1 . Winter is a great time to experiment with new sports. The key is to find one that matches your interests and natural abilities. If you like to walk, keep walking—on snowshoes. If you want to try an endurance sport, go for cross-country skiing. Besides, snowboarding is just great fun.

Not satisfied with these? Try downhill skiing, then. Downhill skiing is not as hard as it used to be—shorter, lightweight, curved skis make any beginner feel like an Olympic winner. These newer skis—along with another type of equipment called ski boards, which are even shorter than skis—help you control your speed and body movements.

Consider testing the latest high-tech skis or snowboards? Check with your local sports shops or the rental places at the ski mountains about sample programmes.

You could also try sledding. Use a wood-framed sled with steel runners or a plastic sled to head down a snowy hill. If you prefer ice to snow, think hockey or figure skating.

Runners can also train during the winter in spite of wet or slippery roads. One of the easiest sports around, snowshoeing can be excellent cold-weather cross-training for runners and cyclists—or anyone wanting to take a wintry walk in the woods. Snowshoes are smaller, lighter, and better than ever. If you want to try them out, you may be able to rent a pair for a day at many of the larger outdoor or sporting goods stores.

Whatever sport you choose, don’t rely on a friend for instruction. You wouldn’t let an inexperienced doctor perform a brain operation on you, but why let one teach you to ski or skate? That’s what instructors are for—to help newcomers start out right. Instructors can give you advice about equipment, techniques, safety, and dealing with injuries if they do happen to you.

Above all, if you want to progress, invest your time in learning the basic skills thoroughly. Everything else you do as a skier, boarder, or skater will be built on these first skills.

2 . 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

5 . If you’ve recently joined a gym, or are just looking to try a new, different form of exercise, you might consider trying a group exercise class. Classes are a great way to workout. Here are a few tips to help you relax and prepare for your first class.

Choose the right class for you. Most gyms offer a wide range of different classes and choosing one that is right for you is the first step. To begin with, you need to think about what it is that you want to achieve and work from there.     1     If you’re looking for a more relaxing form of exercise that will improve your flexibility, then yoga might be a good option.

Think about what you might need.    2     Wear clothes that are comfortable and suitable for the type of exercise you’ll be doing. For example, yoga requires stretchy clothes that will allow you to move. Often classes don’t require anything out of the ordinary, but it doesn’t hurt to check.

Arrive early. Try to arrive at least 5 minutes early so you can get your bearings and think about the studio and any equipment you’ll be working with. Some classes such as weight-based classes require a lot of equipment which usually takes a few minutes to set-up.    3     So give yourself time.

    4     Group exercise is set up for a group of people to benefit from professional instruction not for participants to compete. While it is hard to resist trying and keeping up with the people around you, the best thing you can do is focus on your own body and what you’re feeling and able to handle. If you’re uncertain how an exercise is best carried out, ask your instructor.    5    

6 . American Harvey Sutton, a 5-year-old boy, just finished walking the whole length of the Appalachian Trail (路线), one of the longest footpaths in the world. Harvey is one of the youngest people ever to walk the trail. He and his parents completed the trip in 209 days.

Harvey climbed over tall rocks and got to watch wild animals. “The rock climbs were really hard but fun. We were not bored.” said Harvey. His parents tried hard to him happy and excited. His father said meeting and talking with other hikers along the way prevented boredom.

Harvey was 4 years old when he and his parents began their walk in January. He turned 5 before the family completed the trip earlier this month in Maine. But the youngest of all to finish the trip may be Juniper Netteberg. The little girl finished walking the footpath at age 4 with her parents last October.

The long hiking may seem like an extreme activity for a child, but Dr. Laura Blaisdell sees no harm. She is a children’s doctor and medical adviser to the American Camp Association. Dr. Blaisdell said children are strong enough for the experience if parents attend to their child’s usual social and emotional development.

Harvey’s, trip earned admiration from another hiker, Dale Sanders. He is the oldest person to hike the footpath, which he did at age 82. “It’s going to change his life forever, and his parents’ life, too. The kid went through some hardships, but don’t we all? Hardships make us stronger,” said Sanders, now 86. “That kid is going to smile through life.”

8 . Shi Yilong started to learn rollerblading (滑冰) and entered the Beijing team when he was 15, then joined the national team for freestyle skating and finished second in the World Championships at age 17. When he was 23, he retired and learned skateboarding (滑板) and skiing (滑雪). Shi Yilong has been fully exploring his life.

After retiring, he went back to Beijing and tried some jobs, but he found that they were not what he wanted. He chose to quit after working in a financial company for about a year.

“The moment I stepped on the skateboard, I was free. Skateboarding brings me a sense of freedom and lights up my enthusiasm,” Shi said.

Youths like him are often thought of as “rebellious (叛逆) teenagers,” but Shi has found there is another more positive understanding: the term "rebellion" can show a person’s attitude, persistence, and love. It is a process to repeatedly reassure himself. “I love to compete with myself,” he said.

In others’ eyes, Shi Yilong is a person who changed the game into “something” else — he set up his own company.

“If you keep on doing one thing for 10 years, you will have your rewards. I was just like this. I have done what I love for many years. From a penniless person to a person with his own company, all I got came from love,” Shi Yilong said.

Skateboarding is a lifelong sport for all ages. Whether it is as young as a 3 or 4-year-old kid, or as old as 70 or 80 years old, people can enjoy skateboarding.

“However, you can do different tricks at different ages. For example, we’ll challenge ourselves with more difficult tricks when we are young. Then, you start to stylize your tricks. When we get older, all we might ask for is to just keep skateboarding,” Shi Yilong said, “This is also my attitude towards life.”

10 . Today, millions of kids around the world will fight childhood obesity （肥胖）by getting up, getting outside and exercising all at the same time. The children are taking part in Project ACES. Fitness expert Len Saunders started the yearly event 22 years ago. He hopes Project ACES will encourage young people everywhere to get fit and live healthy lifestyles. According to the American Heart Association, about 25 million children and teenagers in the United States are overweight. That is nearly 1 in 3 kids. Obesity can lead to many serious health problems. Concerned about it, Saunders decided to do something.

When Project ACES began, Saunders was working at two elementary schools. At first, he imagined a day when students in just those two schools would exercise together. But before long, schools across the country found out about the plan and wanted to take part. By the following year, schools worldwide were signing up.

Valley View Elementary is the host school for the event. Saunders teaches physical education at the school. Valley View plans to hold his Project ACES Day on the playground, where 500 students will get moving with different activities.

Jen Kayne has two kids who attend Valley View Elementary. She says they look forward to the event each year. "My kids count down the days until they get to go outside and exercise with their friends, "Jen Kayne says. "Mr. Saunders encourages our children every day and inspires us to live a healthier lifestyle. "

Saunders' new book, Keeping Kids Fit, also has tips on how families can exercise. "You might not be able to change the world, but you can change your little corner of it. If I can make a difference to one family member or one child, then I have succeeded, "he says.