1 . Golf has a length problem. The farther players drive the ball, the longer holes need to be, so that skills like iron play and putting (打球入洞) remain important. But the longer courses are, the more they cost to maintain and the worse their environmental impact. They also become more daunting for recreational golfers, who keep them in business.

In 2004, golf’s regulators introduced limits on the size of clubs (球杆), hoping to slow the trend of ever-longer drives. Nonetheless, the inflation has continued quickly. On November 15th a famous record tumbled (下跌): someone completed the Masters Tournament in fewer than 270 strokes, the mark Tiger Woods set when he won his first major title in 1997. The new low of 268 belongs to Dustin Johnson, who has averaged more than 300 yards a pop throughout his career. He achieved the feat even though the Augusta National course is 8% longer than in 1997.

How have golfers continued to blast the ball farther than ever? The PGA Tour publishes ball-tracking statistics, which suggest that, although better equipment may have helped, players’ recent gains stem largely from their technique — and even bigger improvements now appear inevitable.

The data come from ShotLink, a system that tracks how fast a golfer swings (“clubhead speed”), his ball’s trajectory (“launch angle”) and its rotation speed (“spin rate”). A statistical model using these metrics was built to predict driving distances. Together, the three factors explained 70% of the differences between players’ distances, and almost all of the increase in length over time.

The model’s lessons are intuitive. To thump the ball as far as possible, one should maximise clubhead speed and launch angle while minimising spin. However, most players face a trade-off between these goals. Harder impacts usually mean flatter trajectories.

One golfer, however, has escaped this constraint. Bryson DeChambeau, a physics graduate with oddly designed club, is nicknamed the “Mad Scientist”. He gained 18kg of weight while the PGA Tour was suspended. This has allowed him to swing faster than anyone else. But he has also managed to smash the ball with a high launch angle — an unprecedented combination that might owe something to his unusually stiff wrists and robotic technique. Using both his brains and his brawn, Mr DeChambeau is now hitting 15 yards farther than his closest competitors do.

Mark Broadie, a golf statistician, reckons that other professionals will try to beef up. But golf history is full of players who lost their edge after making small changes to their swings. And time may yet show that the risks of Mr DeChambeau’s bombs-away approach offset some of the rewards. He strayed into the rough (球场长草区) often at the Masters.

Nonetheless, the Mad Scientist’s breakthrough is bad news for course designers. They will probably have to keep fiddling with their fairways on the golf courses for years to come.

2 . Thrown from his horse three times and repeatedly wet through while camping in a downpour, Chris Walker wondered whether the Mongol Derhy was really for him.

The property developer and farmer from Gloucestershire was, at 55, the oldest of the competitors in this year’s 1.000 km race across the grassland.

Despite the hardships of his eight-day journey, Walker was delighted to finish third in the annual equestrian (马术的 )endurance race.

Competitors race between checkpoints 22 miles apart, where they change horses. They spend nights at one of 28 stations, set up their own camp or enjoy the hospitality of friendly Mongolian families.

Walker, whose grandfather Neville Crump trained three Grand National winners, was an hour ahead of his rivals as the race entered its eighth day but was awarded a time penalty (判罚) because his horse had a high heart rate during one of the regular checks to ensure that the animals were healthy.

“The horses are quite wild. I got bucked off three times. I fell off in a hole,” he said. “You’re going along and suddenly disappear. You have to hang on to your horse for dear life or it goes off.”

Walker who has raised more than £7000 for the charity Riding for the Disabled Association, own horses and his son is a professional polo player.

Heffron, who met Walker as they went out for the race, finished third equal alongside his companion. He said it was important to form a team mainly because falling off alone means that there is no one to help you retrieve your horse.

“It is also a bloody long way to talk to yourself,”Heffron said. “Neither of us had prior ambitions win this race but we realized: “We’re in front, ” SP R pushed.

Born in 1928, Eugenio Monti, was the best young Italian skier of his generation. He became known as the Flying Redhead and won several national titles, but in 1951 an accident called an end to his skiing career. It was then that he switched to bobsleigh. In 1954 he won his first Italian championship and started to dominate the sport in Italy and be a force internationally for more than a decade. However, Monti is more widely remembered as the first athlete to be awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship displayed during the 1964 Winter Olympic Games.

At the 1964 Games in Innsbruck, Austria, Monti and his partner Sergio Siorpaes were the defending world champions, which made them favourites in the two-man event. Monti was desperate to add Olympic golds to his medal collection because he was 36 years old then and had already suffered serious problems with his knees, arguably running out of time to achieve his Olympic dreams. But they were in heated competition with the British team of Anthony Nash and Robin Dixon.

