ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1271, 28 October 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

(Bi "Heecuet.") FIASCO OP THE ROAD RACE. November 29.—Karori A.A.C. Evening Meeting. December 2G and 27. —Australasian Amateur Championships. Why It Was a Fiasco, Last Saturday's road raoo was described in detail in our issue last Monday, and it only remains now to doplore tho great falling off in both public and athletic interest in this event. Time was when a field of between fifty and sixty welltrained runners turned out to bo watched at all vantngo points by a highlyintcrested crowd. Of late, however, the novelty of the affair has worn olf, and enthusiasm has decreased until, on Saturday, a level was reached which it is to bo hoped is bedrock. It should not be allowed to go lower—the abandonment of tho fixture altogether would be preferable to any further decline, although happily there appears to bo no danger of this if only the affair is handled aright.

This is not written in any spirit derogatory to those few enthusiasts upon whom tho burden of carrying tho event through has fallen of recent years. Their efforts are thoroughly appreciated by these who know of them, but their unaided efforts havo not proved sufficient, nor ran they be expected to prove so. The race should bo controlled, and actively managed by,the Wellington Centre. It should be taken in hand in ample time for teams to be formed, and a date should bo fixed when footballers havo not get out of training, and when track runners aro just in need of it. Tho harriers can always be relied upon by virtue of their weekly runs.

This year it was left too late. The consequence was a clash with rowing, tennis, cricket, and, worse than all, a race meeting. The result was that only seventeen competitors started, making three teams, only two of which were in any degree trained at all. Those were the two harrier dub representatives—the other being a quintet from the W.A.A.C., who, in a sportsmanlike manner, turned out practically "raw" to make up a field. Both harrier teams were good ones— as good perhaps as havo started in tho ovont, and the racing, as far as they were concerned, was as good as could 1m wished for. The W.A.A.C. team would havo been a good one had it been fit, but as stated it was not—very far from if. Tho only one with a semblance of fitness was Fitzgerald (when is tho Evergreen not fit?), and ho really ran well throughout. He finished eighth, beating several of tho harriers, but as was natural got no support from his colleagues. High Time for a Change. It is high time that a change was made. Tho fixture should in future bo worked up, and conducted on proper lines, or else dropped entirely, and, after last week's fiasco, it must be apparent to tho centre's officials that the time has come for them to "take hold," and reinstate the road race to its proper place in tho estimation of the runners and the public.

Ths Imbecility of Amateur Styles. A Sydney paper reprints an article on the (liffcronoß between tho methods of professional and amateur rumwrs that is full of good sound "horse sense" as regards the way in which tho two classes of athletes look after themselves, both boforo and on tho day of a sports- meeting. Some of tho statements therein, especially in regard to tho wholesale superiority in performance claimed for the professional class as a whole, are very much open to argument, and, as in New Zealand there is practically no section of professional runner who "lives on tho game," some of tho remarks made havo no local application, still there is so much that is true and applicable in tho article that it is appended in toto in the hope that our irthlstos will reap some benefit from tho hint* given therein. How the Wise Professional Does It, There is absolutely no comparison between tho champion professional and tho champion amateur runner. Even tho university champion sprinters, who aro generally supposed to havo tetter tr.iininir conditions than tho average amateur, ar* many yards worse than tho "pro." The professional lives on tho game. Therefore, ho has nothing eke to do but run. And run ho does. But not mad, liko many amateurs. The professional h'As all day in which to train; the amateur has not. The first-named can so over to tho ground about 9.3 A a.m. lie leisurely strip.' and gets into his running togs. A slow jog round the ring, then a lie down in tho sun. Tho warmth has a soothing effect on the muscles of the body. When the runner feels like a break he has one. Then tho sun again, and so on.

