Are you free for a jog on Sunday morning? No, I prefer to go for a run! Anglicisms are part of the runner’s jargon. Are these terms equivalent? One thing is certain, whether you’re doing a jog, a run, or some running, you’re in the act of running. Proof of their usage is that all three terms have entered the dictionary, the latest being running. Let’s see the differences between these words, with some nuances depending on the country.
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Jogging: A trend from New Zealand
Jogging is a low-intensity run that allows you to chat with a friend. Jogging is considered a physical activity, not a sport. The trend came from New Zealand in the 1960s.
Coach Arthur Lydiard led one of his athletes, Peter Snell, to an Olympic title in the 800 and 1500 meters. During training, he introduced his athletes to long, low-intensity runs.
Following this success, he recommended low-intensity running to a group of overweight individuals to improve their condition, some of whom had suffered heart attacks. A few months later, eight of them became marathon runners, and the Auckland Jogging Club was born in 1962.
Thousands and then millions of people became fans of jogging: running at low intensity or trotting. This trend then reached the United States, driven by Bill Bowerman, the future founder of Nike.
Footing: A word that only makes sense in France
In France, you might hear someone ask, “Do you want to go for a ‘footing’?” While it sounds like English, it doesn’t actually mean what you think! In English, “footing” refers to balance or a base, but in France, it’s their word for a casual run, much like jogging. So, if you’re in France, feel free to use “footing,” but just know it won’t make any sense to English speakers outside the country. The term popped up in the 1980s and has stuck ever since.
Like jogging, footing means running at a low intensity or at a slow pace. There’s no set time for how long a “footing” should last, but it’s usually between 20 minutes and an hour. And just like jogging, it’s about running comfortably enough to have a conversation while maintaining your fitness.
This word, footing, appeared in France in the 1980s and didn’t cross the Atlantic. In Canada, they’ll say “jog” but never “footing.” Doing a footing also means running at a low intensity or running slowly. There is no precise running time for a footing, but it often lasts between 20 minutes and one hour.
Running: The trend of the 2000s
A slightly more intense form of running, often associated with participation in competitions, is referred to as “running.” The term “running” is used by those who run regularly. While both are runners, the jogger runs on Sundays.
We now talk about a pair of running shoes, so goodbye to the classic pair of sneakers! More generally, we talk about the phenomenon of running, which has a more fun and trendy connotation than the term “running race.”
A runner tends to be well equipped: GPS watches or tracking apps to measure the route taken and share it on social media. A runner can then proudly say they ran 10 kilometers at 12 or 15 kilometers per hour!
It’s said that Inuits have dozens of terms to describe snow. Maybe one day the French language will have as many variations to describe ways of running! In short, we’re all runners!
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