Mindfulness is a wonderful tonic for tough times. Mindful running simply means doing it on the move.
Exercise for both body and mind, it’s about being fully present and aware of your body and surroundings when out on a run. Being mentally connected with your movement and not wishing to change the moment or react to it, but to lean into it in a helpful way. Free from anxiety or worry. Not indulging external pressures or distractions. Really listening in order to form a deeper connection with your running.
Mindful running has loads of benefits. It can be a pathway to better mind-body connection, lead to a greater appreciation for the world around you, and even better physical performance. An artform that can elevate every run and set the tone for the rest of your week.
With a little more intent, you could be more mindful of your movement and enjoying more soulful runs.
How to Run This Theme: Mindful Running
Tips for mindful running:
- be present: tune into your breath, the sound of your feet hitting the floor, the scenery around you
- use your senses and emotions: notice what you can see, hear, smell, and feel
- remove obstacles: leave your headphones and heart rate monitor behind
- focus on your form: improve your technique with fewer distractions
- bring yourself back: if you drift into the past or future, let those thoughts drift away without judgement and gently bring yourself back to now
- go slow: embrace a comfortable pace to experience more
- consider a guided meditation: the Calm app can be a good way to kickstart your running meditation journey
- run in nature: running near water or running near trees are both therapeutic
- journal after your run: take a snap on your route and reflect on how the run felt mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally
The rhythmic nature of running is actually a good aid to keep your mind from wandering, providing a more intimate and soothing run out.
Remember to post your runs and on Instagram and/or TikTok, tagging in Joy Runs. You can also share how you found this Joy Run theme and how it made you feel in the comments box below.
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The Benefits of Mindful Running
Brace yourself. The benefits of mindful running include:
- lower stress levels
- a strong mind-body connection
- pushing through mental and physical barriers
- more gratitude in your life
- improved immunity from illness
- being more centred and grounded
- being able to push through in endurance sports
- a more sustained connection to running
Ultimately, mindful running is a path to better mental health and a better relationship with the self. Inside and outside of the sport.
What Mindful Running Means to Me
Our brains are flat out, processing up to 60,000 thoughts per day.
The discursive mind – always remembering, critiquing, worrying – is working non-stop. Switching it off is an act of self-love and a lesson in how not to over think. Moving meditation asks you to take your primary focus off your thoughts and onto something else. Untethering your mind from its busyness.
For me, it’s also about taking a more holistic approach to running. Not feeling the need to compete or conform, and all the non-stop training and metric-watching that comes with that. My personal joy of running is being fused with my surroundings and moving down the gears to find inner peace.
In Backpacking with the Saints, Belden Lane describes the experience of hiking in a similar way:
“Whenever I plunge into wilderness, my body and the environment move in and out of each other in an intimate pattern of exchange. I wade through water and inhale air filled with the scent of honeysuckle. I'm wrapped in cobwebs and pierced by briars. I swallow gnats drawn to the sweat on my body and feel the rocks on the trail through my boots. Where I "end" and everything else "begins" isn't always clear. What seems to be "me" doesn't stop at the fixed boundary of my skin.”
How does mindful running improve performance?
As an endurance sport, we all hit a wall in running when our body struggles and our mind must take over.
Mindful running prepares our mind in this capacity, helping us to push on in the final few miles of a marathon. It’s also a major help in training. The tedious and repetitive nature of off-the-shelf training plans can lead to frustration and boredom.
Practicing mindfulness when running opens up more avenues for enjoyment and a more fulfilling experience. Which in turn, helps us to get out more.
