Citizens exercise in the stadium in the early morning. Photo by Liu Zhaoye
In the early morning of early autumn, the air is slightly cool, and the vitality of sports surges everywhere in the central urban area of Ulanqab. From the collective fitness boom in the stadium, to the competitive passion of the tennis court, to the leisure and exercise time in the botanical garden, citizens use various exercise methods to pursue health, outlining a vibrant morning picture of the city.
It was past eight o’clock in the morning, and the stadium was already very lively. A team of aerobics is accompanied by dynamic music, and the movements are uniform. It is understood that this team has been training for many years and is still enthusiastic in both cold and summer. “Our team is very united. Everyone is looking forward to dancing every day!” Team member Guo Xiuzhi said with a smile, “I’m not afraid of being colder. After the event, I feel warm all over. I insist on exercising. Not only will I be in good health, but I feel comfortable, and I will be full of energy all day!”
In the long jump venue not far away, several young people were sweating their best. Running up and jumping, deep footprints are left in the sand pit. “Autumn is cool, it’s so suitable for exercise!” Citizen Wu Kunlin said, wiping his sweat, “Practicing a long jump in the morning can not only exercise, but also give a good start to the new day, and go to work and school with vitality.”
On the track, there were endless jogging enthusiasts. Some people are running alone, while some are walking together with friends. “I have been running in the morning for five years. No matter whether it is windy or rainy, I come when I have time!” Citizen Zhu Hongyi sighed, “I used to be a little high in my blood pressure, but now through morning jogging, my blood pressure has stabilized and my sleep has improved. Health is really achieved through training!”
Unlike the lively stadium, the Ulanqab tennis court is full of “competitiveness”. At nine o’clock in the morning, the “bang” sound of rackets hitting the ball in the venue and the “squeak” sound of sneakers rubbing against the ground, intertwined into a unique sports melody, and the contestants fought fiercely on the court. “I will come every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning. This is already a part of my life.” Citizen Liu Min said, “I used to think tennis was an ‘noble sport’. After contacting me, I found that it was particularly stress-relieving and training my reaction. I met many golfers. Now many of my friends are driven by me to learn tennis!”
In the Ulanqab Botanical Garden, the morning exercise atmosphere is leisurely. In the open space at the entrance of the park, more than a dozen elderly people followed the music to play Tai Chi, their movements were slow and soft, showing calmness; on the trail, citizens stopped from time to time to enjoy the morning scenery; and parents also pushed baby strollers to take their children to feel the fresh air. “I come to the park twice every morning to chat with my old friends. Life is so comfortable!” Mr. Zhao, 72, smiled with a Tai Chi sword in his hand. “I used to worry that my health was not good and I would cause trouble for my children. Now I exercise every day and my health is strong, so my children can rest assured. This is the happiest thing!”
Nowadays, with the continuous improvement of public sports facilities in Ulanqab City, the “15-minute fitness circle” has gradually covered, and all public sports venues in 11 banners, counties, cities and districts in the city are open for free, and about 200 fitness tutoring stations have been built. More and more citizens are going out of their homes to join the morning exercise team, using exercise to open up a day of vitality, and let the concept of healthy living take root in this city.(Liu Zhaoye)
