If you are not very into the world of running, the words running and jogging probably sound like synonyms. And while it is true that both refer to sports fans who enjoy jogging, there are important differences between the two. In fact, if you ever tell a runner that if he goes jogging, he may not be very amused.
Of course, neither concept is better than the other, they are simply different ways of practicing athletics. Let’s see what are the most important differences between these two concepts.
1. Philosophy, dedication, and involvement
This is the most important of the differences between jogging and running. Joggers are people who enjoy getting out and about to stay in shape and exercise but make no more of it than an occasional hobby.
Going out after the holidays to lose weight and burn the excess calories ingested, enjoy the good weather in the park in summer or spring, or simply take advantage of a Sunday morning. They do not follow a fixed or strict training plan, and simply enjoy a quiet session of exercise.
The runner, on the other hand, is someone who has taken the love of running one step further. They are athletes of medium or high level, whose main objective is to improve their own times and personal marks running. To do this, they follow strict, advanced-level training plans that are very rarely skipped. It is thus about athletes who are halfway between the fan and the athlete.
2. Speed and intensity
When you go jogging, you want to have a smooth running rhythm that allows us to maintain low exercise intensity. This is what is commonly called “jogging.” When you see a runner walking at a slow pace, with relaxed breathing and a generally comfortable pace, he is jogging.
Usually, it is established that it is jogging when the pace is more than 6 minutes and 20 seconds per kilometer. However, this is not a strict formula. A person of advanced age or with some type of special physical condition could be doing times higher than those, and yet train with the intensity and philosophy of a runner.
In running, the intensity is high, since the runner is usually training and fighting to improve his own marks.
3. Changes of pace
The jogger will go out for a run at a steady and steady pace unless his own physical condition causes him to alter it at some point. That is, a “jogger” will normally run at the same or similar pace throughout their running session.
A runner will introduce changes of pace in his running workouts, as part of the training necessary to achieve a greater improvement in his own performance. HIIT intervals, pyramid stretches, and other forms of training that require changing running intensity and speed are common in running.
4. Caloric expenditure
Since they are activities with very different intensities, the caloric expenditure of both is also different, of course. Running involves greater muscular effort, which results in higher energy expenditure compared to jogging.
Other differences to keep in mind.
There are other details that tend to differentiate a runner from someone who jogs. One of them is sports equipment, which tends to be more casual for joggers and more specialized for runners, although obviously, this is not always the case.
