YOU RUN six miles, pump iron for an hour, then read the paper over a tofu and veggie lunch to discover that two guys younger and fitter just died while working out.

What's the point of all the sweat and sacrifice?

It can't be living longer. According to reporting by The Sun's Jonathan Bor, longevity is a crapshoot affected by so many factors that it's impossible to control them all.

Regular exercise probably improves the odds of a lengthy lifespan for most people. But there are no guarantees. Fate has a way of snatching whomever it wants, however it wants, whenever it wants.

The purpose of exercise should be living better - feeling better physically and mentally. It should be fun. Running through the countryside in fall, watching the changing leaves. Jogging through a city neighborhood at Christmas, checking out the holiday decorations.

Gratification comes immediately. Muscles tingle. Oxygen clears the brain. Stress goes away. Endorphins bring a sense of well-being. Occasionally, problems get worked out and poetry gets written.

Sports for pairs or teams like tennis, racquetball or golf add a social factor - also with immediate payoffs.

Working out with weights requires more of the no-pain, no-gain mentality. The reward comes soon, though, to the diligent in the form of a form that looks great in clothes - or without them.

Those who approach exercise as an odious task - a chore performed only in the quest for a few extra years in retirement - should give themselves a break. Just walk enough to keep the fat off; climb some stairs to limber up the joints, ride a bike to get some fresh air.

Life is already too short to take a chance on losing it in the middle of a joyless jog. To recycle a '60s phrase, if it doesn't feel good, don't do it.

But keeping active in whatever fashion pleases offers so many real-time rewards it's worth doing for its own sake.