Evening star., 1925-02-05
Nation United in Athletics.


Nation United in Athletics.
The issue might have become seri-.
Gus had not the Antwerp Olympic
games been a step away, but in mat
ters of international athletics Fin
land is a united nation.
There is continuous controversy on
the question of a national language.
One section of the little country en-
ploys only the ancient, and, to out
siders, difficult Finnish tongue, while
another conducts all its communica-
tion in Swedish. All public notices
must be printed in both Finnish and
Swedish to reach the Finnish public.
In politics differences equally strik-
ing and even more complicated are to
be found. This is evidenced on this
side of the Atlantic, for in New York
City, where there are less than 1000
Firms, six newspapers, four printed
in Finnish and two printed in Swed-
ish. cater to the divided interests.
The uniting of all factions in the
preparation for the Antwerp Olym-
pics and Helsingfors' appreciation of
the athletic potentialities of Paavo
Nurmi checked any serious Complica-
tions over Paavo's decision to cling
to the faded track uniform of the Abo
Urheiluliitto.
Paavo knew that if he was to
match the 1912 Olympic record of
Hannes Kolehmainen he must develop
stamina as well as speed and must
make himself equally proficient over
distances varying from 5000 meters
to 10000 meters, for the fiat races
on the Antwerp program specified
those two distances and the cross
country run also was to be a 10000
meter affair.
Aims to Develop Stamina.
He had covered such courses in
his road races and in Abo meets, but
the bulk of his earlier competition
had been in the Finnish middle dis
tanCes-1 900 to 5000 meters. He
decided to increase the length of his
practice runs and to develop stamina
by conducting a cross country spin
of half an hour each day, and he be-
gan to give serious consideration to
his diet.
In Finland" Paavo says, "the
athletes really develop themselves.
There are no hard and fast rules
laid down as regards form or diet.
Track and field athletics constitute
the national sport of my country just
base ball is the national sport of
America, and every youngster is
ambitious to make himself proficient
The athletic authorities post certain
general rules which should be fol-
lowed, but there is no attempt, as
in this country, to make a man start
from just this or that stance, hold
his body in this or that manner,
swing his arms this way or that
way. The younger athletes naturally
study the styles of the older ones
and may strive to copy them, but
accomplishing a given task in the
best time or with the best mark is
the aim, not a stilted following of a
set form.
In diet the same freedom prevails.
The athletes learn their own require
ments. The requirements for one are
not the requirements of another. Ger
tain kinds or quantities of food have
different effects upon different indi
viduals, so why should one conform to
a given diet.
The effects of alcoholic beverages
are generally known and none with
his athletic future in view Will in
dulge in them. Very early in my life
/ decided / must escheW anything of
that sort if | was to make my mark
in the world, and ! think that deci-
sion has been a. wise one. But | have
allowed myself freedom in other re-
spects.
Eats Ordinary Fare.
Because my family were vege-
tarians l did not taste meats of any
kind until I was Is. That was the year
| entered the Abo Technical Institute
and l could continue strict vege-
tartan only by refusing the food set
before me. l found l liked meat and
learned it agreed with me. I found
! liked coffee also and that that did
not affect my running.
"In fact, l learned that a normal,
everyday diet in quantity somewhat
larger than the average persons was
all that was necessary to keep me
fit. Your coaches and athletic advisers
probably will frown on my coffee
drinking and argue against other
items in my training menu. One OF
them looked shocked when he found
me eating an apple between races at
p the Finnish American games. Maybe
I'm blessed with a digestive system
of extraordinary quality, but l GER
tainly could not conform to your
rules of diet and accomplish what
do in athletics"
Copyright, 1925, in United States Canada
paper Alliance. Copyright New York World)
Press Publishing Company. All rights re-
served.)
Tomorrow-,What He Thinks of Ski
Training.