Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 21.djvu/73

Rh B U P B U P 61 fabulous compared with the performances up to the end of the first half of the century. In all kinds of run- ning the entire weight of the body is thrown on the toes, from which light strides are taken with all possible free- dom of action from the hips. At starting the feet are placed about a foot apart, the body being inclined slightly forward, with the weight of it on the right or hindermost foot. A bent double position with the feet wide apart is on no account advisable. The start cannot be made too quickly on the signal being given. Two or three short steps are taken to get fairly into stride, after which the runner should look straight before him, set his eyes steadfastly on the goal, and run towards it at his longest and quickest stride, care being taken not to swerve or get out of stride. Running is usually thus classified : (1) sprinting includes all distances up to 400 yards ; (2) medium distances range from one quarter to three quarters of a mile ; (3) long distances are those of one mile and upwards. The first-named is the most popular, and is much practised in the north of England, especially at Sheffield, which may be termed the home of sprint running. It is less fatiguing than long distances and requires less arduous training, while strength to a certain extent replaces wind. A great point in sprinting is to obtain a good start, for which purpose incessant practice is required. A first-class sprinter when at lull speed will clear from 8 to 9 feet in each stride, and his toes leave the ground with inconceivable rapidity. When in good condition he will run 100 yards at top speed in one breath, and probably 150 yards with- out drawing a second one. The quickest authenticated times in which short distances have been run on perfectly level ground are as follows : 120 yards, 11^ sec. ; 150 yards, 15 sec. ; 200 yards, 19^ sec. ; 300 yards, 30 sec. ; and 400 yards, 43| sec. Of medium distances the quarter mile race is by far the most difficult to run, as a combination of speed and endurance is requi- site. In fact a runner should be able to sprint the whole way. Six hundred yards and half a mile are the other chief distances in this class of running. The stride is slower than in sprinting, aud a man cannot maintain the same speed throughout as is possible up to 300 yards. The best authenticated times are quarter mile, 48J sec. ; 600 yards, 1 rain, 11-f sec. ; half mile, 1 min. 53^ sec.; 1000 yards, 2 min. 13 sec. ; three quarter mile, 3 min. 7 sec. Light wiry men are best fitted for long-distance running, where stamina and wind are more useful than speed. The strides must be long and light. After some miles a runner is unable to keep the weight of the body on his toes any longer owing to fatigue, puts his heels down, and runs fiat-footed. The times accomplished of late years by long-distance runners are most remarkable. Those for the chief distances are as follows : 1 mile, 4 min. 16 sec. ; 2 miles, 9 min. 11 sec. ; 3 miles, 14 min. 36 sec. ; 4 miles, 19 min. 36 sec. ; 5 miles, 24 min. 40 sec. ; 10 miles, 51 min. 6| sec. ; 20 miles, 1 h. 56 min. 38 sec. ; 30 miles, 3 h. 15 min. 9 sec. ; 40 miles, 4 h. 34 min. 27 sec. ; 50 miles, 6 h. 8 min. ; 100 miles, 13 h. 26 min. 30 sec. ; 200 miles, 35 h. 9 min. 28 sec. ; 300 miles, 58 h. 17 min. 6 sec. ; 400 miles, 85 h. 52 min.; 500 miles, 109 h. 18 min. 20 sec. ; 600 miles, 137 h. 25 min. 10 sec. ; 610 miles, 140 h. 34 min. 10 sec. Nearly all running contests now take place on prepared cinder paths, which from their springiness assist speed considerably. A runner's dress should be as light as possible, and consist merely of a thin jersey, a pair of drawers covering the waist and loins and extending downwards to the top of the knee caps, and heelless run- ning shoes with a few short spikes in the soles just under the tread of the foot. The spikes are longer for sprinting. Chamois leather socks for the toes and ball of the foot may be added, since they diminish concussion as each foot reaches the ground. Since the introduction of ATHLETIC SPORTS (see vol. iii. p. 12) into England and America commenced in 1860 the popularity of amateur run- ning races has vastly increased. These contests are governed by the rules of the Amateur Athletic Association. At Sheffield a code of rules has been drawn up for the regulation