The amateur is rushing his work through to got away from tho office by 5.30 p.m. He gets out to the ground by fen minutes to 0. It is getting dark. Clothes are pulled off hurriedly, knickers put on back to front in tho hurry, but that does not matter—it's luckv, they say —shoes fixed on, and then the track. Muscles are tied up and cramped owing to sitting down most of tho day at the office, but there is no time to jog round. Neither is there any sun to throw its warmth on him. With joints stiff, ho has a break—leaves the holes like an old woman, has a few more breaks, and warms up a bit. But it is then too late to warm up. The professional is warmed up before he docs any breaks. The amateur warms himself up n bit with breaks. He. has finished his work at a point whore he should be starting it. When the professional has finished his running he is taken in hand by his trainer- Plenty of massage and kneading leaves the muscles nice and supple. Whilo tho bedy is being treated the legs aro covered with a warm rug. When the amateur has finished his work, if ho is hicky he gets a "rub." Perhaps lie is ono of the lucky amateurs, and is under some trainer who also has a number of other men. This means that when an amateur is finished his work he has to wait his turn for a rub-down. When a trainer has to massage about six or eight men in about an hour and a half, it will bo seen that the professional horo again has the advantage, because he has his own trainer, who gives the whole of his time to his charge, and quite naturally, of course, more attention to the ono than would possibly bo the case if he wero called upon to bestow his attention to oared for. And if a horse needs fender half-a-dozen.

Next we come to tlio actual racing day. Anyone who has ever visited a racecourso knows how even an ordinary galloper is kindling so should man, when called upon to put forth great efforts. This is where the prefessienal again easily outdistances the amateur. The man who lives on the game is rubbed into suppleness in the dressing-room just before the race. The really first-clnss professional makes his appearance on the track robed and warm. The robe is generally not removed until the last minute. When the tape is reached the "pro." is met by his trainer, who immediately throws the robe about his man. Everything that is possible is done to save the runner from chills or anything at all that might have the slightest injurious effect. And how does the amateur take the track? Oeneraliv he leaves the dressing-room clad in a light siuglot and knickers. Ho is very fortunate indeed if the day is not one which is cold and draughty on the exposed limbs- The cold and damp grass makes a Rood seat on which to squat for tho purpose of adjusting shoes. When the raco is over, and the runner fagged out, it is a hundred to one chance lliat he again bascats himself on the grass. There is no one waiting with a robe that will keep the cold air away from the limbs. There is no trainer waiting to give him a good rub-down, unless ho may bo a starter in some other event. A cold shuwer aud very often stiffness in tho concluding effort on tho part of the amateur. The professional has had a good kneading and is fresh. And when this goes on. month in and month out, is it any wonder that evon the very best amateur stands no chance with professionals who aro not even at the top of their class? Some City Gossip. Snino comment has been occasioned in athletic circles during the week by tho fact thai a member of the council n( the X.Z.A.A.A. acted in a very prominent ollicial capacity at the professional sports meeting at Wonderland on Labour Day. Next month will boo a now departure in. Uio local athletic syllabus- This will

bo an inter-departmental sports meeting for civil service, and is to bo conducted by tho C.S.A.A.C. This would seem to 1m an excellent idea, and tho Rood causo should, be helped along considerably by the unearthing of the new talent that is sure to follow. There must bo many now muto inglorious Donaldsons and Woodgers blushing unseen within the walls of tho "biggest wooden building" <iml wasting their sweetness, pace, and stamina in pursuit of tho elusive tramear, when they might bo accumulating fame nnd trophies galore on the track by a better directed use of those samo qualities. Tho projected three-milo match between U. Hill, of Auckland, present Now Zealand champion, and .Miles Dickson, of Christchurch, Australasian champion at tho distance, wlio was defeated by tho Aucklander in Christchurch in March last, is to take place in Christchuich early in December. To tho Karori Club falls tiro honour of being able to announce tho first meeting of the incoming season. The suburban men aro opening with an evening meeting on October 29, at wliick two open events are "listed—a 100 yards and onelnilo handicap.