2 . Most people choose to take it easy after they retire, but Wang Guilan, an old lady from Liaoning Province, is definitely not one of them. She only started running at the age of 50, as a way to keep in shape, but soon realized it was her passion. She ran her first marathon in 2004 and hasn’t stopped since. From 2005 to 2017 she completed the annual Beijing Marathon thirteen times, and this year she set a new record, becoming the oldest person to ever complete the 168-kilometer marathon.

So, how does a 70-year-old stay in good-enough shape to complete a marathon while many people cannot? As a matter of fact, Wang runs at least 20 kilometers every day from Monday to Saturday, and on Sunday she runs some more alongside the members of her long-distance running club. She prefers running on mountain roads in her hometown, but in winter, when the weather doesn’t allow it, she runs on ordinary roads.

Wang is also a fan of mountaineering, and participated in the International Mount Taishan Climbing Festival, where she managed to rank 27th out of thousands of participants. She once participated in an extreme challenge, where she had to run 208 track laps while staying awake for 48 hours.

Remarkably, Wang has suffered almost no injuries to her knees or ankles over the years, which she attributes to her difficult childhood — that hardened both her body and spirit. The only serious problem is the cataracts (白内障) affecting eyes, which is why she completed some of the marathons with the help of a headlamp.

Wang is a firm believer that age is just a number, and plans to continue running marathons and enjoying the sunset of her life as long as her health allows.

3 . You’d like to exercise more, only to find that you don’t have the time, can’t afford expensive lessons or concern about injuries on your body.     1     With walking, however, you can fully enjoy yourself in multiple ways.

You can get “me” time Heading out by yourself can be a good way to escape the demands and expectations that occupy much of your time. As you walk, you can clear your head, relax, and reflect.     2    

You can do it with others.     3     It’s a great way to catch up or get to know someone better. And if you need to have a tough conversation with someone, try doing it while walking. Striding(跨步) side by side can make discussions easier because you’re more relaxed than when you’re sitting face to face.

You can enjoy the gift of nature.     4     Walking is a great way to get out in nature.

You can gain a new viewpoint. The world is different when you view it at 3 mph instead of 25 or 30 mph. You might discover an interesting shop, observe complex architecture, or meet a friendly person.

    5     Stanford University researchers found that people generated twice as many creative responses to problems when walking compared with sitting.