Your Strava cannot hear the birds

What is mindful running?

It's consciously applying elements of mindfulness practice or meditation to your running.

You can try it two ways:

1. 1

   Looking inwards, physically, emotionally, or mentally

2. 2

   Looking outwards and engaging your senses

Going inwards

• Observing your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. Notice them as they come and go.

• Paying special attention to your breath

• Body scans

On some days, you might sense a lot of gratitude and joy. Not all runs go perfectly though. This mindset is particularly helpful to recenter when things feel off.

You might ask yourself:

• Am I tired? Hungry?

• Am I sore or achy? Uncomfortable?

• Am I 2orried? Stressed? Frustrated? Overstimulated?

• Do I feel bored or restless? Do I crave something new and exciting?

Once you notice what's going on, you can respond.

• Slow down or pick up the pace

• Take a comforting, familiar route, or head out somewhere new

• Adjust shoes or clothes

• Take a break, or continue on with more awareness

If you can't change anything right now, sometimes just noticing is enough. You might be inspired to change it up for your next run.

The key is to be aware of how you're feeling and respond with self-compassion. There's no right way to "do running". We have infinite freedom to make it work for us.

Going outwards: Engaging the senses

Beyond the five senses, there are others — like thermoception, your awareness of temperature. Engage them all.

Try noticing:

• The pressure of your feet hitting the ground

• How your clothes feel on your skin

• The sounds of animals, trees, leaves, cars, or people

• The smells. Grass. Petrichor. Other people's food. I often run by a supermarket and I can smell the baking from the road.

Immerse yourself in your run. A quick sensory check-in can bring you back to the moment if the run feels flat, or enhance an already beautiful run.

You can pause and literally (or metaphorically) smell some roses or touch a tree trunk. It's your run. What would feel good for YOU?

Benefits of mindful running

1. 1

   Lower stress and burnout

2. 2

   Better mental health

3. 3

   Improved body awareness

4. 4

   Sharper focus, resilience, and more control over negative thoughts

5. 5

   Better pacing and performance

6. 6

   Higher self-esteem

7. 7

   More consistent training habits

Though it’s not a replacement for structured training, mindful running can make your training more effective and more enjoyable. Athletes who practice mindfulness tend to pace better, have better tools for handling discomfort, and recover from setbacks more easily.

Pacing matters a lot for performance, but that's a topic for another time!

What can I try on my next run?

Here are a few ideas to get you started: