And running, as usual, was 100% bliss.
As the skin, rubbed raw,
Hurt to the touch.
Following the morsels of a girl and her Garmin.
And with that, folks, I wish you all a happy finishing stretch of your fall racing season. Remember to keep your head tacked on tightly in the face of adversity, think happy thoughts, and pull through without any nagging regrets. It's hard to move forward in life with a sagging chin and eyes stuck on the ground, so keep your chin up and raise your eyes to see the big picture. Better races and workouts, statistically speaking, are sure to come.
Make-Over Time...
Not only do the runners in the race need to concentrate on their difficult task at hand, but the spectators must also do the same. Word choice, although subtle, can make a big difference in the largely mental aspect of racing. One should say it like they mean it and be sure to belt it out if they have any chance in being heard amongst the boisterous clamor of a mob-like crowd. Be careful in what you say because, although imperceptible to the orator, it can have an impact on the runner's performance. Make it a positive impact and help them on their way to a PR.
Sincerely,
The Breadcrumb Runner
Individual #1, despite the comment, "I felt like I was going so fast," comes across as the recreational or novice runner (or jogger?). The second individual, although claiming to have gone at an easy pace, is perceived as the more competitive and advanced of the two. The word "jog" truly can evoke a sense of slow, aimless running, even though the person who "ran 7 miles easy yesterday" could just as easily have been moving at the same speed as his/her jogging counterpart.
After presenting all the evidence, it becomes apparent that there is both a technical and psychological difference separating the acts of running and jogging. Nobody wants to claim themselves as joggers, but are quick to log slow, easy miles of "running." There is a recovery and training purpose in taking it slow (AKA jogging), but for some reason we simply can't bring ourselves to use the correct term in all its seemingly lack of glory.
I, as well as many others, will likely continue to ostracize the word "jogging" while glorifying "running," but hopefully you have become more enlightened on the matter and will not judge any brave souls who raise their hand and embrace the seven-mile jog they embarked on this morning.
As of June 10, 2009, 10:22 AM, the English language officially added its one-millionth word (specifically, "Web 2.0," a technical term meaning the next generation of World Wide Web products and services) to its already vast supply. Chances are, I don't know and/or have not used 75% of them. Thus, we needn't boycott the verb "to jog" or expel it from the English language altogether. But at the same time, I see no pressing reason to utilize it.