A person who runs at a steady, moderate pace as a form of physical exercise.
From 'jog' meaning to move at a steady trot, possibly from Middle English 'shoggen' (to shake). The specific sense of recreational running emerged in the 1960s with the fitness boom.
The word perfectly captures the democratization of running - unlike 'runner' which might suggest competition, 'jogger' embraces the casual, accessible nature of exercise for ordinary people. It emerged alongside the cultural shift that made fitness a lifestyle choice rather than just athletic training.
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