Modern life is stressy and messy.
Rawdogging on a run can be a wonderful tonic, acting as a small but mighty act of self-care.
The concept is simple: running without headphones or a tracker.
It’s borrowed from the trend of enduring long-haul flights without any entertainment or sleep, besides the digital map on the screen in front of your seat. A way to practice discipline, if not discomfort, in pursuit of a mental reset and recharge.
Far less extreme, running without music has all the benefits, without any downsides.
In this article we’ll explore the joy of rawdogging on a run. From fostering a deeper connection to nature and finding inner calm, to being more alert to wonder and even improving your technique.
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7 Benefits of Rawdogging on a Run
Joy 1: Enjoy More Mindful Runs
A digital detox when running is kind on body and mind.
Running without tech frees you up to be more present. This unlocks a deeper awareness and appreciation of your surroundings, encouraging you to take the great outdoors in. You spot the visual and visceral joys of the natural world, such as seasonal colour palettes, bird song, changes in the terrain under foot, playful bursts of light through trees, the joy of reflections and even fun shapes in cloud formations. Running outdoors stimulates the senses and arouses a new sense of gratitude.
As your focus shifts outward instead of inward, you feel yourself letting go of worries too. Time outdoors gifts us valuable perspective. We feel that time is slowing down or less important altogether, in contrast to the hurried pace of work and its constant deadlines.
The expanse of nature’s playground also broadens our thinking, offsetting the confines of our digital screens. A truly enlightening and therapeutic experience.
A breath of fresh air in more ways than one.
Joy 2: Improved Creative Problem Solving
Let your mind roam as your legs do the same.
Research shows a 60% boost in creative output after running or walking outdoors. Rawdogging on a run untethers your mind completely.
Running without distraction not only clears the head, it can actively assist free thinking. Time outdoors is the best way to move beyond writer’s block or work through a difficult issue.
It’s only when we relieve ourselves from high-pressure situations and allow our minds to wander can we do our best thinking. Suddenly everything becomes clear. We’re also blessed with endless visual inspiration when immersed in nature to get the creative juices flowing.
We’ve all had that epiphany when on a run or in the shower. Our subconscious mind has been searching for that killer idea or solution all along, but it’s only able to enter your conscious mind when there’s sufficient room.
A device-free run strips things back, providing room for new inspiration, ideas and combinations to take shape.
Joy 3: Better Running Form – Yes, Really!
Endurance runners swear by rawdog training runs.
When your body is strained your mind takes over, as we’ve all experienced in the last few miles of a marathon.
Listening to your breathing and footsteps during training can help to fine-tune your technique and push you forward with greater ease and efficiency.
When you run, your muscles and cells depend on the constant delivery of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide to propel movement. Good breathing also ensures proper muscular function of the diaphragm, which is key for stabilising your core for better running form, and regulating your nervous system for staying cool under pressure.
Good form starts with good posture. Keep upright, with your head in line with your spine. Avoid hunching, especially as runs become trickier.
By unplugging completely, you can also be more deliberate with breathing practice. Rhythmic breathing, for example, syncs to your running stride. A typical pattern involves 5-steps: 3-steps as you inhale, 2 as you exhale. You’ll want to settle on a cadence that works for you, though. Doing so helps to maintain a steady pace throughout a run.
With good breathing, your focus is fully on your technique, rather than any external variables that are out of your control, such as the weather or other runners during a race.
Joy 4: Add More Variation to Your Runs
I get it: music is a wonderful motivator.
However, always exercising to the same stimulation can hold you back. It not only limits your overall progress, but can lead to boredom. Running can quickly become very samey.
One joy of running is its variety. I have a few different types of runs I can turn to, such as solo runs or social runs, favourite trials or ad hoc jaunts when the mood hits, a faster pace or slow and steady, and so on. You get the gist. This is called “Polarized training” – mixing up your intensity and inspiration, versus sticking to the same training regime again and again.
So, in terms of rawdogging a running, it could be bingeing on an audiobook one week, and a week running without headphones the next. Trading your audio companion for a veritable feast for the eyes.
Joy 5: Embrace the Weekly Joy Runs challenges
Add more joy to your runs 💌
- 1 Challenge p/w
- Run your way
- 100% Free
Leaving your run tracker at home is strangely liberating. Modern run culture is all too often about comparison and conquest, so it’s freeing to be unshackled from tracking apps. Time to tap into why you got running in the first place instead. Heart-and-soul running filled with adventure and excitement.
Joy 6: A Safer Way to Run
I’m aware of the privilege associated with being male. I can run anywhere, anytime, with my headphones in without a care about my personal safety. For all my words about running being freeing and uplifting, I know being a female runner is tougher. There are vulnerabilities that shouldn’t exist, but do
A sad truth is that running without music can help to reclaim some element of personal safety. Doing so allows you to stay mindful of your surroundings and avoid possible threats.
Regardless of gender, that includes passing cars and dogs off the lead.
Joy 7: Treat Yourself to a No Pressure Run
Leaving your run tracker at home is strangely liberating.
Modern run culture is all too often about comparison and conquest, so it’s freeing to be unshackled from tracking apps. Time to tap into why you got running in the first place instead. Heart-and-soul running filled with adventure and excitement.
It’s also the secret to a lifelong love affair with running. Slowing down to savour what your body is capable of and where it can take you, rather than the pressure of always going further or faster.
By focusing on the quality of journey the destination takes care of itself.
In summary, rawdogging a run is a great option for anybody already over-stimulated or who simply wants to enjoy the magnificence of running in nature. Running’s beauty is its simplicity, so it can pay to keep it that way.
