1 . A pacer is someone who runs in races or marathons to help set the pace for runners. There are different types of pacers. A race pacer usually carries a sign highlighting a specific competition time for a race. He helps runners reach their goals without relying on technology, such as a smart watch or GPS. Professional pacers are used in long-distance races. They run at different sections of the race to inspire runners. A record pacer helps a professional runner set a new record, who often leads the race for a predetermined distance at a predetermined pace.

A runner being paced runs directly following a pacer. Having a pacer can be helpful for a long-distance runner because researches show that it takes more energy to lead in a race all through the race than to follow another runner. The pacer takes on the responsibility of timing and establishing the pace so the runner only has to focus on his own running. Having a pacer as a guide in a long race can take some of the stress and pressure off by keeping an even pace. The pacer may also provide encouragement along the way to work towards the goal.

There are times, though, when running with a pacer can be more stressful than beneficial for a runner — especially for amateur runners. Not having taken professional training, you set a goal to run a particular pace, but then you realize this may not be the best speed for you. In some cases, the pacer is running too quickly for what you can stand. Other times, you could misjudge your abilities and run a slower pace than what your body can bear.

It is important to note that you don’t have to stay with a pacer just because you started with him. If you feel strong at the end and want to finish faster, you can run ahead. Or if he is too fast, you could slow down and maybe even join the slower pace group behind you.

2 . College Podcast (播客) Challenge Open for Entries

The College Podcast Challenge is back for its third year, in the fall. Entries will open on Sept. 1, 2023 and close at the end of the year on Dec. 31, 2023 to give students the entire fall academic term. And, as with last year’s, the college con test will award a $5,000 grand prize scholarship and $500 prizes to finalists.

One big change this year: the college con test will be open to students of all ages doing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, as well as those who are set to graduate in 2023. College podcasters can enter your own work, without going through your school or professor, as long as you’re 18 years or older.

For the college con test this year, our basic guidelines remain pretty much the same: students can create a podcast about any topic they wish to explore. Some themes we’ve seen over and over include questions on identity and how young people fit in. Your podcast can also be in many different formats: an interview, narrative (叙述的) story or even investigative reporting. You can do it by yourself or with your entire class.

One important rule to keep in mind is that the maximum length of your podcast is eight minutes, and longer entries will be disqualified.

For more tips, advice and the latest updates on this year’s contest, make sure to sign up for our newsletter. We can’t wait to hear your stories!

4 . How to Exercise in a New Way

Get healthy with these bite-sized amounts of exercises

   What should people do when they can’t find the time or desire to do a long workout?     1    

Exercise snacks (“零食式”运动) are a popular and inventive new way for people to stay fit. Instead of requiring hours at the gym, this concept instructs you to keep it short.     2     Then you can take a break that lasts 30 minutes to four hours before another snack. It has been reported that exercise snacks can be as effective as traditional exercise methods.

Of course, the more of these brief exercises you complete in a day, the better. Just three exercise snacks a day that gets your heart pumping can be good for your health.     3     Your concentration and creativity improve, and you can become more productive. Also, “snacking” throughout the day prevents you from sitting too long — something that’s always positive.

Another great thing about exercise snacks is that there are so many to choose from. The goal is to spend a short time doing something that raises your heart rate. Acceptable activities range from sit ups to jumping rope to running up and down some stairs.     4    

●Exercises that are strength-based such as lifting weights will fit the bill. Since most people don’t keep weights at their office, lift full water bottles.

●Squats involve moving your hips as if to sit down while keeping your back straight. This exercise helps strengthen your lower body and improve your movement. Five to ten of these should make a good snack.

●For those who don’t like traditional exercises, simply turn up the music. Pick a lively song and start dancing; it’ll make for a fun workout.

    5    

6 . Due to the heavy academic pressure and safety issues, our children’s movements are limited by a lack of extra-curricular activities, which usually ensure that they meet the daily recommended level of physical activity.

For those children attending a high school, my own included, the morning and afternoon walk could be the only chance that they get to spend time outside. This is a golden opportunity to add sports into their day, without taking part in group sports or going to a closed indoor gym(健身房).

For walking to school, there are also many other benefits, such as improving school performance, reducing anxiety, improving spirits, better sleep, a sense of independence,opportunities to meet friends or think alone, paying attention to small details and being amazed by the surrounding environment.

However, parents still have fears. Parents fear cars, injury, extreme weather and even wild animals. These fears, many of which are almost impossible to happen, prevent parents from allowing their children to do something that’s actually beneficial to them. “Removing an opportunity to be active leads to an increase in childhood obesity(肥胖), which can have a greater negative impact on a child’s life than the risk of being injured due to being active,” saidDr. Mariana Brussoni, a professor who researches children’s outdoor and risky play.

When it comes to changing the culture around parents driving children to school, much work still needs to be done. Therefore, parents should try to let go slowly and give up the idea that driving their children to school is convenient. Brussoni said, “We hope to shift parents from focusing on protecting their children to trusting their independent abilities.Schools can also play a role in encouraging children to walk to school.”

7 . Traditional Chinese culture featured noticeably in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Hangzhou Asian Games. While they stressed the solar terms, the he-he culture, meaning harmony and cooperation, was a common thread that ran through them.

