RUNNING MINDFULLY
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A few years ago Nike expanded its partnerships with guided meditation and mindfulness app Headspace.
They wanted to serve the complete holistic needs of athletes, so do that, they used their influence in the world of sport to partner with companies that are experts in their field.
You might be reading this and thinking, what could such a physically engaging exercise have in common with a practice that focuses on strengthening the mind? Turns out, a lot more than you think. For starters, both practices rely on repetition as a means of increasing the effectiveness and enhancing the benefits. Whether you’re strengthening your body or your mind, repetition is the key to success. When done separate from your running routine, meditation makes you more focused, which can bleed into your running training and improve performance.
Therefore, why keep running and meditation separate from each other when there’s also a beneficial and mindful way to combine them? Consider run meditation, the practice of bringing awareness to your body as you work on your fitness. In mindful running, you focus on eliminating distractions and being mentally connected to your physical movement. Ultimately, it’s all about tuning in to your body.
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5 benefits of MINDFUL RUNNING
No wonder the phenomenon of mindful running has been on the rise. Engaging in meditation while running can improve the strength of your mind and your run. Here are some of the benefits that uniting your meditation and running practice can bring:
Decreased levels of depression. A study published in Translational Psychiatry combined aerobic exercise with meditation and found that the recipe decreased symptoms of depression by 40 percent in depressed patients.
Happier runs (and beyond). Researchers at the University of California, Davis found that meditation can help lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Less stress and a general improvement in mood make for a run that’s less about running away from problems and more about savouring nature and your body’s movements.
Higher pain tolerance. According to a data analysis from Wake Forest School of Medicine, pain tolerance can be increased through the practice of mindfulness (the area of meditation that focuses on being present). When you relax and avoid fixating on the point of pain, you’ll be able to push through it more easily.
More energy. Tension and restlessness can drain your energy buckets, but by using mindful running to bring awareness to your present, your body can relax and replenish its energy resources.
Improved speed and endurance. An increase in running speed is the direct result of the relaxation benefits that run meditation can offer. When your body is at ease and does not carry tension, it is not unnecessarily worn down — not to mention, your mind will also be at ease, allowing you to trek further.
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When Headspace first began developing sports meditation content, they worked with top sports psychologists to determine exactly how athletes might benefit from mindfulness. They found that training mindfully will ensure an athlete is preparing, performing and recovering in the most efficient and effective way possible — no matter what activity they’re doing.
Mindfulness is the ultimate tool for any athlete at any level, it’s easy to learn and simple to apply, it can help strengthen motivation, increase focus, improve resilience, enhance form, optimise recovery and, perhaps most important of all, get us out of our head and into the body for an enjoyable and fulfilling training session.
“running fast won’t be the focus of the session, Instead, you’ll be coached in ways that help you feel like you are in control of your run, your outlook on your running and even your life.”
The partnership between Nike and Headspace provides audio guided running meditations within the Nike Run Club app. There, you can explore a variety of runs to help connect your mind and body, to go into your next workout with a calm mind and clear perspective on your goals.
On the app, Nike added audio guided mindful runs. What sets these apart from Nike’s other guided runs is that in addition to getting effort-based running instruction, you’ll also learn how to unlock strength and peace from within. The guidance blends technical and motivational components, making it a little more active and upbeat than a sitting meditation.
Each mindful run falls into one of the same three categories every NRC run does (long, speed or recovery), but even though you may run fast during one, running fast won’t be the focus of the session. Instead, you’ll be coached in ways that help you feel like you are in control of your run, your outlook on your running and even your life.
Part of getting there involves getting in the zone which you are coached to do on a run. When you start to feel your mind drifting to thoughts of your to-do list, unanswered emails or plans for later, let them pass instead of dwelling on them. Instead, bring your attention to your body, focusing on your running form starting with your head and moving down to your feet.
The moments of pure focus are fleeting, and you won’t experience that feeling on every run. When you are running mindfully, you are actively creating the conditions for that sense of flow, meaning everything is enhanced, from technique and motivation to focus and recovery. Mindfulness may be the missing link between you and your running-related goals.
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How to practice meditation while running
As well as the Nike app, Headspace offer guidance on trying your own mindful run. There are a few ways to go about it, so start out by picking whatever practice speaks to you in the moment.
Here are a few starting points:
Choose a mantra. A mantra is a word or sound that is repeated in the practice of meditation in order to help concentration. The possibilities are endless, but power words and phrases such as “I am strong,” “Just keep running,” or simply “Right left, right left” are always winners.
Focus on your breath. As you are running, use your breathing pattern as an anchor and become aware of its natural rhythm. You can also play around with your breathing patterns and different counts, or try to match your breathing to your steps.
Become aware. Instead of letting the mind wander, focus on becoming aware of the sights, sounds and sensations you are experiencing during your run. Is there a breeze? What does it feel like? How does your entire body feel in motion? What are the sights you are passing by in your training? Make a mental list of everything you are seeing and feeling.
Guided meditations. If you’re already using the Headspace app they also offer guided meditation for runners and have these three suggestions called Run Easy, Run Smart, and Keep Running.
Have a wonderful mindful run, focusing on your body and your mind, your life, not your personal best.