The world is the gym for runners. This is said to imply that runners do not need gyms or equipped facilities to practice the sport they love: they lace up their shoes and go out. They can run literally anywhere.
The question arises: if it is true that you can do it anywhere, is it equally true that it is harmless to do it anywhere? In fact, an often underestimated problem is air pollution from exhaust from heaters, cars and industries. In other words: many areas or streets in our cities could be excellent open-air gyms but not as much places where the air has acceptable quality. How can you tell if you are running in a safe place from this point of view? When is it best to do it or is it best to avoid it?
What happens by running with polluted air
You may have already heard of carbon monoxide: especially in winter it is often mentioned because, due to the combined effect of car exhausts and heaters, its values are excessive and harmful, creating worrisome concentrations in the air.
But there is more than just carbon monoxide: polluted air also contains microparticles, ozone, and dust kicked up by cars and carried around by air movement. Not the best mixture to breathe, in short.
Where does it then go once it is breathed from the lungs? It goes around the body through the bloodstream and up to the heart, gradually diminishing your physical abilities or causing in the most respiratory-sensitive individuals (such as asthma sufferers) illnesses that may even require medical intervention.
What to do?
As easily expected, pollution peaks are concentrated during peak hours in cities, especially in the afternoon when ozone levels (whose concentrations are proportional to the incidence of the sun) are higher the stronger the sun. Therefore, it is best to run in the early morning or evening. The much-maligned anti-Covid masks unfortunately do nothing to protect you from polluted air: they may do so in a small way but certainly not effectively, partly because they are designed to avoid spreading viruses and not to filter the air we breathe (provided you don’t use the ones intended for this purpose, which, however, on the other hand, are not at all suitable for sports).
It is equally important where you do it: you would never – rightly – want to run in the beltway, and for at least two good reasons: because it would be bloody dangerous and because you would also be mathematically certain to find too high concentrations of pollution there. As early as 200 meters from busy roads, however, pollution is lower because heavy particles have settled by gravity and travel less in the air.
If you can, prefer green areas: the countryside or city parks are ideal. And to keep with the “green” theme, nutrition also matters a lot: favor foods rich in antioxidants that make it easier for you to eliminate toxins, such as salad, broccoli, tomatoes, oranges, berries, nuts and seeds. And drink plenty of water, always.
Another way to ascertain air quality is also to use special apps, such as Air Quality (for Android) or Air Matters (for iPhone). An eye before you go out can let you know if it is the right time or if it is better to postpone. Your lungs will thank you.
(Via Women’s Running)