Each of the 24 solar terms coincides with (与……一致) events in the natural world. The terms were put forward more than 2,000 years ago to guide not only agricultural activities, but also customs concerning food, dressing and social life. Nowadays, although Chinese people refer to more modern systems in daily life, except for in the agricultural area, they maintain a strong emotional and cultural bond with the solar terms as reminders of the wit (才智), creativity and diligence (勤奋) of their ancestors.

“I previously had no connection to Hangzhou, but now, after the closing ceremony, I think I share a special bond with this city, said Wan Li, a 22-year-old college student at Fujian Normal University. “Watching the ceremony was also a wonderful chance for me to learn about the he-he culture, in which I was uninterested before.”

Kong Xianglong, a research assistant who worked in Hangzhou on an Asian Games research program and watched the ceremonies, expressed his admiration for the show as well as the Asian Games volunteers, who he said were walking examples of the he-he culture.

“The dance performances were absolutely attractive, a perfect display of the he-he idea and a highlight of the Asian Games,” Kong told Beijing Review. “The considerate service the volunteers provided every day actually invited people to learn about the he-he culture, which moved me a lot.”

Pakistani cricketer Muhammad said he believes that the opening and closing ceremonies played an important role in bringing people from different countries together. “I saw a lot of different countries’ athletes coming together, sharing their cultures and performing. I see a huge success,” he told Xinhua News Agency.

8 . Go For Goal With Your Poem

Football, the world’s most universally loved sport, unites people from all walks of life. Since its establishment in 1992, the English Premier League (EPL) has welcomed players from 115 different nations. This multicultural group reaffirms (重申) that regardless of our diverse backgrounds, we all share a common love for the beautiful game. In celebration of this unity, the league has launched an exciting poetry competition this year.

The Competition

The competition invites young poets to express how football celebrates our differences while also serving as a joining-together force. This theme can be explored through any form of poetic writing, from traditional words to songs. The distinguished judges include poet Joseph Coelho, football star Rio Ferdinand, and beloved pop star Olly Murs.

The Prizes

The winning poems will be honoured with publication in a special poetry collection. There’s more: the winning class stands a chance to win an enriching poetry session, and even a visit from a Premier League champion to your school! The competition will recognize three first-place winners and ten second-place winners from Stage 1(five to seven years old)and Stage 2(seven to eleven years old)respectively.

How to Enter

The competition is heating up and the closing date is Friday 21 December. Teachers are encouraged to register their classes on PLPrimaryStars. com as soon as possible this week. The first 1,000 schools to enter will even receive a special gift bag filled with a selection of wonderful poetry books. So, don’t wait, and kick off your poetic journey today!

9 . Boston Marathon runners in recent years may have seen a smiling furry face around the two-mile mark. It’s Spencer, the therapy (治疗) dog, who became known as an unofficial mascot (吉祥物) for the marathon, He’s shown up on the sidelines every year since 2015—rain or shine.

One particularly rainy marathon catapulted Spencer’s fame, In 2018, his owner, Richard Powers, decided to put a bright yellow rain coat on the dog, making him stand out even more than he usually does. Photos of Spencer, who holds a “Boston Strong” flag in his mouth, went viral, and he became an inspiration to runners and onlookers alike, During the marathon, some runners stop in their tracks to take selfies with the dog-the line sometimes growing to 20 runners long.

But in 2020, Spencer was diagnosed with a tumor (肿瘤). His owner was worried, but Spencer is a fighter. He got the care he needed and survived. In 2021, he was back on the course and it was really kind of a miracle and that really hit home to a lot of people.

Unfortunately, Spencer caught another tumor—this one cancerous—and Spencer began chemotherapy. Powers didn’t think his beloved dog would make it out to the marathon of 2022. “Miraculously, he’s still here with us and an even bigger miracle, he was strong enough to go to the marathon,” he said.

After recovering, Spencer was back to work—not just at the marathon—but as a therapy dog, alongside his companion, Penny, who is also a golden therapy dog. Powers takes his two therapy dogs around to schools, hospitals and senior living centers.

“He’s a gift to us and we’re very lucky to have him. He’s too good so we want to share him with as many people as we possibly can. He does make a difference,” Powers said.

10 . My fitness journey started when I couldn’t fit into my coats and weighed 176 pounds. This was my wake-up call. I was overweight, unhappy, and struggling to get back to health and happiness. I needed to be healthy again, so I decided to lose weight and regain control of my life.

I started working out and lost 40 pounds in two months. I was 33 with two kids. My journey started but I had much more to do. I ran marathons but grew bored of them, so I stepped up the challenge: and competed in triathlons (三项全能) for the next five years. I thought I discovered my passion. I’m a fierce competitor and enjoy racing even more. At 38, I was unable to compete and train at the level I desired. I was fearful of being lost and unhappy again.

As I was leaving the weights area one day, a girl asked if I competed in body building. I told her I didn’t and she said I should. This was the start of my new passion. I approached a bodybuilder at the gym and asked him about the sport and he convinced me to train for my first figure show.

I won every class I entered. I demanded a great deal from my body and aimed to improve before every competition, I maintained 10-11 percent body fat all year round. I have added 10 pounds: of muscle in the past four years.

Women over 40 needs to know that it’s possible to achieve our dreams. It’s about choices. Age isn’t a factor. If you want it, you have to work for it. If it were handed to you, it wouldn’t be sweet or unique.