Just before dawn on Aug. 20, joggers of all ages dressed in sports gear gathered in the park of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei. At about 5 a.m., Premier Sun Yun-suan, Taipei Mayor Lee Teng-hui and Wesley Paul, the record holder in 17 long-distance events for youths under 17 in the U.S., arrived to take part in the "Good morning jog" parade.
This was the last of five such events co-sponsored by the Taipei Saturday News, China Television Company, and Taipei City Government, and it received the most enthusiastic response of all. Wesley said: "This is the largest number of people I have ever seen gathered for a morning jog."
Taipei Saturday News publisher Wu Chun said: "The good morning jog is a general name for all kinds of exercises undertaken in the morning. At present more than 30,000 people from some 130 groups regularly participate in morning exercises, and the number is growing. I hope that every jogger will bring his family members, neighbors, and relatives to join in this healthy exercise which also provides opportunity to make more friends."
About 60,000 people took part in the first "Good morning jog" at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall on July 20. The ensuing three activities held at the Youth Park, Taipei New Park and Yuanshan Observatory drew some 30,000 participants each. The last one, attracting some 100,000 people to the Memorial Hall park, brought the program to a climax.
Organizers of the activities usually get up at 2 a.m. to adorn the start of the jog with pennants and slogans. They also invite groups to demonstrate folk dances and calisthenics, in which the morning joggers are free to participate.
Mayor Lee Teng-hui has given his full support to these activities. Besides chairing four of the five events in person, he encouraged citizens to help build Taipei into a metropolis of beauty and vigor by taking part in the jogging activities.
Premier Sun has also supported the movement from the start, considering it unhealthy for people to lead sedentary lives in a modern industrialized society. He also hoped that people will run not only today, but also tomorrow, and not only in Taipei, but also in every corner of the island.
With support from the mass communications media, industrial and government circles and the general public, the "good morning, jog" movement has attained its goal of popularizing morning exercises.
Every morning, people practice folk dances, calisthenics, shadow boxing or play badminton as well as jog in parks, along river banks and in sparsely-populated areas. Mornings in Taipei are now marked by a series of colorful activities.
[Picture Caption]
1. People flock to the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall at dawn on August 17. 2. About 100,000 people attend the flag-raising ceremony at the Memorial Hall. 3. The Memorial Hall looking majestic in the morning light. 4. Premier Sun Yun-suan and Wesley Paul participate in the fifth session of the "Good morning jog" movement.
1. An overview of the fifth session of the "good morning jog." 2. & 3. Groups practicing martial arts and dances. 4. Taipei Mayor Lee Teng-hui leads the "good morning jog" movement. 5. Morning joggers are of all ages and come from all strata of society.
About 100,000 people attend the flag-raising ceremony at the Memorial Hall.
The Memorial Hall looking majestic in the morning light.
Premier Sun Yun-suan and Wesley Paul participate in the fifth session of the "Good morning jog" movement.
An overview of the fifth session of the "good morning jog.
Groups practicing martial arts and dances.
Groups practicing martial arts and dances.
Taipei Mayor Lee Teng-hui leads the "good morning jog" movement.
Morning joggers are of all ages and come from all strata of society.
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