If you run in the city, perhaps it’s time to think about opting for a “country mile” or two.That’s because a study released recently across the Atlantic suggests that running in cities is not as good for your brain as running in less congested environments.The study, done under the auspices of a university in Belgium, examined two groups of runners, both of which ran from noon to 1 p.m. three days a week for 12 weeks. Of this lunchtime crowd, 15 exercised in a city and nine went the rural route, with both groups mixing in running and walking. Then came a series of cognitive tests (the SAT for runners, I guess?).Test results indicated that city running is less beneficial for our mental well-being, and this partly comes down to what NBC News/Men’s Health called “High levels of air pollution in the city.” Breathing in all that auto exhaust might just prevent a runner’s brain from capitalizing on the mental-health benefits of exercise. For instance, NBC News/Men’s Health reporter Angela Giannopoulos wrote, the brains of the city runners in the study seemed less able to adapt to new knowledge than those of the rural runners.Whether it has been running down Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge or along Kings Beach in Lynn, I have always felt a little wary from all the cars ? or, more precisely, from their exhaust. Alas, the fumes of several beachfront areas in Lynn and Nahant (it sure smells like sewage) don’t help either.I have always felt freer running through natural environments such as Lynn Woods. There is just something soothing about the scent of the trees and the soil. Even when I walk across a crowded parking lot to the North Cambridge bike path, the aroma of the trees and soil signals where car culture ends and chipmunk culture begins. So, even if you don’t live near a reservation like the Woods, you can still find more “natural” places to run than crowded city streets.I don’t feel that suburban/nature runners should feel superior to city runners, though. Running, like real estate, often comes down to location. I like to run close to where I live ? a concept I’ve heard expressed elsewhere. And there are intangible benefits to running in cities. It can help us catch that bus ? or transform that annoying errand to CVS into a delightful half-mile sprint.The study did have some caveats, too. For instance, a professor involved in the research, according to NBC News/Men’s Health, suggested that city residents can ameliorate air pollution by running in wind or rain, which “blow the fine particles away so you’re not left inhaling them.” So, let’s take advantage of the New England winter. Also, don’t run in rush hour (sounds logical) and look for more nature-friendly urban running spots (like I mentioned above).So, the next time we lace up our shoes, it might not hurt to head for the hills ? and away from the cars.Rich Tenorio can be reached at [email protected].