Learning to give winter a warm embrace 试着给冬天一个温暖的拥抱

Braving the cold can be a dreadful prospect, especially in January. Though spring looms, this can be the bitterest month.

冒着严寒在户外活动简直是一种可怕的场景，尤其是一月。尽管春天即将来临，但一月份可能是最难以忍受的月份。

By properly adapting, though, it’s possible to enjoy, and not merely tolerate, the cold. This is especially important as more Chinese learn to appreciate winter sports in the run-up to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

你可以试着适应寒冷，而不只是忍耐，有可能还会享受寒冷。北京2022年冬奥会举办之前，越来越多的中国人开始学着重视冬季运动，享受寒冷变得尤为重要。

I became acclimated to frigid weather early in life. I grew up in Nebraska in America’s heartland, where temperatures, particularly in January, usually dip well into the danger zone.

我从小就适应了寒冷的天气。我在美国中部的内布拉斯州长大，那里的气温通常会在一月份骤降至极寒。

As children, my siblings and I would venture outdoors for long hours of play after notorious Nebraska blizzards left us waist-deep in snow. We would shovel the snow into huge mounds, pack it down, hollow it out and make snow houses big enough for seven kids. When Mom called us inside for supper, we wanted to stay outside longer in our own little world with cold white walls.

记得我小时候，内布拉斯州的大雪下得能漫过我们的腰部，我和兄弟姐妹们经常在外面连着玩好几个小时。我们会用铲子把雪堆成巨大的山丘，把它压紧压实，再挖空，盖一间能容纳七个小孩儿的大雪屋。妈妈叫我们进屋吃晚饭时，我们还恋恋不舍地呆在这白雪为墙的小世界里。

At the age of 11, I delivered newspapers during a truly nasty winter, a torturous task that took a couple of hours each day. Thus acclimated, as an adult I once ran 5 kilometers at night when it was –50 C, went ice fishing when spit would instantly freeze, and rode my bike with snow tires when the mercury plunged to around –30, just to get my favorite cheeseburgers.

11岁那年的冬天，我做过送报纸的工作，那个冬季真的是太痛苦了，每天我都要花好几个小时才能把报纸送完，这个任务异常艰巨。于是我就适应了寒冷，成年之后我曾冒着零下50度的严寒，夜跑过5公里，曾在滴水成冰之时在冰上钓鱼，也曾在零下30度时骑着防滑自行车去买我最喜欢的芝士汉堡。

But I had a trick or two up my sleeves.

我可以教你一两招来御寒。

First, a heavy coat isn’t enough. What’s beneath the coat is far more important. The key is to protect the body’s core heat by dressing in layers. The lower the temperature, the more layers you’ll need, especially when the wind is howling. In extreme cold, seven layers or more is not unusual.

首先，一件厚厚的外套远远不够，外套里面的衣服更为重要。你需要多穿几层来保持身体的核心热量。温度越低，要穿的衣服就越多，特别是风很大时。在极端寒冷的情况下，穿七层以上是很正常的。

The first layer—which you should tuck in to prevent wind penetration at your core—should have long sleeves and ideally consist of either neoprene (the wetsuit fabric that California surfers wear to insulate against the cold Pacific waters) or a material that wicks sweat away from the body. Then add layers as appropriate—preferably light but airtight fabrics used in modern athletic wear, so you don’t hamper mobility.

对于最外面的一层，核心功能是要做到防风，长袖是最好的选择，最好要由氯丁橡胶（加利福尼亚冲浪者穿的防寒服面料，用来隔离寒冷的太平洋海水）或者一种能使汗水快速从身体蒸发的纤维材料制成。然后根据情况添加适当的衣物，最好是现代运动装中使用的轻质且密闭性好的面料，从而不会妨碍运动。

Layering protects against biting winds but also, once you venture somewhere indoors, allows you to peel off layers as needed to remain comfortable.

多层衣物可以抵挡刺骨的寒风，这样当你进入室内，就可以适当脱掉一些衣服，身体会更舒适。

Second, protect your extremities. Mittens are far warmer than gloves, since the fingers share their warmth (you can also form a fist inside your gloves to keep the fingers warm). Wear long underwear or two pairs of pants as well as several pairs of socks, which means you might need a pair of shoes or boots for winter that are a half-size larger than you normally wear. And be sure to cover the ears as well as the nose and mouth, when possible.

其次，保护好你的四肢。连指手套要比分指手套温暖的多，因为手指之间可以传递热量（你也可以在手套里把手攥紧，从而保持温暖）。穿上秋裤或多穿两条裤子和几双袜子，所以你冬天的鞋子可能需要比你平时穿的鞋大半个码。如有可能，一定要带上口罩和耳罩，让鼻子和嘴巴保暖。

Finally, wrap a woolen scarf around your neckbefore putting on your coat, which will seal in body warmth and keep the raw wind out.

最后，穿上外套之前，在脖子上围一条羊毛围巾，这样可以使身体保持温暖，抵御寒风。

Now you’re ready to hit the ice or the slopes or, if you’re really crazy, ride a bike for your favorite cheeseburgers.

现在你已经准备好在冰面上尽兴玩耍了，有兴致的话，还可以骑上自行车去买你最喜欢的芝士汉堡！