How many km per hour pace is considered jogging and what pace is running
March 18, 2021 11:16 AM Subscribe
I'm not sure if age matters. I'm 67. Last summer, my last 5k races, I was 6.37 and 7.07 min per km. Now I started training for a 10k race and I'm started to work up my distance to 10k before I work on my pace. I'm very slow now having been in all winter so I wondered when am I jogging and when am I running.
yeah I think this is just a nomenclature thing - in general, I think people say "running" when they imply they are putting some consideration and tracking to their speed/progress, and "jogging" when they're doing a set distance or time, or not too concerned about how fast they go, just getting some exercise.
My husband "runs" and I "jog" in my mind - he can tell you what his kmph and elevation and distance is and all kinds of things, and I sort of just trot around the neighbourhood until I get tired.
so, it sounds like you're "running" to me!
posted by euphoria066 at 11:33 AM on March 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
My husband "runs" and I "jog" in my mind - he can tell you what his kmph and elevation and distance is and all kinds of things, and I sort of just trot around the neighbourhood until I get tired.
so, it sounds like you're "running" to me!
posted by euphoria066 at 11:33 AM on March 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
There is walking, and there is running, and really that's it. And even between those two there is only a real hard line when it comes to official race walking events in places like the Olympics.
Otherwise, it's whatever you want to call it. I use to call my 13-15 mile training runs at 9:30/mile pace "going out for a quick jog" as opposed to my 5-7 mile ~8:30/mile pace stuff, which I called "speedwork".
Now that I am 40 years old and a decade beyond my last full marathon, I'd consider 3 miles at 10:30/mile pace my speedwork, heh.
Anyway, there is absolutely no formal definition.
posted by sideshow at 11:35 AM on March 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
Otherwise, it's whatever you want to call it. I use to call my 13-15 mile training runs at 9:30/mile pace "going out for a quick jog" as opposed to my 5-7 mile ~8:30/mile pace stuff, which I called "speedwork".
Now that I am 40 years old and a decade beyond my last full marathon, I'd consider 3 miles at 10:30/mile pace my speedwork, heh.
Anyway, there is absolutely no formal definition.
posted by sideshow at 11:35 AM on March 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
The important distinction is between walking and jogging, not between jogging and running. Jogging and running are the same thing. Run at a speed you're comfortable with, and dial up the speed in little increments as and when you feel ok doing so.
You're 67 and training for a 10k, so as far as I'm concerned you're amazing and who cares what other people might think about your pace!
posted by underclocked at 11:38 AM on March 18, 2021 [10 favorites]
You're 67 and training for a 10k, so as far as I'm concerned you're amazing and who cares what other people might think about your pace!
posted by underclocked at 11:38 AM on March 18, 2021 [10 favorites]
I looked this up before, and the standard definition seems to be anything faster than 6mph (a 10min mile) = running, anything slower than that = jogging. I personally like to say I'm a slow runner though.
posted by coffeecat at 11:40 AM on March 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by coffeecat at 11:40 AM on March 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
I have no dog in this fight but some people say that the first time you lace up at 7am on a Saturday morning and hit the start line, you're a runner.
posted by ftm at 11:59 AM on March 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by ftm at 11:59 AM on March 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
If both of your feet are off the ground simultaneously at some point in your stride, then you’re running.
For perhaps a more practical but personal metric: are you moving at a pace faster than you could sustainably speed walk? Informally I think of jogging as using a running stride at a pace I could match with a walking stride. If I’m going faster than that, then I’m running.
For example, I can run at 6.5 km/h, but I could also vigorously walk at that speed more or less indefinitely, and so I might call that jogging. Much faster than that, though, and I could not walk at that speed, and so for me that’s a good personal dividing line.
posted by jedicus at 12:00 PM on March 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
For perhaps a more practical but personal metric: are you moving at a pace faster than you could sustainably speed walk? Informally I think of jogging as using a running stride at a pace I could match with a walking stride. If I’m going faster than that, then I’m running.
For example, I can run at 6.5 km/h, but I could also vigorously walk at that speed more or less indefinitely, and so I might call that jogging. Much faster than that, though, and I could not walk at that speed, and so for me that’s a good personal dividing line.
posted by jedicus at 12:00 PM on March 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
Only joggers find dead bodies.
