I have a good buddy (let’s call him Bob) that I’d often go out for lunch time runs at work with who’d joke that we should co-write a book — “Jogging Sucks”. We’d stack both sides up in a humorous way and show why you’d never want to be a jogger.
I must say, however, my opinion on running versus jogging has morphed over the years and I’ve now come to the conclusion, for today, that jogging is a misconception.. The older and slower I get (with the same level of effort) the line between running and jogging as I’ve known it has blurred and I now believe that how fast you go has nothing to do with which camp you are in.
Let’s digress for a minute. I live in Dublin, NH and almost all of my local runs take me around a body of water with an identity crisis - Dublin Pond/Lake. The body of water is 255 acres, roughly one mile in length and a half mile in width. Once around is a great 5K distance for me to run and a nice workout. Seems a good size body of water to me, but when you look at maps you’ll see it listed as Dublin Pond.
The road that goes around it is called Lake Road. Go figure. In Webster’s dictionary you’ll find that lake and pond are synonyms and that the only difference in the definition is the word “considerable” for the size of a lake versus a pond. Ponds are supposed to be shallow enough for light to reach the bottom, but Dublin Pond is 100 feet deep, so that’s not the case here.
"Dave, what does that have to do with anything?". I’m getting to that. If we go back and look at Webster’s for the definitions of run and jog you’ll find it’s very similar. Run and jog are synonyms for each other with run being to go faster than a walk - I do agree that to run or jog you need to have a moment where both feet are off the ground, whether you spring or not seems irrelevant .....
... and jog is to run slowly ... and they throw in the word “trudge” to top it off.
So to Webster, jogging is running, but in a burdensome laborious way. If you search around the web on the topic you’ll find all kinds of opinions on the subject that dive into form, effort and goals in addition to speed for defining the two.
Back to Webster. The word ”trudge” unlocks the run vs jog distinction for me and addresses the inevitable slow down that takes place with the passing of time. I don't feel laborious when I go out .... just slower. So there!
There are physical changes we all go through and I am encouraged that I am indeed a runner, regardless of what my watch tells me or how I might look while moving. A number of times while out on one of my NH Town Hall runs I’ll go by a street mirror or window where I can see what looks like the reflection of a stiff older man lumbering along, barely moving. Or I’ll be running up one of the many New Hampshire hills (so far I've scaled over 38,000 ft on RUNNH234 runs) I’ve encountered and hear my Apple Watch say “split pace, 12 minutes” and think “what has happened to me?”.
What hasn’t changed is that I put in the effort (usually 15 miles/week) and I get feedback from that same Apple Watch about my VO2 max and heart rate that are positive. I don’t have the desire to run races as I once did, but I look forward to getting out on runs and this quest to connect all 234 NH Towns via running has spurred my desire to keep running fit. Every now and then I go to an Age Grade Running Calculator website to help lift my running spirits entering the time and distance (plus my age of course) to see what my time would be like in my younger self. What comes back is confirmation that I can’t outrun Father Time (or Tom Brady), but I can still do well with the “for my age” qualifier.
Here are a few questions to help you frame your perspective on the topic (I use the word “run”, but you can exchange "jog" or whatever form of exercise you like):
Do you look forward to getting out for a run?
Do you like how you feel after a run?
Do you talk about running with others in a positive way?
Do you feel alive when you run and not trudging along wanting each run to end with each step?
When you have to choose between going out for a run or doing something else, are you more likely to choose running?
Do you ever plan your day around when you can run?
Do you feel something is missing when you haven’t run for awhile?
If you answered yes to these questions - then in my book you are a runner ... if you want to be! Plain and simple. It doesn’t matter if you run 8 minutes a mile or 18 minutes a mile. To me, despite the perception of others, speed has nothing to do with it. It is all about attitude, desire and effort.
It’s perfectly fine to be a card carrying member of the jogging club. You reap exceptional benefits by getting out for cardiovascular exercise. If not running or jogging, then there are a host of other aerobic activities you can choose from (walking, hiking, swimming, biking, etc..). My hope is that you find forms of exercise that work for you and that you can answer yes to more and more of the 7 questions (substitute your form of exercise for the word run if running isn’t your cup of tea).
Ultimately, you decide - the choice is yours. I’ll continue to identify as a runner and run around Dublin Lake - no matter what they call it or how long it takes . I hope you are able to unlock your exercise door and enjoy its many lifetime benefits for years to come!
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