, 1925-01-26
By HENRY l.. FARRELL.
Omitted Press Sports Editor)

that any general method OF teaching
how to run cannot be applied to in
dividual cases. Paavo Nurmi. the
worlds greatest runner. follows the
same theory in giving his ideas
about the proper method Of training.
"All boys" he says, ARE not born
from the same parents and they
haven't the same racial character
istics so you cannot coach them all
with the same system. What might
be good for me might run snother
hoy. The same aplies to training and
the ann Of living"
Nurmi says that he is not willing
to offer any suggestions about run.
ming or living with the Idea that
they should be adopted by American
boys, as his opinions are expressed
only with the understanding that
he is telling what has been OF bene-
fit to him.
Living conditions naturally are
Influenced by the nature OF the eli.
mate n various Countries he says.
"In Finland we live far differently
than you do in the United States.
Perhaps the climate and domestic
conditions in Finland are more suit
able for the development OF
than they are in the United States.
I'm Finland we haven't the ways
of amusement and entertainment
that American boys have. We are
a simple living nation and our boys
have to amuse themselves in a very
simple way. ! don't imagine that
American boys would be satisfied TO
anuse themselves on a holiday by
taking a long c-ross-country run.
They would rather go to a motion
picture house. to a baseball game or
to take an automobile ride or a trip
to the beach. But our boys can't do
that. They don't play the many
games that amuse American
youngsters. They entertain them
selves by running. I have heard that
several American coaches blame
what they call the poor quality. OF
your distance runners on the auto.
mobile. There is something in that
I noticed in Paris last summer that
your athletes were disposed to ride
as much as possible, and I am not
criticizing them for 1t, because l
know that they are accustomed to
that. The American athletes rode
TO the stadium from their training
camp and back to It in motor busses,
Most OF the Finnish runners ran
back and forth, although I must
point out that our camp was closer
20 the stadium than tho American
camp.
/ noticed at the meeting where !
made my first appearance in New
York that several OF your athletes
came to the arena in automobiles.
bet every one Of them used some
kind OF conveyance in getting there.
/ walked 10 and from the place. I
not oriticizlng the Americans for
that. I am merely pointing to II as
argument in support OF my SON
tention that the same methods Of
training can't be applied I'm all cases.
AS far as training to keep in con-
ditlon Is concerned, I cat what l
want when I want It and I indulge
in alcoholic drinks whenever the de.
sire strikes me. 1 don't smoke. not
I believe smoking to be in.
i''~i'us. but because I have never
the taste OF tobacco.
In Finland we haven't much
meat and l believe that It is well
that we are not a m~eat-eating ma
ton like the Americans. or course.
I believe that It would be injurious
for a young American 10 cut meat
Of his diet entirely when his
system had been regulated to II.
When I am not in training. I eat
what I want and plenty Of It. Ger.
calls, lots of milk. potatoes, cabbage
and cauliflower are my favorites.
When I am not in training, my
weight increases to about 160
ounds. When I start training I cut
down on my meals with the Idea Of
getting down TO about 145 pounds,
taking off the weight gradually so
that I will feel strong. I always
do n lot Of walking in the morning
and afternoon. I Increase the dis.
tnnce md the stride every day for a
month and not until then do I
quicken my pace into n run. When
I am training for n race I run in tho
morning and in the afternoon. but
under ordinary conditions I only run
in the morning and then on a empty
stomach. That is vitality important.
when I work down to my normal
weight. I start tnking tho roguinr
exercises. such IL r suggested by
American coaches to develop the
muscles and tho lungs. Tho breath.
ing exercises nro simple and most
effective. ] understand they nrs
taught in NIL the American schools
and ! wonder II tho American boys
APPRECIATE what those few moments
Of exercise will mean to them whom