Running at a slow, steady, relaxed pace for fitness is known as jogging.
Jogging is a form of running or trotting performed at a leisurely pace, generally with the goal of improving fitness while placing less stress on the body than faster running. Unlike walking, jogging includes a flight phase in which both feet briefly leave the ground. It is commonly used for aerobic endurance training, warm-ups, recovery between harder efforts, and general cardiovascular exercise.
There is no universally fixed speed separating jogging from running. A commonly cited range for jogging is about 4 to 6 miles per hour, but pace depends on the runner’s fitness, terrain, and purpose. A speed that feels like jogging to one person may be a demanding run for another.
The word has older English roots: “jog” appeared in the sixteenth century and originally referred to a short, quick movement or departure. In the twentieth century, jogging became a major recreational fitness activity, with coaches such as Arthur Lydiard helping popularize it internationally.