5 Ways To Make Your Running More Mindful
There has been a huge uptake in mindfulness and meditation over the last year... and it’s fantastic to see... but some people still struggle with the idea of seated meditation. As they sit or lie there, trying their best to engage, they get increasingly more restless, worked-up, and anxious – essentially, they add fuel to the exact fire that they had hoped to settle with their practice.
At the same time as this push towards mindfulness and meditation, thousands of people have joined the ‘running revolution’, with every man, woman, and dog posting their best 5ks and 10ks over lockdown.
These are two brilliant trends in their own right, but what if they could be combined? What if those people who struggle to sit still and meditate could run or walk their way through a body scan, a breathwork practice or a self-reflection instead? The amazing thing is that movement and mindfulness go hand in hand and in a way, make each other easier to engage with.
To be Mindful on your running journey; you don't necessarily need to go slow or to do a meditation. Mindfulness in its most simple form is having an awareness of your present experience, without any judgement for yourself or that experience. To come into that mindful moment, all you need is an anchor to take you away from your anxieties about the past or the future. In mindfulness practices, this anchor is often our breath, but it could be anything from our touch to our sight to our smell. Senses that are accessible to each of us, whether we are running in our local park or sitting on our couch. That could mean you are mindful when you recognise how tough your run is; when you notice a beautiful view; when you hear the traffic that you pass; or when you feel the wind and rain against your body.
Here are 5 ways you can be more mindful on your running journey:
Come training or race day, look around and appreciate what you pass.
1. Look Around You – So often as we run, we look at the ground in front of us and miss the world that we pass through. Why not take a moment every now and then to look up and take in the views around you? When we focus on the external world, we can anchor our minds away from any uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, and allow our minds to quieten down. This is especially nice if you have the option to run in a park, on a beach or by water. Noticing these things can help you to recognise that there is a world outside of your workplace, outside of your worries.
2. It’s Not Always a Race – Not all of your running has to be at 100% effort. There are occasions where you can and you might like to go for a faster time or for a longer distance, and that’s completely OK, it’s just worth remembering that easier runs are just as important in our running training. When you do an easier run, even if it doesn’t result in a personal best, you will still build strength, burn calories, and improve your running economy, as well as maybe having that opportunity to slow down and recognise just how good it feels to move.
3. Breathe – Our breath is so powerful – it has the ability to anchor us into the present moment, fuel our bodies, and even alter our heart rate. On your next run, try this – Breathe in twice through your nose, before breathing out slowly through your nose. This is a practice called 2 breaths in and 1 breath out which helps to improve your Heart Rate Variability mid run. The technique helps to reopen the alveoli in the lungs through the inhale, and then helps to release more carbon dioxide from the lungs through the extended exhale (Interestingly enough, it’s what our body does naturally after we cry!). This can help to reduce your heart rate and decrease lactic acid build up, as well as being an anchor into your present running experience. Pretty cool.
Being mindful on your runs can bring a new sense of joy to your running.
4. Scan your Body - Body scans help you to connect your mind and body, so what better way to do so than in the form of a relaxing run? Instead of doing the practice seated or lying down, set out on a light run or walk, and just scan through your body from head to toe. Notice how your feet feel as they hit off the floor beneath you, notice how high your forearms raise as run, notice how your hands are positioned, notice the quality of your breath… See how this feels and whatever comes up, don’t judge it, just notice it and if its sore, you can look after it that little bit better later, if feeling good, maybe you can channel that feeling this week and attempt that faster run. Its about connecting with and understanding what is good for your body.
5. Be Kind to Yourself – As we said at the beginning, ‘Mindfulness in its most simple form is having an awareness of your present experience, without any judgement for yourself or that experience’. Most people tend to remember the first half of the definition but the second half is just as important as the first half. If you can take one thing away from this article, make it a reminder to be kinder to yourself inside and outside of your running. If you fall short of a target, or if you get injured, it does not mean you are a failure or a bad person. You are the same lovely person as you were before you set out on your run so don’t beat yourself up. Just recognise what happened and take learnings from it. Be kind to yourself and remember why you started and why you enjoy running in the first place.
When movement and mindfulness combine, it unlocks a whole new world for our mental wellbeing. The style of movement is up to you but Mindfulness is everywhere, once you allow yourself to notice!
This blog was written by Conor Stone, Growth & Community Lead @ Lupa
Start your mindful running journey with Lupa by downloading it for free today.