1 . How does a person become an Olympic champion? In reality, a combination of biological, environmental, and psychological elements, as well as training and practice, all go into making a super athlete.

Perhaps the most important element involved in becoming an outstanding athlete is genetic. Most Olympic competitors are equipped with certain physical characteristics that make them different from the average person. Olympic weightlifters, for example, have a large number of fast- twitch fibers (快速收缩肌肉纤维) in their muscles. These allow them to lift hundreds of kilos from the ground and over their heads in seconds. Surprisingly, a large, muscular body is not the main requirement to do well in this sport. It is more important to have a large number of fast-twitch fibers in the muscles.

The legs of an outstanding marathon runner, on the other hand, might contain up to 90 percent slow-twitch muscle fibers. When we exercise long or hard, it’s common to experience tiredness, muscle pain, and difficulty breathing. These feelings are caused when the muscles produce high amounts of a substance called lactate and can’t remove it quickly enough. Athletes with many slow-twitch muscle fibers seem to be able to clear the lactate from their muscles faster as they move.

Some athletes’ abilities are naturally enhanced by their environment. Those raised at high altitudes (海拔高地) in countries such as Kenya have blood rich in hemoglobin (血红素). Large amounts of hemoglobin carry oxygen around the body faster, enabling these athletes to run better. Although genes, environment, and even culture play a part in becoming an outstanding athlete, training and practice are needed to succeed. Marathon runners may be able to control tiredness and keep moving for long periods of time, but they must train to reach their goals. Weightlifters and gymnasts perfect their skills by repeating the same motions again and again until they become automatic. Greg Louganis, winner of four Olympic diving gold medals, says divers must train the same way to be successful: “You have less than three seconds from takeoff until you hit the water, so it has to be reflex (对刺激的本能反应). You have to repeat the dives hundreds, maybe thousands, of times.” Training this way requires an athlete to be not only physically fit but psychologically healthy as well. Otherwise, they couldn’t handle the training loads.

2 . Barbara, 70, and me, at 71, have swum together for at least 50 years. We swim in a quiet cove (小海湾). It’s home to seagulls, a duck or two, and kayaks (独木舟) on occasion. The difficult summer drought of 2021 brought a burning sun that warmed the water. As the drought eased and the water cooled in late August, we decided to keep swimming. We have both read Bonnie Tsui’s Why We Swim, a fine book about cold-water swimming. We challenged ourselves to swim for as long as possible through September and into October.

I have long loved swimming, though the fear of being seen as fat has dogged me. I am one of those female bodies poorly displayed in bathing suits. Cold-water swimming deepened my sense of well-being and let me use my body. It became a ritual Barbara and I embraced as swimming sisters. When she returned to the United States immediately after our Canadian Thanksgiving, I did not know how I could continue our cold-water tradition. I wasn’t prepared to freeze alone.

But, I had to swim; there were larger commitments I should stick to. In the summer, we planned to cross from the cove to an island across the lake. I had to stay fit. We also planned to host a cold-water swimming race for locals in the fall. We would make it an annual event, improving our strength and endurance (耐力) so that, in our 80s, we might swim through October and into November.

With these plans in mind, I joined my local city pool. I had not been in a public pool for about 30 years. But my body said swim, my brain said swim and my heart, could not let go. So I went anyway.

I am swimming. I am alive to my love of the water, alive to my promise for the spring and the summer that will come. I intend to step back into the lake in May, and through September and October with Barbara. We are perfectly matched in our devotion, and increasingly aware of the miracle of being able-bodied enough to share the cold-water wonder side by side.

6 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.

Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular （心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "

For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak （最大值的） cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.

A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.

These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.

"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.

A little exercise is better than none

Exercise is good for us. It reduces the risk of dying from all causes, including cancer and heart disease. This is according to the World Health Organisation. But many people who work on weekdays have little time for exercise.

So, they might try to do something to increase their heart rates over the weekend go for a long run, take a bike ride, hike in the mountains or do a strenuous chore around the house, such as raking leaves , shoveling snow or digging a garden.

We sometimes call people who exercise only on Saturdays and Sundays “weekend warriors (战士)”. But is it healthy to avoid exercise during the workweek and then try to fit it all in during the weekend?

A new study suggests that, yes, it is healthy: Even weekend warriors may reduce their risk of cancer and cardiovascular (心血管的) disease.

Australian researchers at the University of Sydney conducted the study. It took place over a nine-year period.

During that time, the researchers looked at the self-reported exercise habits and health examinations of more than 63,000 adults in England and Scotland. Then they connected that information to mortality—or, death—records.

The researchers found that people who exercised only one or two days a week improved their chances of living longer than people who did not exercise at all. Even those who are very overweight—or, obese—could extend their lives by exercising a couple of days per week. Exercises included playing sports and taking a brisk walk.

First, let’s look at cancer. When compared to those who did not exercise at all , weekend warriors had an 18 percent lower risk of dying from cancer.

As for cardiovascular disease, weekend warriors had a 40 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than inactive people, or so-called “couch potatoes”. Couch potatoes are people who don’t exercise. They simply sit all day like potatoes.

In other words, their health improves even if they don’t meet the suggested weekly amount of physical activity. However, to be in the best health, Stamatakis says, more exercise is better.

The WHO suggests that the average adult get at least 150 minutes of moderate (中等的) to intense activity per week. For the best results, the organisation suggests 75 minutes per week of vigorous (高强度的) physical activity.

8 . Races

Virtual(虚拟的）races-but the running is real! Here are some of the best online races.

RAINBOWS VIRTUAL 5K

This is a fun run designed to be completed in any way that is proper for you-whether you run or walk in the garden,dance and walk fast along with your dog. All the organisers ask is that you complete 5K—in one go or over several days of your choice.

￡20,rainbows.co,uk/events/rainbows-virtual-5k

MILTON KEYNES MARATHON WEEKEND VIRTUAL 5K

Part of the yearly September Milton Keynes running festival, this year you can complete the 5Kvirtually. Complete it in your own time—in the garden or on an exercise machine if need be. You can also complete it in smaller runs.

From ￡18,mkmarathon. com/virtual-race

10K GARDEN CHALLENGE

A virtual race you can complete in your garden or at a local open space or park. Put on your shoes and complete 10K as speedily as you can. The event helps raise money for mental(精神的)health,with 15% of the entry fee being given to Bath Mind.By the way,the medal(奖牌)is environment-friendly.

￡15,womensrunning.co. uk/ neus/ keep-motivated-with-our-womens-runing-virtual-challenges

ROCK 'N' ROLL VIRTUAL

Sign up with the virtual running club and compete in weekly events alongside runners from around the world. Challenges include running an 8K and 15K in one weekend or running a l5Kwithin a 30-hour time window. Running challenges are all free to enter, but you can buy merchandise(商品）and medals if you want to add to your wall.

Free to join,buy your medals from ￡20,runrocknrollvr.com