Page 11 - index

Kent County Cross-country Championship and the
Southern Counties Cross-country Championship, and it is
the object of an active and enthusiastic members to train
regularly and conscientiously in order to fit themselves
for selection for the Blackheath Harriers' teams in these
events. On ·t]:lcse Saturdays when ordinary runs are
held over t.hevbeau tiful country in the vicinity of West
Wickham, different packs are formed and the individual
member joins that to which his speed and experience are
suited. Each pack is under the control and guidance of
a runner who is fully qualified to take charge and whose
duty it is to see. that no one proceeds at .n greater pace
than is consistent with his apparent capabilities. In this
way the young members are encouraged to train assiduously
and to.imprcve by a gradual. and thorough process, and
they are not expected to take part in races until it is clear
to 'the Executive that they are in such condition as will
enable them to cover the required, distance without risk
of harm to themselves. The advantages derivable from
this systematic exercise are obvious and the Club can
point with pride and satisfaction to many veterans who
regularly take part in the weekly runs and who have
done so for 20 or even 30 years with constant enjoyment
and evident benefit to themselves.
Training takes place at the Crystal Palace and other
tracks from April to September inclusive, during which
period Club representatives are to be found competing
at most of the prir.cipal meetings held in London and the
provinces, and each season invariably sees a large number
of members carrying the Club colours to the fore in different
parts of the country. In the early part of the summer
an important event is the annual match with the Royal
Military College, Sandhurst, while other prominent fixtures
are the Kent County Championships. the Inter-Club
Contest at Woolwich-with which is associated the com-
petition for the North-Kent. Cup-and most important of
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