Amongst other milers may be mentioned J. Kibblewhite, of Swindon, who was good at any distance from one to ten miles. He was very strong, got very fit, and was very plucky, and by these aids won six championships - three at a mile (1889, 1890 and 1891), two at four miles (1890 and 1892), and one at ten miles (1890) - a wonderful record. Another fine miler, W. J. Fowler, has in four successive years (1890 to 1893 inclusive) run second for the championship, a piece of ill-luck which so fine a runner ill deserved.

1 Since these words were put into print, Lutyens covered the mile, at the Oxford and Cambridge Sports of 1894, in 4 min. 19 4/5 sec, a record for the Inter-University meeting.

At longer distances W. H. Morton of the Salford Harriers, Sidney Thomas of the L.A.C., C. E. Willers of the Essex Beagles, and C. Pearce of the Buckfield Harriers, have all done wonderful performances. Morton was a small light-footed runner, who was capable of doing wonderful times at very long distances, and though he never beat W. G. George's ten mile record of 51 min. 20 sec, was by many believed capable of doing this if he tried. The performances of the other trio, Thomas, Willers, and Pearce, were the great feature of the athletic season of 1893. At the beginning of the year Thomas, who runs with a very pretty style but with an action rather too high and springy, commenced the year by cutting many records from one-and-a-half to five miles. However, in June he was beaten by both Willers and Pearce over four miles, the winner, Willers, covering the four miles in 19 min. 33 4/5 sec. - a record. The trio met again at the championship at Northampton, when Pearce had his day, winning the championship title in comparatively slow time.

Another long-distance runner of great promise is F. S. Horan, of Cambridge, who covered his three miles in 14 min. 44 3/5 sec. at the Queen's Club in March 1893, this being the best time for that distance at the Inter-'Varsity Sports. As Horan was in his 'freshman'syear' when he accomplished this performance, his athletic future promises to be brilliant.

Although steeplechases were popular in the early days of athletics, they fell into disuse at important meetings for many years, and were not included in the championship programme until the summer meeting of 1879. In the very early days of athletics something of the nature of a steeplechase or long hurdle race was always included in a programme, and naturally so, for the impromptu races and matches from which the sport arose were often from point to point over a piece of country. But as athletics began to reach the artificial stage, and the natural runner was unable to keep pace with the trained athlete in his spiked shoes on a cinder-path, steeplechases began to drop out of fashion except where they were retained to please spectators; for the British public, in the true style of those who rejoice in gladiatorial shows, like to see somebody or something coming to grief or rendered ridiculous. The result was that for many years the steeplechase was considered as forming the comic part of the entertainment at a meeting, and the managers of sports made huge water-jumps which it was impossible for anyone to clear, so that the lookers-on might see runner after runner tumble into a filthy pool and emerge muddy, bleeding, soaked, and groaning.

However, not even these silly exhibitions could spoil a sport in itself admirable; for nothing can really be a prettier or surer test of a combination of staying power, agility, and pluck than a race of some distance over hurdles or obstacles which are not too high or broad to prevent the runners from having a chance of clearing them. As soon, therefore, as the paperchasing movement, which is described elsewhere, had taken firm hold of the athletic public, steeplechases at athletic meetings began to regain popularity, the distances selected being from three-quarters of a mile up to two miles, but seldom over the latter distance. We are sorry, however, to see that the old form of steeplechase, with impossible water-jumps and prodigious prickly obstacles, is still retained at some meetings, in order that the public may laugh while the miserable performers wallow in the mud or make ugly faces when they may happen to fall back into the brambles or furze, and we must confess to thinking still that the best steeplechases are those across well-selected country, and not round an artificially prepared and enclosed course.

The good steeplechaser must, of course, be a long-distance runner, as no one without staying powers can hope to last the distance; he must be a good jumper as well, and in addition there is a very great art in clearing the obstacles which can only be learnt by constant practice. The object of the clever steeplechaser is to exhaust himself as little as possible over the jumps. He therefore takes the hurdles of ordinary height according to the regular hurdling manner in his stride, never rising an inch higher than is absolutely necessary. The water-jump has to be taken in a different way. The regular practice is for a high hurdle studded with furze branches to be placed on the edge of the water. If the water is too broad for his powers the runner makes no attempt to clear it, but jumps carefully so far into it that, by leaning well forward, his hands may immediately seize the bank, and he then pulls himself cleverly out without losing time. If, on the contrary, he thinks he can clear it with a kick, he gets one foot on the top of the hurdle and thence gets a kick off, which takes him over the water; but this is a very clever piece of jumping which requires great practice.

Some runners, especially in the shorter steeplechases, come with a rush and a bound clear over the hurdle and water, and this bit of 'gallery' is always enthusiastically applauded; but, as a rule, it is a waste of strength in the long run, and the old hands are seldom seen to indulge in such display. As the obstacles may be of all sorts of height and stiffness, however, it is difficult to lay down any general rules to suit all runners and all obstacles, but in no case should the 'chaser alight on both feet from a jump, as he then comes to a dead stop. Most runners take their spring from the right foot, and get over their obstacles a bit sideways with the right leg in the rear.