But seriously, it's definitely both a nomenclature thing and a gatekeeper-y dickhead thing. I do it to myself (I shouldn't!) I'm dismissive of my running and call it "jogging" if I'm feeling out of shape and going slow. Which is ridiculous - I would never say that about someone else.
That said - places like orange theory fitness will class you as a "jogger" or a "runner" depending what your base pace is on the treadmill. I think (I don't remember) that they will call you a jogger over under around 5.5 mph.
But really, it's all running.
posted by gaspode at 12:02 PM on March 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
But seriously, it's definitely both a nomenclature thing and a gatekeeper-y dickhead thing. I do it to myself (I shouldn't!) I'm dismissive of my running and call it "jogging" if I'm feeling out of shape and going slow. Which is ridiculous - I would never say that about someone else.
That said - places like orange theory fitness will class you as a "jogger" or a "runner" depending what your base pace is on the treadmill. I think (I don't remember) that they will call you a jogger over under around 5.5 mph.
But really, it's all running.
posted by gaspode at 12:02 PM on March 18, 2021 [4 favorites]
Agreeing with everyone else, there is no definition, call it whatever you want to call it, at any speed. If you move forwards on your feet, and at some point in each stride, both feet are off the floor, you are running (or jogging if you prefer). If you always have one foot on the floor, you are walking.
My job is helping people take up and stick with running, especially those who've previously been inactive. Our organisation has the word 'jog' in its title rather than 'run' specifically because it's non-intimidating, friendly, achievable. We do also refer to our organisation's area of concern as 'recreational running', so I guess you could also say the way the word jogging is used is also sometimes about intention - if the most important aspect for you is the enjoyment, maybe you're jogging; if you're determined to go as fast as you can and don't care if it makes you miserable, maybe you're running? Again, I don't think that's set in stone, though.
A while ago, I'd led a group of people from complete beginners, up to the point where one of them was doing her first 10K. She kept asking me, again and again, "What's a good time for a 10K? But what's a good time, really?" It was just impossible to answer. I meet people through work who run 10K in 90 minutes, and I meet people who run it under 30 minutes and break national records. The span between those poles is so massive that every single person in between can choose to either think they're on the slow side, 'just jogging really' - look at the people ahead of them... or they can choose to think they're doing really well with their running - look at all the people behind them. Telling you whether 7min/km or 6min/km is jogging or running, is just as hard. There are people who would kill to run a km as fast as 6min and will never manage it, and there are people for whom that would be a career-defining disaster.
Running seems objective because you can measure it with numbers, but it's ultimately super subjective, and you can choose to call your speed/style of running whatever you like!
posted by penguin pie at 12:44 PM on March 18, 2021 [7 favorites]
My job is helping people take up and stick with running, especially those who've previously been inactive. Our organisation has the word 'jog' in its title rather than 'run' specifically because it's non-intimidating, friendly, achievable. We do also refer to our organisation's area of concern as 'recreational running', so I guess you could also say the way the word jogging is used is also sometimes about intention - if the most important aspect for you is the enjoyment, maybe you're jogging; if you're determined to go as fast as you can and don't care if it makes you miserable, maybe you're running? Again, I don't think that's set in stone, though.
A while ago, I'd led a group of people from complete beginners, up to the point where one of them was doing her first 10K. She kept asking me, again and again, "What's a good time for a 10K? But what's a good time, really?" It was just impossible to answer. I meet people through work who run 10K in 90 minutes, and I meet people who run it under 30 minutes and break national records. The span between those poles is so massive that every single person in between can choose to either think they're on the slow side, 'just jogging really' - look at the people ahead of them... or they can choose to think they're doing really well with their running - look at all the people behind them. Telling you whether 7min/km or 6min/km is jogging or running, is just as hard. There are people who would kill to run a km as fast as 6min and will never manage it, and there are people for whom that would be a career-defining disaster.
Running seems objective because you can measure it with numbers, but it's ultimately super subjective, and you can choose to call your speed/style of running whatever you like!
posted by penguin pie at 12:44 PM on March 18, 2021 [7 favorites]
I had a self-punishing boyfriend who once insisted that listening to music meant that you were jogging, not running, no matter how swift your pace. He was wrong. It's all running!
posted by attentionplease at 12:53 PM on March 18, 2021
posted by attentionplease at 12:53 PM on March 18, 2021
I agree that there's really only walking and running but jogging is a useful term if you don't want to take your own efforts too seriously. I kind of go by how much pleasure I'm deriving from it. For me if I'm on a track or treadmill, ie doing something boring, then I'll call it running. If I'm outside and not killing myself then I'll call it jogging. And on the rare occasion that I'm outside and killing myself then I'll call it running.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:32 PM on March 18, 2021
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:32 PM on March 18, 2021
I'm in camp "there is no agreed upon definition".
