The Big Difference Between Jogging And Running

Running and jogging typically have two different functions and meanings within the running community. The most obvious difference between running and jogging is pace. As such, it's easy for many to assume that jogging is not great exercise or not as noble as running, but that's a misnomer. Jogging has tremendous health benefits and can be just as beneficial as running (per Healthline). 

Additionally, some distance runners leverage jogging as a tool for recovery, making it a great option for many. Because pacing is slower at a jog compared to a run, other important differentiating factors between the two exercises exist. While there's a lot of science behind energy expenditure, it should also be noted that doing what feels comfortable and sustainable is most important. If you don't enjoy the exercise you're doing or have difficulty recovering, it'll be harder to maintain a consistent routine over time. Let's dive a little deeper to understand how our running pace can impact us in different ways.

Running is a great way to get into shape, burn extra calories, and shed excess weight. However, pace impacts our energy expenditure and how many calories we burn. The faster we run, the more vigorously we move our bodies and not just our legs. Our arms also pump faster and our core contracts more in order to keep up with the increasing number and length of our strides. 

Running has a tendency to leave us breathless when we ramp up our pace to 6 miles per hour or more (via Healthline). To get even more technical, running intensity can be scientifically measured with a unit called Metabolic Equivalent of Tasks, or MET (via Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). Scientists have rated running as requiring as many as 9 METs. With such a high rate of METs being used while running, how many calories does that actually burn? While this depends on several personal factors, a 135-pound person could burn roughly 100 calories per mile at a pace of 6 miles per hour (via Livestrong).

Jogging is characterized as a bouncier movement with shorter strides at a casual pace. Even more specific than that, jogging pace is typically anything in the range of 5-6 mph, according to Livestrong. Because walking is considered movement at 4.5 miles per hour and running is movement over 6 miles per hour, jogging pace is a more narrow window than most of us think. Anything in between a 10-12-minute mile is considered a jogging pace. 

What about those METs we addressed in reference to running intensity? It turns out that jogging isn't too far behind running. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, jogging will use over 6+ METs. In terms of caloric burn in jogging, you can still burn several hundred calories per hour through this workout. It won't burn as much as running, but can still be an effective way to shed excess weight.