【推荐1】To the cheering of taxi drivers and the honking of horns, the comedian and actor Eddie Izzard ran into London yesterday to complete his 43rd marathon in 52 days. In total he had covered 1,100 miles. His 43 marathons were in aid of the charity Sports Relief, which raises money for the poor all over the world. So far Izzard has raised more than £200,000.

Fighting blisters (水疱) that have caused the nails on his smaller toes to fall off, he ran up The Mall and into Trafalgar Square, where he had started 7.5 weeks ago. In finishing he proved what many thought was an impossible task: that a 47-year-old comedian with no sporting experience could do something a top athlete might find difficult.

After only six weeks’ training he started out on a journey that would take him to every corner of the British Isles. “The first three weeks were the hardest,” he said. The non-stop pressure on his body made him unable to sleep at night and he would wake exhausted with “blisters on top of blisters”.

But the people he met along the way cheered him up. “People stopped their cars and cheered, they gave me money and food.” More than 500,000 people “followed” the comedian, in a different sense, on Twitter. Running into London he looked lean and muscular. “Everyone says my legs look very good but I thought they looked quite good beforehand,” he said.

Simon Blease, 51, a sports doctor and mountain runner who has been following his progress, was waiting on Tower Bridge. “I didn’t think he could do it,” he said. “Like a lot of people I thought he would have a good try, but his body would break down. Someone with so little training. I find it extraordinary that he has done it.”

Asked what he had gained, Izzard said “I know now I can do that. Sport is one of those words that stopped being part of my life when I was about 14. Sporting success was not something I ever associated myself with.” He now plans to continue jogging and hopes to inspire others into sport.

【推荐2】Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, dancing, walking or any of dozens of other activities can help your heart.    1     Whether it is a structured exercise program or just part of your daily routine, all exercise adds up to having a healthier heart. Here are some tips for exercise success.

●Choose activities that are fun and add variety. Develop several activities that you can enjoy.    2    

●Wear comfortable, properly fitted shoes and comfortable, loose-fitting clothing appropriate for the weather and the activity.

●Find a convenient time and place to do activities.    3     If you miss an exercise opportunity, work activity into your day another way.

●Use music to keep yourself entertained.

●    4     Decide what kind of support you need. Do you want them to remind you to exercise? Exercise with you regularly or occasionally? Be understanding when you get up early to exercise? Spend time with the children while you exercise? Try not to ask you to change your exercise routine? Share your activity time with others. Ask your family members, friends or co-workers for help.

●Don’t overdo it, especially at first. You can slowly increase the time and intensity (强度) of your activities as you become more fit.    5    

●Keep a record of your activities. Reward yourself at times. Nothing will inspire you more than success!

【推荐1】When it comes to medical care, many patients and doctors believe “more is better”. But what they do not realize is that over-treatment-too many scans too many blood tests too many procedures (步骤) -may bring harm.

Terrence Power, for example, complained that after his wife learned she had Wegener’s disease, they found it difficult to refuse testing suggested by her doctor. The doctor insisted on office visits every three weeks, even when she was feeling well. He frequently ordered blood tests and X-rays, and repeatedly referred her to specialists for even minor complaints (疾病). Even when tests came back negative, more were ordered and she was hospitalized as prevention when she developed a cold. She had as many as 25 doctor visits during one six-month period. The couple was spending about $30, 000 a year for her care.

After several years of physical suffering and near financial ruin from the medical costs, the couple began questioning the treatment after discussing with other patients in online support groups. “It’s a really hard thing to determine when they’ve crossed the line,” Mr. Power said. “You think she’s getting the best care in the world, but after a while you start to wonder: What is the purpose?” Mr. Power then spoke with his own main care doctor who advised him to find a new specialist to oversee (监视) Mrs. Power’s care. Under the new doctor’s care, the regular testing stopped and Mrs. Power’s condition became stable.

Now she sees the doctor only four or five times a year.

【推荐3】The world has been extremely impressed by China's high-speed trains that cross the country by the hundreds in all directions every day, but in one corner of this vast land is a gentle reminder that life was not always this fast.

Those fortunate enough to travel to Jiayang in Sichuan province will find railway carriages dragged by steam locomotives(火车头), among the last steam trains operating in China and still running every day. First used to transport coal from Jiayang Coal Mine 62 years ago, today they transport local farmers and their produce to market and serve as a tourist attraction.

“In the early days of the railway, farmers headed for the farm produce market sitting beside coal,” said Liu Chengxi, the Jiayang official in charge of the trains. “As coal production has stopped, the trains are now exclusively(专门地)for farmers and tourists.”

The narrow railway, only 76.2 cm instead of the standard 144 cm, stretches for 19. 84 km, with the trains reaching a top speed of 20 km/h.

A one-way ticket costs 5 yuan for seated passengers and 3 yuan for standing passengers on the ordinary trains regardless of whether they are travelling empty-handed or with animals or vegetables. But Li Cuirong, who has worked as a train dispatcher(调度员)for more than 20 years, recommends tourists pay 80 yuan for a sightseeing train, as the carriages, which have 37 seats, are more comfortable and air-conditioned. A one-way trip takes about one and a half hours.

The scenery is dramatic as the train winds through the mountain, passengers can view chickens and geese wandering among the orange trees and butterflies dancing over the fields and ponds.

Rob Dickinson, a steam train lover from the United Kingdom, has ridden the trains twice. He hopes the narrow line can last long enough for him to find the time to get back again.