With that said, I think of the distinction between the two as how much effort you are putting into the act. Jogging is the casual form of this exercise where you aren't putting a lot of stress on your body cardiovascularly or otherwise. While you couldn't jog indefinitely you are being conservative and thus could jog for a long-for-you distance.
Running is more intense for you. You are putting more stress on your muscles and lungs. At your running pace you will not be able go as far as say your jogging pace.
Lastly, sprinting is even more intense. Your total distance covered at your sprinting pace is a tiny fraction of what you could accomplish jogging or running. In fact you may need to walk afterwards just to recover from the act.
Where is the dividing line between these level? Who knows. Perhaps sport science can measure your VO2 Max and use that as a comparison point but it would still be subjective. Is sprinting above 90% of your VO2 max? Where does jogging end and running begin?
In short don't sweat the details. Set goals for yourself and don't worry about the labels.
posted by mmascolino at 2:40 PM on March 18, 2021
With that said, I think of the distinction between the two as how much effort you are putting into the act. Jogging is the casual form of this exercise where you aren't putting a lot of stress on your body cardiovascularly or otherwise. While you couldn't jog indefinitely you are being conservative and thus could jog for a long-for-you distance.
Running is more intense for you. You are putting more stress on your muscles and lungs. At your running pace you will not be able go as far as say your jogging pace.
Lastly, sprinting is even more intense. Your total distance covered at your sprinting pace is a tiny fraction of what you could accomplish jogging or running. In fact you may need to walk afterwards just to recover from the act.
Where is the dividing line between these level? Who knows. Perhaps sport science can measure your VO2 Max and use that as a comparison point but it would still be subjective. Is sprinting above 90% of your VO2 max? Where does jogging end and running begin?
In short don't sweat the details. Set goals for yourself and don't worry about the labels.
posted by mmascolino at 2:40 PM on March 18, 2021
Those 5k times will get you a top 3 age group finish in a lot of local races.
Joggers are people who say they’re jogging. Don’t let people tell you you’re not a runner.
posted by bowbeacon at 5:32 PM on March 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Joggers are people who say they’re jogging. Don’t let people tell you you’re not a runner.
posted by bowbeacon at 5:32 PM on March 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Chiming in to agree with jedicus - it's all about the gait! (and whether you could walk at the same speed even if the gait has switched to the more efficient run)
posted by itsflyable at 8:25 PM on March 18, 2021
posted by itsflyable at 8:25 PM on March 18, 2021
As someone training for her first 5K, I found this thread interesting. When I mentioned that I went to the park for a run the other day, I immediately corrected myself and said, "well, really jogging". I'm not going to do that anymore. Damn it. I'm running. :)
posted by kathrynm at 5:47 PM on March 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by kathrynm at 5:47 PM on March 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
Echoing everyone else: it's all running.
I'd see it as subjective: jogging is a form of running that is going at an easy, relaxed pace for you - as my favourite running book* defines it 'jogging is more a matter of effort than pace. Sometimes jogging is performed at walking pace, while other times jogging can approach the effort of an easy run'. The same book defines easy run pace, for someone with your 5km time, as around 9 minutes/km. And the pace chart has paces for people running a lot slower than you...
I'd also say the paces you are doing in races are genuinely good for your age. Please don't worry, you're doing great!
*Build Your Running Body, by Pete Magill et al.
posted by Pink Frost at 11:51 PM on March 19, 2021
I'd see it as subjective: jogging is a form of running that is going at an easy, relaxed pace for you - as my favourite running book* defines it 'jogging is more a matter of effort than pace. Sometimes jogging is performed at walking pace, while other times jogging can approach the effort of an easy run'. The same book defines easy run pace, for someone with your 5km time, as around 9 minutes/km. And the pace chart has paces for people running a lot slower than you...
I'd also say the paces you are doing in races are genuinely good for your age. Please don't worry, you're doing great!
*Build Your Running Body, by Pete Magill et al.
posted by Pink Frost at 11:51 PM on March 19, 2021
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Signed, another slow-ass runner.
posted by jacobian at 11:21 AM on March 18, 2021 [46 favorites]