Jogging: Surface Wisdom and Health Benefits
Last year I went jogging in Bangkok’s Lumpini Park. The verdant, human, and lake atmosphere was pleasant, but because the running surface is made of asphalt, I had sore thighs for a week. This was after jogging for only 30 minutes.
According to saveyourself.ca :
“The body is an all-terrain vehicle. We cannot run on concrete for long without consequences.”
In Saudi’s capital, I just moved into my third apartment in three months. One reason I’ve moved twice is for a better deal. This second time, I shifted abodes also because there’s a synthetic track in the neighborhood.
I’m now in a good exercising element.
Before moving into my third apartment/hotel here, the exercise I’d gotten was from trekking through stretches of the city’s dirt, asphalt and concrete surfaces. For me, power walking doesn’t provide the same heavy-breathing, cardio workout that I get from jogging.
Dirt or grass provides the best natural surface for the body, specifically the legs. This holds true for walking and especially for jogging or running. If dirt or grass isn’t readily available, synthetic tracks are good as the softness puts far less stress and pressure on the legs than asphalt or concrete.
Jogging is done around fenced synthetic soccer courts, also open to the public.
Jogging is good for maintaining strong bones, muscles, and a healthy weight. On top of amazing cardiovascular benefits, this simple, solo sport enhances the skin, forces us to eat better, and helps us to think more positively.
There are many reasons to jog on a consistent basis. My favorite aspect is that it helps me to process thoughts better. Physical activity sends endorphins to the brain. This produces relaxation, which aids cognitive thinking and enhances our creative side.
I’ve found that fruit is a great way to compliment jogging. My favorite juice joint on on the planet is across the street from the running track and just a short walk from the new abode.
Do you do a type of cardiovascular exercise on a regular basis? How does it help you?
My name is Mike, aka Earthdrifter. I managed to travel on and off between work, from the mid-90s till the mid-00s. At the start of 2011, after a five year exploration hiatus, I eliminated a home base and started traveling indefinitely. Now I combine my love for travel, writing, and improving my personal culture. As I enhance my existence, I hope to help you do the same. 
[...] Jogging While on the Road (earthdrifter.com) [...]
What’s the temp like this time of year? Now that hiking season (for me) is over, I’m all about the gym. I don’t like exercising in the cold – find it tough to breath.
PRU: It’s pleasantly cool right now, very mild winter, more like spring/fall, great jogging weather.
So glad you live close to this great track!
I do quite a bit of jogging in water aerobics (pool), where of course the water is a buffer, but the floor must be concrete…..still feels great !
MAMA: Thanks! Body weight is so much less in water that I don’t think the impact on the concrete is detrimental to your joints.
I don’t like jogging. I tried, but I’m hopeless with that!
I go to work by bike when it is not too cold. That I like. I can bike for hours. That triggers for me the endorphins mechanism you were talking about.
TUSCAN: Everyone’s method is different. Whether it’s biking, swimming, power walking, basketball, water aerobics or anything else, good cardio exercise compliments our existence. I enjoy getting my cardiovascular workout from scampering along earth, but I like to mix it up when I can too. I enjoy biking, hiking and in-line skating too.
reading this just gave me the little push i needed to get my butt to the gym…not quite the same as outdoor jogging, but it’s a little chilly out there.
SEAN: As long as you cover your ears, jogging in the cold is good, if you have the right place to jog. But if you’ve got a gym membership, there’s plenty of good cardio that will help not just the physique but the thinking process too.
I’d never thought the surface could matter in this way. Good to know, and also the benefits of jogging. But it’s very difficult to get dirt roads in Indian cities.
What else is up else in Saudi Arabia?
GANESH: I carried my sneakers around India but never managed to jog in them as I never found a place to jog.
As for Saudi, still eating, putting on a few pounds, trying to learn some Arabic, and teaching English, hope to start traveling a bit around the country.