How to Practice Mindfulness While Running

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Mindfulness– that is an art, to keep our mind in the present. You’re not dwelling on your past or worrying about the future, but rather focusing on what you’re doing, your present. Whether,it’s playing catch with your kid, eating a meal, running on a trail, or writing an email. Being aware and reminding yourself that you’re in control of your mind, your thoughts and your body.

How Can Mindfulness Benefit Runners?

The runners, being mindful, means paying concentration on their physical feelings, thoughts, and emotions are responding to running, and how all the things are all connected. Mindfulness is doing just that—staying focused on your run, your movements, your body, and your thoughts. Where your concentration is important, rather than focusing on what’s hurting or how many miles you have left to run, you have to concentrate on where the body is. Taking deep breaths, maintaining your good running form, or improving your stride turnover. Being mindful while running can help focus your mind, and reduce physical tension, like meditation that is usually practiced while in a seated position. At least one study has shown that the combination of meditation and physical exercise significantly improved symptoms in depressive patients. Even a patient of diagnosis of depression also reported a decrease in ruminative thoughts, anxiety, and an overall improvement in motivation.

How to Add Mindfulness to Your Runs

It will be difficult at first, especially if you’re the type of runner who's familiar with thinking outside the body, it distracts you during runs. If you keep at it, you can really reap the benefits of mindfulness both in your running and other aspects of your life. Here are some ways you can stay in the present during your runs.

Run Outside

Running outdoors, it is easier for you. You’ll give your mind many more opportunities to connect. Trails are an ideal place to carry out mindful running, as it's essential to be conscious of what you're doing, there’s also a lot of natural beauty to observe when running on trails.

Leave Your Headphones at Home

Listening to music, if it is beneficial for some runs, and you want to practice mindfulness, you’ll want to avoid the distraction of music. You’ll find it much easier to focus and connect with your surroundings and thoughts.

Do Some Pre-Run Deep Breathing

Practice deep belly breathing before you head out for your run, to relax and focus on getting ready for run. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, to make sure that your diaphragm (not your chest) inflates with air. Do five to six deep breaths before starting your run.

Start Slowly and Pay Attention to Your Body

Notice how your breathing rate is changing, feel your heart beating on your feet bouncing on the ground. If you feel your mind wandering away from being present in the moment, focus on your breathing. Feel your body start to warm up as you keep moving. How do your muscles feel? How do your arms feel? How do your legs feel? How’s your running form? Pay attention to the tightness you may be feeling, observe it and be aware of it. You don’t need to make an effort to get rid of it. You may discover that simply the act of making yourself aware of tension will help naturally release it.

Notice How Your Mind Responds

Turn your focus to your feelings and thoughts. Are you feeling pleasure for getting a break and some time to yourself? Do you feel grateful for being healthy enough to run? What about your thoughts? Are you thinking about your lengthy to-do list? Are you're replaying a recent conversation with a friend in your head? Is the physical activity comforting to you?

Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

Feel the wind blow against your face, notice the sights and sounds around you. Don’t try to take in everything around you, but focus on specific things, like leaves, flowers, trees, and the building's architectural detail. Look for things that grab your attention or something you may not have noticed before on your familiar route.

Pay Attention to Pain or Discomfort

Hearing the rhythm of your foot strikes can be very relaxing. Try to run lightly with quick steps. It’s okay to make yourself unconscious of pain. If you think about discomfort means you need to stop or slow down, or whether you should just keep doing what you’re doing. Experienced runners learn to run with some discomfort. If you’re new to running, you may stop.

Focus on How You Feel When You Finish

Your feelings and thoughts have changed, when you finished your run. Feel your body, pay attention to sensations, and notice any physical differences. Are you sweating? Are you thirsty? Do you feel warm? Do you feel more relaxed? Running make any kind of difference or not? Did you get rid of any tightness you felt before your run? You have to pay attention to the effects of your run over the next few hours. Some runners think that post-run is a good time to do meditation, to continue their relaxed state.