellians-
This Improvement has resulted in
lortening the times in the mile, five
lie. 10 mile and cross country dis
noes
Prior to 1906 the man who ran mile
lder 4.30 was an exception. At pres
1t we have about six men who can !
run mile in four min