School Sports & Fitness – B2 English Listening Exercise

9 mental health 10 notice board 11 late evening 12 correct pacing

13 reflective vest 14 quiet streets 15 icy pavements

16 coffee morning 17 community spirit 18 fun run

Sarah: Hi everyone. My name is Sarah, and I’m here today to share my experience of dedicating time to jogging alongside my neighbours within our local residential vicinity. It’s been quite a transformative journey for all of us.

When I first began lacing up my trainers, people often speculated about my reasons. Because I used to be quite competitive, my friends assumed I started running to lose weight quickly or perhaps train for an ambitious marathon. Actually, it was to improve my mental health after an incredibly stressful period at work. I just needed a physical outlet to clear my head.

I soon realised I wanted some company to keep me accountable. I initially spent hours searching an online fitness forum, and I even asked around at the local gym for potential running buddies. But surprisingly, it was pinning a simple handmade flyer to a local notice board that finally caught the attention of several people living right on my street.

Organising our schedule was the next big hurdle. Many dedicated athletes swear by an early morning workout, but that was just too hard for the parents in our group, and a midday lunch break wasn’t possible for the office workers. So, we eventually settled on the late evening as our designated slot, when everyone was finally back from their daily commitments.

Starting out together was quite tough. I honestly thought that grasping proper breathing techniques would be the hardest part, or maybe just finding the sheer motivation to step outside. However, mastering the correct pacing was actually our biggest struggle. We kept sprinting off too fast and then completely exhausting ourselves before we had even covered a single mile.

When it comes to equipment, beginners often get distracted. You might think buying a high-tech smartwatch or carrying a specialized water bottle is essential for a good workout. But since our chosen schedule means we are frequently exercising in the dark, wearing a reflective vest is absolutely mandatory for our personal safety. I literally won’t let anyone join the pack without one.

Choosing the right environment took some trial and error. We initially tried navigating the large city park, and we also briefly considered following the scenic river path, but it turned out to be terribly muddy. Ultimately, we prefer to stick to the quiet streets right here in our neighbourhood, simply because they provide a highly illuminated and perfectly flat surface.

Of course, the outdoor environment throws up some challenges. We don’t really mind getting soaked in heavy rain, and the high heat of summer is physically draining but manageable. But dealing with icy pavements during the harsh winter months is what we genuinely fear the most, as slipping and twisting an ankle is a very real danger for runners.

To maintain our momentum, we made sure to cultivate a social element. We briefly considered paying for a group yoga session to stretch our muscles together, but instead, we decided to host a weekly coffee morning at someone’s house. It gives us a wonderful chance to sit down and catch up properly outside of our workout gear.

The physical transformations within the group have been amazing to witness. Yet, if you ask me, the biggest unexpected reward hasn’t been significant weight loss or an increase in cardiovascular stamina. It’s the incredible community spirit we’ve built together. Before this, I barely even knew the people living next door to me!

Looking ahead to the future, we want to challenge ourselves further. A few enthusiastic members want to attempt a daunting half-marathon, and others playfully suggested entering a muddy obstacle course. But we have officially decided to enter a local fun run taking place next month, hoping to raise a good amount of money for a children’s charity. Thank you for letting me share my story!

9 older cousin 10 strict rules 11 walking boots 12 university forum

13 map reading 14 pine forest 15 dried fruit

16 thick fog 17 mental clarity 18 charity challenge

Maya: Hi everyone, my name is Maya, and I’m here today to talk about my profound passion for hill walking, and how I’ve cultivated a routine of embarking on weekend excursions alongside a great peer group.

When I was younger, my parents were desperate for me to do gymnastics, and my teachers strongly pushed me towards athletics because I was a fast runner. I tried them, but they never really clicked. It was actually my older cousin who took me up a mountain for the first time on a rainy Sunday, and that trip completely ignited my lifelong fervour for hill walking.

People often assume I switched to hill walking because I couldn’t handle the physical contact in other games, or maybe because of the massive time commitment required for training. I actually spent years playing competitive basketball and I was quite talented. However, I eventually quit because I couldn’t stand the strict rules involved in those kinds of structured team sports. Hill walking just offered so much more personal freedom.

Before my first serious hike, I obviously needed some decent equipment. My friends told me to invest in a highly expensive, lightweight backpack, and I almost wasted my entire month’s savings on a fancy GPS watch. Instead, after seeking advice, I realised that a solid pair of walking boots was the most crucial investment to prevent terrible blisters and ankle injuries on rough terrain.

I knew from the start that I didn’t want to walk alone in the wilderness. I spent weeks searching for a local group on social media, but there was nothing suitable in my area. I even regularly checked the notice board at the local library hoping to see a flyer. Surprisingly, I ended up finding my current group through a university forum, which was absolutely full of enthusiastic local walkers looking for weekend companions.

Learning the ropes as a beginner wasn’t entirely easy. You might think that building my physical stamina was my biggest hurdle, or perhaps getting used to carrying a heavy load on my back all day. In reality, mastering the skill of map reading proved to be the most demanding task, as I have a historically terrible sense of direction and compasses confused me.

We love to explore various landscapes across the country. A lot of seasoned walkers absolutely love a windy coastal path, and some thrill-seekers prefer scaling steep, snowy peaks. Our group, though, generally prefers routes that take us through a pine forest, as the scenery is absolutely stunning and the tall trees provide fantastic shelter from the harsh winds.

Fueling up properly on these long excursions is incredibly important. Many hikers swear by consuming complex energy gels on the go, or devouring big pasta meals at the end of the day. I tried those, but they just didn’t suit my stomach at altitude. My absolute favourite snack to consume during a tough ascent is dried fruit, as it provides a fantastic, natural energy boost without making me feel sluggish.

Dealing with unpredictable nature is definitely part of the appeal. We honestly don’t mind getting drenched in a sudden downpour, and walking in the freezing snow is actually quite magical if you are dressed appropriately. However, the one weather condition we all genuinely dread is thick fog, because it rolls in incredibly quickly and makes navigating the trails extremely disorientating and highly dangerous.

The rewards of this hobby are genuinely huge. Obviously, my leg muscles are much stronger now, and my overall cardiovascular health has improved dramatically. But for me, the most unexpected benefit has been a massive increase in my mental clarity. It’s the perfect, peaceful way to completely clear my head after a highly stressful week sitting in an office.

Looking ahead, our group is setting some exciting new goals. Some of my peers are planning to tackle a famous mountain overseas, and others want to transition into learning technical rock climbing. Personally, I am currently organizing a charity challenge for next summer to raise much-needed funds for the local mountain rescue teams. Thank you very much for listening to my journey!