Oxygen Rich Air

Is there any better time of year than early May for woodland running? The senses are bombarded with stimulants and running feels good. It may also have something to do with the quality of the air.

Today I ran along a path that cut through a carpet of bluebells with the odd flash of pink from the red campions. A wonderful sight to see. As I got closer to the river the smell of wild garlic was quite overwhelming and then as I ran up towards the gardens the birds were full of the joys of spring. I'm no expert but I think there were thrushes, warblers and robins belting it out with the occasional drilling sound from the woodpeckers.

 Running felt good today but then it always does if it is off road and along woodland tracks rather than along the pavement in the town. Is it just the sights, smells and sounds that make it feel so good or is it because the oxygen is so much richer in an environment where plants thrive?

We know that plants absorb and convert carbon dioxide to oxygen and this is sure to make us feel good as there is more oxygen to breathe in and send through the lungs to be carried around to our parts that need it by our red blood cells. Where there is less industry, there is less pollution and the purer the air the better it is for our bodies and so plants and trees provide great ingredients to add to our daily run.

Apparently the purest negatively ionised air nature provides consists of a maximum of 21% Oxygen, 78% Nitrogen and 1% trace gases but unless you are running through a pine forest close to a waterfall you will rarely get to breathe it in, although you may come close on your regular run for a few minutes, when then sun comes out after a torrential thunder storm.

So what's the weather forecast for the rest of the week? I'm sure I've seen thunderstorms on the weather map. Perhaps I'll time my next run to coincide with that!