Are You Putting Your Health at Risk by Running Outdoors?

You likely don’t give it a second thought.

You have your regular running routes already established.

If you live in the suburbs, maybe you have a route around your neighborhood, or you drive out to a nearby public space with a running trail. If you live in the city, maybe your options for running in public spaces are minimal, so you have a route up and down the roads around your home.

Convenience, familiarity, beauty.

These are some of the many things runners can take into consideration when choosing their route for the day. You likely don’t think too much about the quality of the air along your route, but that is something that I’ve begun to take note of.

It’s something I’ve been aware of for at least a couple years, but, until now, I haven’t looked into the potential negative effects of inhaling vehicle exhaust and other pollutants in the air during my workouts.

Honestly, every time I’m out for a walk or a run around my neighborhood, I tend to do my best to hold my breath whenever a truck is chugging up the hill alongside me and blasting me with exhaust fumes. Not only is it a fairly unpleasant smell, but it could also be having an impact on my health.

Why should I care about air quality?

When out for a jog, you’re breathing in a hell of a lot more air than you normally would if you were on a brisk walk. Depending on the area you’re in, this air can be chock full of pollutants from exhaust fumes and nearby power plants, as well as other sources.

Your nose does function as a filter for all those toxins and keeps many of them from entering your lungs, however, according to the World Health Organization, millions of people around the world still die each year due to air pollution. Also, when you exercise at a higher intensity, you generally breathe through your mouth as well, which allows all those pollutants to bypass this filtration system of your nose.

According to National Geographic, being exposed to these pollutants can have negative long term health effects, such as heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory system damage. Those with compromised immune systems are said to be more susceptible to these potential effects. However, even those in good health should take this information to heart, and consider taking preventative measures to protect themselves.

How to minimize your exposure to air pollution

Of course, some people are blessed to live in areas with an abundance of potential running routes, while others are somewhat more constrained. If you do have a choice in when and where you choose to exercise, please consider the following tips.

1.) Head to a public, green space away from roadways.

Do your best to maximize the distance from roadway emissions, and take advantage of those urban parks nearby! According to the WHO, spending time in green spaces improves your mental health and reduces stress, among many other benefits.

Plus, being away from all the traffic and infrastructure makes for such an incredibly peaceful run. Nature has always been a natural remedy for clearing your head and improving your overall well-being.

2.) Avoid rush hour.

If you do decide to run along major roadways, consider planning your workout around rush hour. Not only will you avoid the high concentration of emissions during these periods of high traffic, but it will be much quieter and safer. Even with minimal traffic, keep your ears open and be aware of your surroundings!

Check out my previous post on why you may want to consider avoiding the use of headphones if your running route is along these major roads.

3.) Stay informed of the quality of the air in your area.

The Environmental Protection Agency has established an air quality index (AQI), which acts as a scale and looks at five of the major pollutants that contribute to air quality, and determines an overall score. Essentially, the lower the score, the safer the air is. I downloaded a weather app that has information about the AQI for the day, making it very easy to stay informed.

Check out this website to learn more about the basics of AQI.

4.) Exercising in poor quality air is better than no exercise at all.

Despite all the information and research about the effects of air quality on our health, it still may not be enough for some to take it into consideration.

Turns out, maybe that’s fine!

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, studies suggest that the benefits of exercise outweigh the negative effects of exposing yourself to air pollution.

So if options for routes are limited, remember that getting out there, despite the quality of the air, is better than remaining sedentary.

Remember that exercise is one of the keys to good health, no matter the location or time of day. But undoubtedly, there are ways to optimize health, and being aware of air quality seems to be one of those ways.

I have a couple of options when it comes to choosing a running route for the day. There is a very hilly route around my neighborhood that has minimal traffic, but it is impossible to maintain any kind of consistent pace. There’s also a route that’s more flat, but has much more traffic alongside it. So I personally choose the road less traveled and stick to my neighborhood. My future self may thank me for it.