Running meditation

Invincible_summer

Are any of you runners, or at least enjoy the occasional run?

I'm wondering - have you tried to apply meditative principles into your running, or do you feel that meditation has helped your running? For example, not listening to music (or if on a treadmill, watching TV), staying with the breathing where there's discomfort, etc.

I've been trying to do these things, and I have to say it's made the running experience much more powerful. When there's no music, I feel like I can remember many details of the run and not just like I was on autopilot (how I feel when I'm running with headphones in). Also, I feel like having a regular meditation practice helps with the mental aspect of running - I can focus more on the experience of running rather than what I'd rather do instead of running.

Have any of you noticed things like this when running or doing any other physical activity?

karasti

I was a runner until I busted my knee, lol. I probably won't run much, if at all anymore just to preserve the knee as long as I can. But yes when I ran I did this. Part of the reason I started learning more about my Buddhism was after reading Zen and the Art of Running. I do the same practices in other things in life too, just on walks, hikes, drives, or whatever. I get much more out of whatever I am doing, and I am more in tune with my body and the world around me. It makes things more enjoyable instead of just wanting them to be over. For sure!

Tosh

I try being mindful when I'm running and I run distance up to marathon. Sometimes I'll just try to open my awareness and 'see' without thinking, other times I'll try to focus on my breathing, or just my feet hitting the ground.

I can't say that I do this for longer than 20 to 30 seconds at a time and my mind wanders off, till I catch it again and bring it back.

Oh, one thing I do, when I'm tired, is try to focus on that narrow gap when neither foot is on the ground; for a split second all muscles in my tired legs are relaxed; and that's where I put my awareness. It's like getting a mini-rest.

I love running; injury means I can't do more than 3 to 6 miles at the moment (ITB Syndrome); but I'm working on getting it sorted.

Tosh

Oh, another thing I try to do (which I think is very Buddhist), is when I'm tired, I try to welcome the fatigue instead of fighting it. "Hello fatigue, you've come to visit again!" It's not my own 'invention', an ultra runner does this and he reckons the better he gets to know fatigue, the less power it has over him.

I'm still at the baby stage though. I can think the words, but I still struggle when I'm hangin' tired.

(It reminds me of those Simon and Garfunkel lyrics, "Hello Darkness my old friend")

lamaramadingdong

I've done this while cross country skiing. The biggest thing that I have found to be helpful in using a medition technique is to pay attention to my center of balance and posture.

Bunks

When tired from running I imagine how hard the guys from my favourite football team train and that they push themselves much harder than me. This inspires me to keep going.

I stopped listening to music when running after almost being hit by a car a few years ago when I ran through a red light. Thankfully the driver saw me and braked. Scared the s**t out of me!

lobster

A couple of years back I took the couch to 5k challenge
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
The thing most challenging were the injuries and how every run is very different.
I now go walking and just recently got the cycle out again.
When walking, I sometimes break into a spontaneous short run.
I prefer to do yoga but when not up to it, I go for a walk instead. I walk fast and the other day overtook a jogger (yep really was that slow).
A friend had read that most injuries occur when you are not enjoying your running. True. I used to with limited success practice internal mantra but quite a lot of mindfulness on the running needed . . .
http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/spiritual-movement

Invincible_summer

@Tosh - I tried this:

try to focus on that narrow gap when neither foot is on the ground; for a split second all muscles in my tired legs are relaxed; and that's where I put my awareness. It's like getting a mini-rest.

during my run today, and it worked! Awesome tip!

@lamaramadingdong - Yeah I find I also do an occasional "body sweep" when I run to check my posture and search for any tense muscles, etc. Helps me focus and stay relaxed.

