Evening star., 1925-02-12

Those distances he points out
in foot racing. In America, where
popular, you do not find the same
athletes specializing in runs of two n
I'm other lands where the longer dis
!, tances hold favor, you find the pro-
y portions reversed and few concen-
trating on the sprints. But both in
America and in other lands you find
almost equal interest and quality in
the 1.500-meter run and the mile,
which is halfway between the
sprints and the distance runs Those
courses are a common meeting
ground the world over, and in all
countries the very best athletes are
to be found competing in them.
1t has been SO for many years.
England still thrills to the mention of
the name of w G. George, who set
the world mile record as an amateur
more than 40 years ago, and who, as
professional later in his career,
lowered those figures to mark
which stood for so years. Sweden
has had its Zander-the former 500
meter world record holder-and still
has its Wide. France glories in the
accomplishments Of the late Jean
bOulH, anu says MS ucdtH III Iilc
World War robbed it of a man who
would have fought me every inch of
the way at distances of 1900 meters
to 5000 meters. In America you have
had many wonderful men at the mile
distance-Conneff, Tinker. Jones and
Taber in the past. and Ray. Con-
molly, Buker, Hahn and Watson in
recent years.
Feats Thrilled Him.
II knew Of their great feats and
their impressive records, and when l
learned l had exceeded anything they
had done then, indeed, did 1 gain the
greatest thrill that had come to me In
the sport 1 love-"
Many would conclude Paavo had
accomplished the ultimate goal OF
foot racer in his match with Wide.
~ means of it he had won general
recognition as an athlete without
equal in athletic history. 1t was the
contention of all experts that his rec
ords, made at Stockholm and pre-
viously. would stand for all time. And
in sanquishins Wide, Paavo had con-
ouered the only runner in the world
whom he regarded as real rival.
What could be his goal what could
he tho urge which would hold his
interest In track athletics and pre-
vent quite natural letting down?
But Paavo, as he thought over the
Wide race, was not satisfied. He had
crossed the finish line suffering little
from fatigue and felt sure that had
he planned the race differently he
would have further lowered the
mark. Also, his early aim to equal
or better the 1912 Olympic feat of
his fellow countryman, Hannes ko-
1ehmainen. had net yet been realized,
and. as ever, there was his desire to
sStve Finland in its national sport
TO keep his native land In the top
rank in the world of sports.
From Racer to Runner.
Seeing no rivals to inspire the
competitive fun of the game. Pavvo
created rivals by consulting the rec
ord books and conducting his races
as If he were opposed by the man
to whom the particular record was
credited. He began living over again
II that period in his boXhood when,
owing to the lack of youthful op-
ponents, he made rival Of the min
ute hand of his silver watch and
point down the Abo roadway before
that minute hand had circled to
given point on its dial.
In short-and this distinction is
marked one-Paavo transformed him
self from a racer into a runner
changed himself, s one might put 1t,
from a human into a machine with
all Its parts synchronized to the tick
ing of q stop watch.
His races from that time on were
plotted on a definite schedule. He
was opposed, In his ina gination, by
a runner who had made the particular
course in a certain time, hence he
must complete his first lap in such
space of time; so, too, the second lap,
70 ha INIT 1irn hi
actual rivals in the race were doing
meant nothing to Paavo. The time
schedule was the all-important thing
the phantom foe, not the actual foe,
was the only opponent to fear.
incidentally, American athletic
followers who observed Paavo in his
races with Joie Ray and other Ameri
can stars during the first weeks of
Nurmis visit here had opportunity to
observe the efficacy of Paavo's sys-
tenn under varying conditions.
How System Was Worked Out.
In his first race--the one-mile run
in the Finnish American Athletic
Club games in New York-it will be
recalled that Ray, who ever has been
racer, elected the second last lap
as the place to make his big bid. His
protracted squirt during that portion
7 of the race sent him yards ahead Of
+
held to his scheduled pace. That
scheduled pace caught Joie before the
last lap was well under way and LETT
the Chicago runner yards behind by
the time the tape was reached.
In his second race with Ray-that
in the Chicago Coliseum-Paavo by
holding to his schedule defeated the
American champion under different
conditions. In that event Ray decided
to trail Nurmi and make his bid for
victory in the final lap. But Nurmi's
schedule for the earlier laps was
faster than Ray ever did travel the
distance involved and the American
sort Of a sprint for victory when the
last lap came.
And in the third American meet
ing of this pai-in the Millrose
Athletic Association games in New
York-Ray, as vainly as before, at
tempted still another scheme to over
come Nurmi and his system. In this
case tho race was a three-quarter-
mile run, in which speed rather than
endurance was the chief requiremen
and Ray, with an aim of killing on
Paavo in its early stages fairly flew
from the mark. He whirled the first
quarter in less than SIS seconds and
left Paavo Is yards in the ruck. But
Paavo was travelling on scheduled
time, and once again Ray came back
to him and when the last lap started
It was Paavo who was in front.
.. .APaavo declares that an athlete who
knows the capabilities of his foes and
is sure he can exceed them simply