After two runs on the first day, the British led the field. On day two, however, a faulty axle (车轴) on the sled would have been sure to lead to their withdrawal, if it weren’t for Monti offering to lend them the bolt (螺栓) from his sled. The British pair went on to record the fastest time on that final run and won gold by just 0.12 seconds, while Monti and Siorpaes claimed the bronze.

Four days later in the four-man event, Monti’s selflessness towards his fellow competitors shone through for a second time when the rear axle on the Canadian team’s sled was damaged. Monti sent the Italian team’s mechanics to repair it, with the consequence that the Canadian team won gold, with Monti having to settle for another bronze.

Monti was recognised with the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship after the 1964 Winter Games. And four years later, at the age of 40, at the 1968 Games in Grenoble, Monti finally fulfilled his dream of being an Olympic champion.

6 . Some people prefer to have a bite to eat before hitting the gym, known as a fed workout. Others would like to wait until after exercising to refuel their bodies, called a fasted workout.    1     Many experts say there’s no easy answer because it depends on the person.

If you want energy and strength for an ideal workout, you need fuel. A fed workout will provide your body with power. Eating before exercise may help you sustain longer sessions and lift heavier weights.     2     Muscle preservation is also an essential component of strengthening your body. Nitrogen (氮) is critical for processing protein that builds healthy muscles. People tend to lose less nitrogen during a fed workout than a fasted one.

Many fitness enthusiasts are not on board with this idea. They report feeling sick and inactive while trying to exercise after eating. With a fasted workout, you may not get the usual indigestion. Experts for fasted workouts further claim that eating afterwards makes your body use its fat reserves for energy, meaning you will burn more fat.     3     It can cause a sudden drop in your blood glucose (葡萄糖) levels, and you may feel dizzy. You may even be more likely to overeat.

    4     Not all foods are created equal. For example, if you choose a fed workout, you’ll probably lose a lot of water during an intense training, so you should consider drinking some beforehand. With a fasted workout, it would help if you had some nutrition right after your session is complete. Drink some water. Then, have a light meal or nutritional snack.

Deciding when to eat for an ideal workout is a personal choice. Both fasted workouts and fed activities have their benefits and shortcomings.     5    

8 . What is the best sport for your body type?

Just because someone has dreamt of playing football from childhood does not mean it is the best sport for him or her. Finding the sport your body is best suited to can make a big difference to how much you enjoy it and how good at it you are.

A person with an ectomorph body type is tall and slim with little fat or muscle. This person has narrow shoulders and hips, and thin arms and legs. Ectomorphs have difficulty putting on weight because of a fast metabolism (新陈代谢).     1     . What suits ectomorphs is endurance sports. Marathon running, swimming, and football are excellent choices for them.     2     , basketball may also be a great option.

Mesomorph body types are the typical image of an athlete. Their arms and legs are muscular and they have broad shoulders and narrow hips. Mesomorphs can put on or lose weight easily and build muscle quickly.     3     . Possibilities range from weightlifting and boxing to cycling for shorter distances.

A person who is an endomorph naturally carries more body fat. They are often short, with a high waist, and well developed upper arms and thighs.     4     , they can be very good at power sports because of their larger mass. This body type is not suited for agility (敏捷) and speed, but strength activities like wresting or powerlifting can be a great fit.

It is important to note that the three body types are extremes. No one is 100% ectomorph or completely endomorph.     5     . Another key point is that diet and environment also contribute to athletic ability and genetics plays a large part. And the most important thing is to choose a sport you enjoy.

9 . If you have an uphill hike, you may be worried about how your body will hold up over mile after mile. There are a few things you can do to keep the experience from being a painful one.    1    

Uphill climbing requires hard work from your hamstrings. These powerful leg muscles work overtime. And if you'll be carrying a backpack, your upper body also plays a big part.    2     Besides, you'll need arm and shoulder strength to get your pack on and off.

Depending on the length of the hike you're planning, you might increase your training.    3     If your hike will be very steep, you might add some stair sets to your workout. You can do these at home or go to a facility like a stadium that has a lot of stairs for extended climbs.

    4     If you've been jogging for twenty minutes, try alternating one day of longer jogging with a hilly hike while wearing a backpack. If you've been walking for your exercise, alternate longer walks with walks that include hills.

As with any workout program, the key is to keep at it.    5     Chances are that once you get moving, you'll be more interested in keeping on until you finish. And if you find that you don't want to do it, keep your goal in mind.