Popular Science Monthly 



The rules governing the running broad 

 jump also govern the pole vault for distance, 

 except that when the man leaves the ground 

 in an attempt, it is counted a trial. 



If the uprights are moved, the field 

 judges should make a re-measurement, 

 because if there is any inequality in the 

 ground at all, changing the uprights may 

 make a difference varying from I in. to \i 

 in., and a competitor should not be allowed 

 to obtain an advantage in that way. 



Indoor Athletic Events 



Indoor athletic events are quite as 

 popular as outdoor events, and have 

 the advantage in large cities of being 

 more easily promoted in gymnasiums, 

 large halls, and armories, and of not being 

 subject to the weather. With certain 

 modifications most of the outdoor events 

 can be conducted indoors. 



Among the most popular indoor running 

 events are the sprints. These are run 

 either on the main floor or on an elevated 

 track. If run on the main floor the distance 

 is limited by the length of the room. 

 Nothing below 25 yd. is considered satis- 

 factory for "straightaway" running. 



When a circular track is used any distance 

 may be run; but contestants cannot, in 

 most places, start side by side on the same 

 mark, on account of the narrowness of the 

 track. For that reason the contestants 

 must run either singly or two may start 

 so as to finish directly on opposite sides of 

 the track, thus allowing the judges to sight 

 across and determine the winner. The 

 most popular arrangement is to have four 

 runners start and finish from separate 

 marks a quarter distance around the 

 track, each runner being timed by a set of 

 watches. This is as close to a real sprint 

 as can be run on a narrow gymnasium 

 track. None of these methods is without 

 objection for narrow track sprinting, and 

 for that reason are never used in important 

 meets. In such meets the sprints are 

 limited to the straightaway on the main 

 floor and nothing less than a half mile is 

 scheduled on the narrow track. But the 

 other methods may be used with profit in 

 closed meets and where absolute condi- 

 tions are not demanded. 



For straightaway sprinting on the main 

 floor there is no difference from outdoor 

 sprints, but for narrow track sprinting the 

 start and "taking the curve" must receive 

 special notice. Toe-blocks cannot be used 

 on such a track. Thus the runner is al- 



143 



lowed to brace his rear foot against the 

 foot of another person at the start. In 

 running around the banked curve a sprinter 

 will make the best time by running up 

 high on the outer edge and inclining the 

 weight well in toward the rail. 



In track events of a half mile or more the 

 contestants start together at or near the 

 same mark, except of course in handicap 

 races. Such races on a narrow track are 

 not always satisfactory because it is almost 

 impossible to pass a runner in the lead 

 without fouling. The only way that this 

 difficulty can be lessened is to insist that 

 the "runner up" must take the outside 

 and the runner ahead keep the inside of 

 the track on the "straightaway" part, and 

 allow no passing on the curve. 



Indoor hurdling has been found to be 

 very satisfactory. It should never be at- 

 tempted on the narrow elevated track 

 usually constructed in gymnasiums. In- 

 door hurdling, whenever it is scheduled, is 

 always run as a straightaway on the main 

 floor like the sprints. It is seldom possible 

 to have more than two hurdles at the 

 regular distances. It is, of course, possible 

 to place the hurdles about 6 yd. apart and 

 use a single stride between hurdles, thus 

 using more hurdles. 



Relay Races in the Gymnasium 



Indoor relays, like all other sprints, are 

 never run side by side like outdoor relays, 

 unless run in an exceptionally large room 

 with at least a 220-yd. track wide enough 

 for that purpose. Relay races may be 

 run on the regular gymnasium track, but 

 only two teams can run at a time, and 

 these must start from opposite sides of 

 the track. Such races are popular and 

 should be scheduled in all indoor meets. 

 They are usually made short — one or two 

 laps for each man — because the winning 

 team must run repeatedly. Uprights 

 should be erected on each side of the track 

 opposite the center across which the judges 

 sight on the finish. All runners should 

 line-up on the inside of the track so as not 

 to interfere with the other team as they 

 pass. 



The starter should stand at the end of 

 the gymnasium rather than near one of 

 the teams. One judge should be stationed 

 on each side of the track at the finish line. 

 Rules about passing are the same as in 

 other narrow track races, but because fouls 

 are almost unavoidable it has been found 

 better to allow no passing. Such races are 



