This is new to me and I don’t know what I will say really so I’m just giving it a try. I was always a runner and in pretty good shape for most of my life. Then I hit a bad patch and each day just couldn’t get myself out there to run. I put on weight, which just made me feel worse about myself.

I finally got the running back again after a few years but it was much harder than it used to be and I struggled to get through even the shortest, slowest jog.

I was out in a run the other day and I had almost convinced (说服) myself to give up when I heard someone say, “You can do it! It’s hard, but you can do it!” There was a lady walking the other way and had the biggest smile on her face.

Those words of encouragement at a time when I was ready to give up were like a perfect intervention (干预). I finished my run and now every time I feel like quitting I will hear her words in my head and they give me motivation (动力) and encouragement.

I’ve never seen her again so I’ve never been able to thank her and let her know the effect something as simple as a few words of encouragement from a stranger had and still has on me. It always encourages me in my life and has great influence on my life. I will never forget it and place it in my heart. I will tell it to others and make others believe encouragement is very important to us.

   For many，running has never been their favorite activity. But running can certainly be a great way to get fit and stay healthy.

Getting started is difficult.【小题1】 Running can be boring at times，but the effect on your body and mind is well worth that struggle of just getting up and running.

【小题2】 Every major city and many smaller cities have running communities. They are quite organized and willing to help. They will help you see your running goals through.

Start with short distances. Though the running community would love to have a new long-distance runner tomorrow，the fact is that that will not happen overnight. Try running one mile every day for the next 3 weeks. After that，add it to two miles and so on.【小题3】

Take part in a race. By signing up for a race in the near future，you will focus on a goal and be motivated（激励）to keep practicing for that event. I suggest signing up for a 5-kilometer race that will take place within one month.【小题4】

【小题5】 Motivation is a major factor in running success. Bring a friend along to push you through the times and motivate you in his own way.

   An increasing number of Chinese are jogging to get and stay fit. Most joggers will run alone, but some will jog with friends or even coaches.

The Beijing Olympic Forest Park is one of the most popular spots. It is packed with runners in the afternoon, usually after work, and at weekends.

Jogging after a whole day’s work can be a way to unwind. It is true for He Wenjun, whose workplace is right near the forest park. She discovered her athletic gift at the age of seven, when she began playing tennis. Then she turned to jogging, and she has persevered with it for 10 years. “I come to jog almost every day after work, whenever I have time. I think jogging is good for my health. And for me, a girl, it helps me to achieve to keep slim,” she said.

She says she prefers jogging alone, so she can focus better. She loves jogging, even during Beijing’s smoggy days. “If the smog is severe, I’ll hold off jogging for a while. But if I really want to get away from work, I’ll wear a mask, or just ignore the smog and go on jogging,” she said.

For those who are not so athletic, jogging also has its attractions.

Wu Houbin started roughly two years ago, when he was severely obese（病态肥胖的）. Within two months, his weight dropped from 82 kilograms to 64 kilograms. The success helped him recover health, and he has made friends. “Jogging does not require speed, but perseverance. If you want to stick to the game, you need to take it as a task, a habit, and then eventually a hobby,” Wu said.

Jogging is beneficial to heart-lung function, and the skeletal system, but doctors say improper technique damages the joints, especially the knees and ankles. “Excessive jogging wears down the body, and harms one’s health. Poor technique harms the muscles and skeletons, and can cause secondary injuries. And, jogging in a bad environment can cause circulation problems,” said Lu Zhiyong, attending doctor, Sports Hospital, General Administration of Sports.

Dr. Lu has some tips for joggers, and those who are thinking of taking it up.

He says people should first evaluate（评估）their physical condition, to decide the amount and type of exercise, and jogging in the open air is better than running on a running machine. It is recommended that joggers jog three or four times a week, and 30 to 60 minutes each time. The best time to jog is 4p.m. — 5 p.m.

   Walking is the best form of exercise. It is good for the upper respiratory（与呼吸有关的）system and the legs. It helps us control our weight and blood sugar. Walking is also a good way to help you make more friends，bringing chances to see new things and meet new people. Personally I try to walk at least 5 miles daily.

As well as walking，I also cycle around Xiamen. Cycling is great for weight loss and helps to build stamina（耐力）.However，cycling does not allow for the same level of social contact as a walk. It is for this reason that I would strongly suggest that you try long-distance walking if you want to be physically healthy. I originally（最初）started walking around Xiamen because I didn't have a car，but I soon started to enjoy the walking for its own sake.

I have also made many friends during my walks. It's not uncommon for my 5-mile walk to sometimes take as long as 2 or 3 hours，because I stop to chat with different shop owners along my route. These days，if I skip my walk for even one day，the people in the shops may want to know why I didn't come.

I' ll never forget the first time some people followed me when I was walking, and asked if it was okay for them to walk with me. I really didn't know what to say, so I just replied that I didn't mind. I have been invited for lunch, dinner and sometimes just to sit and drink tea with total strangers. There is nothing more pleasant than walking past a schoolyard and hearing all the kids say hello to me.

   When it comes to exercise，most of us fit into one of the two groups — those who keep a regular exercise habit and those who think about being more active but can’t seem to have a plan to do it consistently. Whatever your attitude to exercise，there’s another form of physical activity that many of us car-loving people can do to get enough movement in general.

Studies have shown that putting away your car and walking, biking or taking public transport to work can have a significant positive influence on your health by improving spirits, reducing body weight and lowering the risk of heart disease.

It’s not surprising that taking a bus or a train regularly leads to a more physically active lifestyle. Just think about what comes with using public transport. Those who travel to work without a car walk to stations, climb stairs, often stand while waiting for their bus or train, and then finally travel on foot or by bicycle to their destination. Such active transport can make up for the inactive time spent in work and school environments.

There’s no doubt that the improving public transport system in the city is influencing the way people work and live. But though the public transport system is improving, it is not within easy reach of everyone who would like to use it.

Bike-sharing programs are also growing in popularity（普及）and helping to bridge a gap in the crowded city public transport system. These programs allow users to easily book, ride and return a borrowed bike. Bike-sharing programs help people who might still need to travel some distance between the end of the bus or the underground line and their final destination. They also offer an opportunity to residents and visitors to travel freely around the city without being trapped in a car.