The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-07
STAR TRAINS N
AN ODD FASHION
Hannes Kohlernainen Under.
goes Torture to Keep
Muscles Supple.
STRENUOUS WORK
Athlete Goes Through Some
Punishment to Keep
in Trim.
STRENUOUS WORK

One of the most interesting figures
IN the Olympic games this year was
mi Kohlemainen, the invincible
Instance runner, who carried the COL
ors OF Finland to victory in the Ions
Instance events In the Swedish sta
dium. Kohlemainen is without doubt
the greatest distance man the world
mas seen since Allie Shrubb was at
mis- best and many assert without
fear Of contradiction that the little
Finn is a faster man than Shrubb
ever was. says the EWING Bulletin.
Philadelphia.
kohlemainen was almost unheard
OF until a summer ago when he went
to England for the British champion
ships and stood the best of the Brit
ons on their heads in the four mile
race. At that time the English sport
Ing writer's predicted we'll that Kohle-
mainen would sweep the boards in
the distance events at Stockholm.
The young Finlander is a made"
runner. in fact. The methods that
his trainers use to keep his muscles
supple are. to say the least. unique.
kohlemainen. to begin with, lives in
a single with his masseur dur
Ing the training season. and the larg-
est part Of his training consists Of
steam baths INT violent massage.
Hot Treatment.
After the Finish champion takes
his daily run he is brought Into his
training room and laid out on a wood
en- bench. which is built about i've
feet from the floor. Kohlemainen lies
on his back. with his legs pointing
upward from the hips. About two
feet under the bench on which the
runner lies is a large piece Of sheet
metal about 4 by 6 feet. On this are
about 200 small stones. just thrown
about carelessly. Under the metal
sheet a hot fire is built. Kohlemainen
stays on his bench above the fire in
h meantime, and gets into a furious
Precipitation.
When the small stones resting on
the metal sheet become quite hot
Kohlemainen's trainer pours small
quantities Of water over them. caus-
ing steam to arise an dsoak through
the runners muscles. This is con-
The Finnish champion Is then grab
bed off his bench and given the stiff
est kind Of massage treatment from
head to foot.
Severe Punishment.
Kohlemainen's trainer tells me that
every muscle In the Finlander's legs
IL pulled away fro mthe bone so that
It ID held by the merest membrane.
At times when this muscle pulling
stunt is being done Kohlemainen
scream with pain. but he has never
quit under the punishment. The idea
Of pulling the leg muscles away from
when the muscles are in action. The
tissues that bind the ordinary mus
cles to the bones. in Kohlemainen's
case, = entirely free. an dthis, Of
course, makes the action Of the mus
cles much easier on the runner.
George Bonhag. the American
champion. was much interested in
the manner in which Kohlemainen
was trained. George wanted to try
one of those steam baths in the worst
way. but Kohlemainen's trainer an
delighted to accommodate you. my
dear Nj. Bonhag, but I would strong
~ urge you to defer 1t until you are
through competing. Even as used as
he is to these baths, Hannes often
cries out in distress when we get at
his muscles" George said he. guess
ed he would wait.
How About Degs7
The question that fs uppermost In
the minds Of American athletic fol-
lowers who have looked over Kohle-
mainen is: What is going to become
Of Kohlemainen when he stops run
ming? What condition will his legs
be In after he quits the cinder path,
with his muscles pulled by main
strength away from their natural po-
sition? The geenral answer is that
Kohlemainen is taking a big chance
Of running his future health for the
sake Of a few short seasons of ath-
letic fame. He Is doing a most I'M
may have to pay dearly later in his
life.