A report from Belgium was released late last year that said
people who ran in cities tested lower intellectually than those who ran in
rural settings. Trying to be diplomatic,
the article does not suggest people who live in the city are dumber simply by
virtue of choosing to live in a city (although certain members of my immediate family are
unfamiliar with such diplomacy).
Instead, it suggests that running outdoors increases the risk of
inhaling industrial pollutants that might be deteriorating cognitive function.
I emailed this article to a friend of mine who lives in a
more rural area. She regularly runs
nature trails far away from the bustling crowd, and partakes of the incumbent
fresh air that comes along with such pastoral quietude. I prefaced my email by saying, “This is why
you’re smarter than me!” I was extra careful
not to confuse “you are” with “your” lest she think that I really meant it.
The truth is I like running in the city. I like the feeling of the sidewalk underneath
my shoes. Dirt trails absorb my
footsteps, but cement and asphalt reverberate underneath my rubber soles in a
way that reminds me that I am really
running. I like to see how the
landscape keeps changing, even if the route stays the same. There’s new graffiti on this wall, that
clothing boutique is now a yoga studio, the Halloween pumpkins turn into
Christmas lights that stay until up until spring. Leaves may change color, but so do buildings
and blocks.
I see it all when I run in the city, even if I am a little
dumber for it.
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