We’ve all heard of runners and joggers, we also know that most runners don’t like being called joggers, but why is this? Is there an actual difference between the two terms and are they interchangeable?
Running vs jogging
Anyone who runs is a runner. There are so many different types of runners, that runners are often all lumped together. Occasionally, a very loose rule is brought out to differentiate between runners and joggers.
The ‘rule’ is that a runner will have a pace that is under 10-minutes per mile. This is not set in stone and your pace does not set you into one category or the other in reality.
Joggers often characterise themselves as those who run casually, have an average jogging speed of over 10-minutes per mile, or are just starting out on their fitness journey. Most joggers, jeffers and runners will refer to themselves as a runner regardless of their pace.
Some runners do claim that if a person is not competing in races or training for races, then they are a jogger. Casual runners are often classified as joggers because they don’t feel like they need to get faster or do longer distances.
Mentioning joggers brings up visions of a lot of 80s lycra, leotards over leggings, and legwarmers galore. Joggers are often also associated with US crime dramas as they always seem to find the dead body in the park! So it’s easy to see why some people may not want to be called a jogger!
Health benefits
Regardless of whether you class yourself as a runner or a jogger; there are plenty of health benefits to running/jogging/jeffing – whatever you want to call it!
- Strengthen muscles
- Increases cardiovascular fitness
- Weight loss
- Burns calories
- Relieves stress
- Helps to reduce risk of chronic diseases
There are so many benefits to exercising through running, and it doesn’t matter about your pace or whether you’re competing in a race. What matters is getting out there and exercising.
Pace and distance are something that can be worked on, no matter where you are in your running journey.
