1-5 运动鞋

Sneakers

I always admire people who exercise. In particular, older folks who make exercise a daily routine. At 75, Jack 1 was truly an inspiration1.

There was a pond in the middle of this beautiful park. Some may argue that it is a lake. I have no idea what qualifies water to be either, but this was big enough and small enough to walk around several times as a part of an exercise program.

Jack ran.

I wasn't there to break records. In fact, I was just out for a stroll. But Jack zipped2 by me at least four times in the time it took me to complete my walk around once.

At the end, I sat on a bench where I started. Jack sat down next to me, as he completed his last lap3 and was slowly unwinding4.

“How do you do it?” I asked as I shook my head.

Jack smiled and whispered his reply to me as he leaned toward where I was sitting.

“Don't tell anyone. My secret is...”

I actually leaned in to hear this. I thought he had the secret to youth.

He continued whispering. “My secret is... I do this... one step at a time.”

Then he started laughing.

Feeling the fool, I pretended to go along with the joke realizing then that my question was stupid.

“My name is Bob,” I said as I offered my hand to him.

“Call me Jack,” he said and shook my hand with a very firm grip.

“Jack,seriously. You appear to be a little older than I am and look in great shape. Have you always been this healthy?” I asked, cautiously thinking about my wording.

“I'm 75 and proud of it!” he said. “As for my health, about five years ago they told me my heart was in bad shape5. My choice was to sit back and let life take its course or for me to plan it. I took charge,” he said as he changed his running shoes.

Continuing he said, “The fact is, I should have done that long ago. I would probably be in even better shape.”

“What advice can you give a soon to be 51 year old man with extremely high cholesterol 26?” I asked.

He looked me straight in the eye as he placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “Sneakers.”

“I should have the best sneakers to run in?” I asked.

“No. Always remember to tie your sneakers before you take off. I didn't the first time I started running. I fell on my face and chipped7 the bone in my right knee. I couldn't start again for weeks,” he said laughing.

Did I mention this young 75 year old also had a great sense of humor?

“Seriously, Bob. The key to setting any goals in your life is to be prepared. Check everything before you start chasing after your dreams. I know so many people who are miserable 3 today because they started running after their dreams, always in pursuit of them. Why are we always chasing things? They chased them and fell flat8 on their face because they weren't prepared.”

Still trying to get some valuable information on staying healthy, I started to ask, “So, the key to living longer and being happy with your life is...” he interrupted me.

“Don't forget to tie your sneakers!” he said.

There you have it... “The secret to success.”

注释：

1.inspiration [7inspE5reiFEn] n. 鼓舞人心的人(或事物)

2.zip [zip] vi. 有力而迅速地行动(或移动)

3.lap [lAp] n. (跑道的)一圈

4.unwind [5Qn5waind] vi. 放松，松驰

5.in bad shape 处于不佳状况

6.cholesterol [kE5lestErEul] n. [生化]胆固醇，胆甾醇

7.chip [tFip] vt. 碰出缺口；切成碎片

8.fall flat 直挺挺地倒下

运动鞋

我总是钦佩坚持运动的人，特别是那些把运动当作日常生活一部分的老者。在这方面，75岁的杰克不愧是个楷模。

　　在这个美丽公园的中央有一个池塘。有人可能要说它是个湖。我无从知道它到底应该算是个池塘还是个湖，但它的确不大不小，绕着它走几圈就可以达到锻炼身体的目的。

　　杰克是绕湖跑步。

　　我到那儿可不是去破纪录的。实际上，我只是出来散散步。但是我绕着池塘走下一圈时，杰克至少有4次从我身边嗖嗖跑过。

　　散完步后，我坐到起步处的一张长椅上。这时杰克在我身边坐下来，他已跑完了最后一圈，正在慢慢地放松。

　　“你怎么练出来的？”我摇着头问他。

　　杰克露出微笑，侧身向我靠过来，悄声对我说：

　　“不要告诉别人。我的秘诀是……”

　　我也倾身靠向他。我想他恐怕真有让青春常驻的秘诀。

　　他继续悄悄说道：“我的秘诀是……我是这么做的……一步一步地跑。”

　　然后他开始大笑起来。

　　我感到自己有点傻，便假装很欣赏这个笑话，心里却意识到我问了个蠢问题。

　　“我叫鲍勃，”我向他伸出我的手。

“就叫我杰克，”他说着，非常有力地握了握我的手。

　　“杰克，说真的。你看上去比我稍大一点，但你体形真棒。你一直是这么健康的吗？”我问，字斟句酌。

　　“我75了，的确很自豪！”他说。“至于我的健康，大约5年前他们说我的心脏有毛病。我可以选择听天由命，或是夺过对命运的掌控权。我选择了后者，”他边说边换下了他的跑步鞋。

　　他继续说：“事实上，我早就应该那样做。那样的话，我会更健壮。”

　　“对一个快51岁、胆固醇极高的人，您有什么忠告？”我问。

　　他直视我的眼睛，把一只手放在我的肩膀上，说：“运动鞋。”

　　“我应该穿最好的运动鞋跑步？”我问。

　　“不是。永远记住在起跑之前要系好鞋带。我在第一次开始跑步前没有系好，结果摔了个马趴，使得右膝盖粉碎性骨折，好几个星期都不能跑，”他说着哈哈笑起来。

　　我说没说这位75岁的年轻老头儿还挺幽默的？

　　“说正经的，鲍勃。确定人生中任何目标的关键是要准备好。在开始追逐你的梦想之前要检查好一切。我知道许多许多人现在很痛苦，因为他们早就开始追梦，永远是在追梦。为什么我们总要追求这，追求那呢？他们总在追，摔趴在地上，因为他们没有准备好。”

　　我还想得到些有关健康的宝贵忠告，于是问道：“那么，活得长点，活得幸福的关键是……”他打断了我。

　　“别忘记系好你的运动鞋鞋带”他说。

　　这就是……“成功的秘诀”。