of the more important professional handicaps. RUPERT (HRODBERT), ST, a kinsman of the Merovingian house, and bishop of Worms, was invited (696) to Regens- burg (Ratisbon) by Theodo of Bavaria, but finally settled in Salzburg, the bishopric of which was his foundation. He is regarded as the apostle of the Bavarians, not that the land was up to that time altogether heathen, but because of his services in the promotion and consolidation of its Christianity. The Gesta Sancti Hrodberti Confessoris have been printed in the Archwfur Oesterreich. GeschicMe, 1882, from a 10th-century MS. RUPERT (1619-1682), prince of Bavaria, the third sou of Frederick V., elector palatine and king of Bohemia, and of Elizabeth, sister of Charles I. of England, was born at Prague on December 18, 1619. In 1630 he was placed at the university of Leyden, where he showed particular readiness in languages and in military discipline. In 1633 he was with the prince of Orange at the siege of Rhyn- berg, and served against the Spaniards as a volunteer in the prince's life-guard. In December 1635 he was at the English court, and was named as leader of the proposed expedition to Madagascar. In 1636 he visited Oxford, when he was made master of arts. Returning to The Hague in 1638, he made the first display of his reckless bravery at the siege of Breda, and shortly afterwards was taken prisoner by the Austrians in the battle before Lemgo. For three years he was confined at Linz, where he withstood the endeavours made to induce him to change his religion and to take service with the emperor. Upon his release in 1642 he returned to The Hague, and from thence went to Dover, but, the Civil War not having yet begun, he returned immediately to Holland. Charles now named Rupert general of the horse, and he joined the king at Leicester in August 1642, being present at the raising of the standard at Nottingham. He was also made a knight of the Garter. It is particularly to be noticed that he brought with him several military inven- tions, and, especially, introduced the " German discipline " in his cavalry operations. He at once displayed the most astonishing activity, fought his first action with success at Worcester in September, and was at Edgehill on October 23. At Aylesbury and Windsor, on the march to London, he received severe checks, but after desperate fighting took Brentford. In 1643 he captured Ciren- cester, but failed before Gloucester, and in February issued his declaration denying the various charges of inhumanity which had been brought against him. At the end of March he set out from Oxford to join the queen at York, took Birmingham, and, after a desperate resistance, Lichfield, but was there suddenly recalled to the court at Oxford to meet Essex's expected attack. Chalgrove fight, at which during one of his incessant raids he met Hampden, was fought on June 18. On July 11 he joined the queen at Stratford-on-Avon, and escorted her to the king at Edgehill. He then began the siege of Bristol, which he took on July 26, and he took part in the futile attempt on Gloucester, where he failed to repulse Essex's relieving force. In the skirmish previous to the first battle of Newbury he checked the enemy's advance, and in the battle itself displayed desperate courage, following up the day's work by a night attack on the retiring army. In the beginning of 1644 he was rewarded by being made earl of Holderness, duke of Cumberland, and president of Wales. In February he was at Shrewsbury, from whence he administered the affairs of Wales ; in March he went to relieve Newark, and was back at Shrewsbury by the end of the month. He then marched north, relieving Lathom and taking Bolton, and finally relieving York in July. At Marston Moor he charged and routed the Scots, but was in turn completely beaten by Crom- well's Ironsides. He escaped to York, and thence to Richmond, and finally by great skill reached Shrewsbury on July 20. On November 21 he was repulsed at Abing- don, and on 23d he entered Oxford with Charles. He had meanwhile been made generalissimo of the armies and master of the horse. Against him, however, was a large party of courtiers, with Digby at their head. The in- fluence of the queen, too, was uniformly exerted against him. In May 1645 he took Newark by storm. His advice to march northwards was overruled, and on June 14 the experiences of Marston Moor were repeated at