I run for...meditation.

8/26/13 - 3.64mi in 45:38 - 12:33 min/mi

So far Monday night is the only run I've done this week. It's been SO hot and my allergies have absolutely been driving me crazy. But…no excuses. I'm running tomorrow morning and then interval training on Saturday! :)

Running for meditation. Monday night's run was a perfect example of how listening to your mind can shake your confidence and slow you down. Coming into Monday night's run I was still a little sore from Saturday's 20 miles. I knew it was going to take some effort to get going. Sure enough as I began to run, my mind started to reel and I felt like I had forgotten how to run. All of a sudden everything was going wrong - my shorts were riding up, my hair was falling down, bugs were hitting my face, the music on my iPhone was annoying, it was hot, my feet hurt, etc. I let this go on for about the first half of my run. It slowed me down. It affected my performance and it wasn't enjoyable. Then I got smart. I turned the last half of my run into a meditative practice. I turned my music off and I tuned everything else out. I focused on my breath and the sound of my shoes on the pavement. I repeated my affirmations to myself ("I am strong. I am light. I can do this.") and corrected my running form. Like any meditative practice, I cleared my mind. With each new thought or aggravation that popped into my head, I recognized it and put it in the imaginary box in my mind. The last half of my run was much easier and I enjoyed it.

So here is how you can turn your next run into a meditation…

1. Prepare yourself ahead of time. As you stretch start taking some deep breaths and try to clear your mind.
2. Leave the music or any other gadgets at home. Sometimes when running you need the distraction but sometimes it can serve as a medium for intrusive negative thoughts and feelings.
3. Start out at a nice, even pace. You can begin with counting your steps or just focusing on the sound of your feet on the pavement.
4. Now is the perfect time to focus on your breath and your running form. Repeat those affirmations to yourself.
5. Just like any meditative practice the body's natural aches and pains will try to drag your attention away. Note the feeling, evaluate if it's serious or not, and if not, bring your attention back to your breath or your running form.
6. It can be helpful to have an imaginary container in your mind as I did on Monday. I use a cardboard box. You could also use a trunk or a glass jar, etc. Something to visualize a place where your thoughts can "go". As any thoughts enter your mind, "put" the thought in your container.
7. Closure. Just as you had to prepare yourself for the running meditation, you also need to provide yourself with some closure. If you were putting your thoughts in a box, you can imagine closing it up, putting it on a shelf, etc. Same with any other imaginary container that you may have used. Stretch and continue deep breathing. Think about all the ways your running meditation has change your mind-body connection, how it strengthened your muscles and your cardiovascular system, and how next time will be even easier.

Of course, this is a very basic guide. Feel free to experiment with this process and find what works best for you. Visualizations, guided imagery, and meditations are excellent tools for a lot of athletes. Used before and during an activity some benefits include: increased stamina, improved concentration and performance, increased tolerance to temperature and pain, and being an all around more efficient athlete.