Even for older people, sports, especially running, can contribute greatly to eliminate smoking, drinking and eating too much. These characteristics of the twentieth century have long-term effects. Some studies proved that the elderly people also had a possibility to become as healthy as old sportsmen, even they did not practice before they began to run. Doctor Cardiff also has shown that through physical exercise, even an eighty elderly could greatly enhance his body functions. In summer, there was a group of runners who would gather in a quarter-mile-long runway on Thursday night every week. Then they would march a short race. There was no entry fees, and without any formalities. A wide range of people would participate in it, both the university competitors and the housewives and children. In the past few years in summer, there was a white-haired old man who came to participate in it when he was seventy years old. When we were in our race, he ran slowly in the outside of the course. He wore shorts and tennis shoes. One night, I talked with him. Because of the leaving of his wife, he lived by himself. So he started to run and wanted to see whether he could make his emotion better. When I asked him whether he could feel better or not, he did grim like a little child and said:" Even if you give me the money, I would not stop running". His study also indicated that when people over sixty and engaged in the mild exercise, benefits could get from it. However, this sport would not affect younger people, even a walk could put impacts on them.
With respect to children's running. Kids can run faster and more tenacious than you think. In my family, the feisty idea was developed from childhood. John was my son, when he was ten or eleven years old, we took part in a five-mile race in Hamden of Connecticut. We drove there on a Sunday. I ran smoothly, so I won the second among my competitors and won prizes. Under the long-standing tradition, the prize was a carved pedestal of yellow plastic, trimmed with a male athlete who was ready to gallop. I should say that runners who receive this prize are the world's ugliest one. John's name was called a few minutes later. His prize was given to the youngest one who ran to the goal of the line. This made him happy, but I felt aggrieved that the volume of his prize was two times bigger than mine.
A friend came to me a few days later and asked me how could a small child run so far? Was that OK?. I felt I did not really understand the problem. I knew there were many children running; some children were even younger than John. Many of the children even participated in the marathon race. I was also told that the son of a marathon runner have done the surgery of cardiopulmonary. His parents probably followed the doctor's advice, encouraged him to engage in the long-term running. I did not know the effects of running to my son. I also could not realize whether it was beneficial to kids, so I began to read some books, so that I could ask people questions. I would not let John run if running was harmful to him, no matter how much his prize valued. All I knew was that the effects of running were different from baseball, football or basketball. Among those sports, our hearts will accelerate its speed, and we have to exert all our strength now and then.. Time is also allowed for us to have a break. However, there was a different picture in running, especially in the race, we have to burst the whole strength of our body. At that time, the heart will beat fiercely, legs will be painful and the breathing will be difficult. What results would this point puts on a child's shoulder.