When and how runners can meditate [Article]

When and how runners can meditate

This article was originally published on Bookculinaryvacations.com under the title "6 Mindful Tips for meditating while running". Check out their content as I they are a nice team to work with and they will appreciate you as a customer. I have taken their ideas and added some more depth to it. You will find tips on how to start meditating and how it works for beginners and experienced runners.

Running is an excellent exercise, especially if you want to lose weight. There is data which shows that running helps alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression. Going for a run detaches you from the daily grind. This should be an opportunity to relax and focus on your body.

Whenever I came home stressed and angry from my job a run in the evenings helped to calm down. Before dinner was the ideal time back then to not blow my top as I was very stressed from work. I have now moved on to exercising in the mornings to have more time with family. When I do not meditate and exercise, I can feel my anger and stress levels rise quickly during the day. Sitting down to relax and giving it all in the gym have therefore become part of my morning routine.

One of the main components of effective meditating is diaphragmatic breathing. This is not possible for your strenuous interval and long runs. You should, therefore, use recovery runs to meditate. Here are six tips for you to get started.

1. Breathe deeply

Meditation and control of the mind are all about your breath. It is amazing what you can achieve by paying closer attention to it. Try 10 deep breaths inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. After this move on to normal breathing. Count to ten by counting on each inhale and exhale. Repeat and focus mainly on your breath.

I recommend this on your park runs where there is no cars around. You can also use long stretches where you know that it is not busy. Avoid this technique on busy roads and new terrain. Here you should focus on your surroundings and not being injured.

2. Put some thought into your running form

Recovery runs can be used to relax and chill out. There is no need to have the same tension as with the other runs where you focus on increasing distance or speed. Relax your hands and let them drop. Keep your torso still. If you can not relax your hands try only to touch your index finger and thumb instead of making a full fist.

3. Perfect running form first

Meditating while running is more suited to experienced runners. You should be able to go on autopilot for the running mechanisms. As long as you are starting out get used to normal breathing. Test your limit. Map out some running paths close to your home.

Once you have some experience experiment. Try runs with more relaxed form and with less tension to then move on to meditating.

4. Stop running and walk when you feel tired

For beginners, this is good advice. A friend of mine started to run with me and I deliberately slowed down. He was determined to run as fast as me, even though I already had been training for more than two years. In the end, we had to walk anyway so do not stress yourself too much.

Experienced runners also tend to forget this for their long runs. If you are on a 20 or 30-mile run it does not make much of a difference for your overall time to stop and meditate for ten minutes. Especially when it is training and not competition. This can be a welcome break and make the Long runs on the weekend less of an ordeal.

5. Make sure you run at your most comfortable pace

This ties into the recovery runs already mentioned in this article. You can use heart rate monitors to track whether you are overdoing it or not. There is also a technique for people who do not want to invest. Run at a pace that you can comfortably talk to someone else who is next to you. This is a good pace for relaxing and meditating.

6. Never skip the stretching before and after the run

Stretching is important and often overlooked by runners. You can considerably lower the risk of injury by stretching properly. It is also a good opportunity to practice deep breathing even further.

Try some Yoga from YouTube to get the moves you like most and can be done before and after a run. Once you memorized the routine, pay special attention to your breath.

Rule of thumb

At some point, you will experience a "runner's high". This is a state of mind that is completely calm and only focused on one thing: running. Meditation can help to elevate yourself to this point easier and faster. Perfect your running form and routes first. Separately work on your breathing and stretching. Combine the breathing from stretching and routes for the ultimate running experience.

Bonus

Headspace is one of the most popular apps for mindfulness and meditation. You will be guided by a voice on how to meditate. I first came across the app when it got recommended on the Tim Ferriss blog.

The basic program is for free. The paid subscription is the pretty low price for the amount of content you get in turn. You will get guided meditation for

Stress
Anxiety
Sleep
Depression
Pregnancy
Cancer
Pain Management
Regret
Anger
Change
Restlessness
Self Esteem
Relationships
Patience
Happiness
Acceptance
Appreciation
Kindness
Generosity
Prioritization
Productivity
Focus
Creativity
Balance
Leaving Home
Motivation
Training
Competition
Communication
Analysis
Recovery
Rehab

Conclusion

Meditation and running can be combined especially for recovery runs. Long runs are also an option to get a break in. If you are a beginner focus in getting a routine of getting out and running established. Once this is done start to differentiate your runs into performance and relaxation. Optimize the relaxation runs through meditation. You can learn mindfulness through the headspace app before applying it to runs.

About the Original author

Cara Haley, contributor writer in https://www.bookyogaretreats.com/, she is the editor-in-chief for Comfort Hacks where she reviews shoes for different foot issues and Fitaholic Gear where she reviews sports shoes. When she’s not running or writing, you can find her hiking, camping or spend time with her family at home.