“All that I am, I am because of my mind.”  -Paavo Nurmi, 9-time Olympic gold medalist in track & field

Now we aren’t all going to be Olympic gold medalists but there are benefits to increasing our mind-body awareness when running.  Running itself, with its repetitive nature, requires a great deal of focus and discipline. Incorporating meditation into our running gives us a way to focus and increases the quality of attention that we pay to our bodies 

Here are some starting points to use:

Concentration - Try your hardest to keep your mind free.  Focus on the sound of your footstrike, your breath or the beat of music (if you run with an Ipod).  Don’t stress if you stray from the moment – just take note of it and try again.  Try to practice it in short bursts, say five minutes or one mile, until you get used to it.

Make it a habit – I’m not saying that you should run every day but practice meditating daily (it’ll be less wear and tear on you).  Take five minutes and envision yourself running.  Feel your footsteps, hear your breath and let your mind clear.

Contemplation- When your mind tires of concentrating, contemplate.  Think about your life, your goals and your relationships.  This kind of practice will let running enhance your life in more than just a physical manner.

Intervals – Just as you interval train with speed drills and hill workouts, alternate between contemplative and concentration moments.  Concentrate on a tough uphill and contemplate on the downhill or time yourself for a mile of concentration followed by a mile of contemplation.

Be in the moment:   Possibly the hardest thing to explain but it’s the effort of staying in the moment even as you are in motion.  It’s about awareness of each breath and each sensation.  Be aware of your surroundings, any aches and pains, the feel of the sun, wind or rain on you as you run.  With practice, this will get easier. 

Incorporating meditation into your running is a wonderful way to enhance the positive effects running can have for stress-relief and mental clarity.  It’s also one more step towards staying injury-free as you become more aware of your body in motion. 

To start using meditation tomorrow, start with my favorite quote from the book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami:

“The thoughts that occur to me while I’m running are like clouds in the sky.  Clouds of all different sizes.  They come and they go, while the sky remains the same as always.  The clouds are mere guests in the sky that pass and vanish, leaving behind the sky.  The sky both exists and doesn’t exist.  It has a substance and at the same time doesn’t.  And we merely accept that vast expanse and drink it in.”

Happy Running!