BhikkhuJayasara

I'm a barefoot runner and I do not run with music, actually I run with a program called " Zombies Run!" which every once in a while when you are running continues a story and you pick up supplies for your town etc. Inbetween the story it's just me and silence.

also when you are running barefoot, your mindfulness skyrockets because you feel every step, it's amazing how degraded and weak our feet become wearing shoes our whole lives.

karasti

@Jayantha I run barefoot as well. I spend as much of the year barefoot as I can, but with the winters we have I am forced to wear shoes and sometimes boots. I keep them as minimal as possible, but even in that case it takes a while to build up the foot strength again in the spring. It really is amazing how much more of the world, and your body, you notice being barefoot. And how weak our lower legs are as as result of wearing thick soled shoes for so long. Our feet are pretty amazing things, really.

BhikkhuJayasara

@karasti in the winter if it's dry I'll run in just a paid of thick socks, it's been wet this winter for me and I've been doing endurance events so I ran most of the winter in shoes.. boo. I did my first full barefoot run of the season last week, I missed it.

karasti

Our temps in the winter get to -40F and colder sometimes. Even now in March it'll be -11F tonight with highs in the 20s during the day and we have snow piles taller than my truck, lol. I do know a guy who runs in the winter in CO barefoot, but I just can't do it. Right now I can't run at all, and I'm not sure I'll ever get back to it. Thankfully I have a lot of other activities I enjoy, and I do hike barefoot too when it's safe to do so. But it's not like running, and I'll miss it.

BhikkhuJayasara

I tried running total barefoot in about 34 degree weather, after 3 miles it was just a no go for me. With the thick socks I ran in 19 degree weather no problem. we never get to those extreme temps you describe by me.

lobster

Our temps in the winter get to -40F and colder sometimes

I have only run in -7C in snow with willies (that is the autocorrect - should be wellies)
You can with practice use tumo, should be available tuition on the net somewhere . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wim_Hof

Tosh

I'm not tough (or daft) enough to do the barefoot running thing; but I've read 'Born to Run' (a top read too); and bought myself some minimalistic training shoes. I never wore them 'cos I was training for a marathon at the time and I believe you've got to start small and build up in these things.

Maybe I'll dig 'em out.

Daiva

Been running to help train for my mountain climbing excursions - the next one in Nepal in May. Currently I run 6-12 miles daily. I am close to the beach, so I am lucky to have scenic place to exercise. I like to engage in metta when I run, repeating the phrases (may i be happy, may my suffering be eased, may i be safe, etc) in my head. When i do this, i seem to be able to overcome all the negative thoughts that tell me to turn around, the pain in my knees and the fatigue that sets in. I am able to just keep going. I think it helps with my breathing, as the phrases almost work like a chant - so i am not thinking about my heart beating too hard and gasping for air - i just am aware that my breath in going in and out and there is enough and i don't need to overthink it. Running on the beach, along the waves and the birds hanging out on the sand becomes a good excuse TO meditate.

karasti

LOL what is daft is wearing shoes when our feet were meant to be bare Just teasing, of course, we don't live in a world anymore that is friendly to this idea. But it has great benefits to the body, not just the feet but the ankles, knees, hips and lower back, too. It's actually really neat, if you work on it and progress to being able to hike some terrain barefoot, it's a lot of fun. Like being a monkey! Your toes grip rocks and logs and you have far, far better balance, and your sensory perception is greatly enhanced. You don't hurt yourself stepping on things nearly as much as you think (as long as you work up to it, you can't just take off your shoes after 40 years and go for a 5 miles hike). It's awesome.

When I lived in Duluth, MN I used to love to run by Lake Superior. It's so nice being able to run along the water, very different from normal running. Very conducive to meditation for sure.

Invincible_summer

@Jayantha - so you meditate on concrete AND run total barefoot?

Yeah, you're a masochist.

That Zombies Run thing sounds hilarious!

Good to see other minimalist/barefoot runners here too! @karasti - do you mean hiking barefoot or just minimal? If you actually mean barefoot, that's impressive!

karasti

I do some barefoot hiking. It only sounds bad if your feet aren't conditioned for it. It depends on the trail. Usually I bring my Five Fingers with me and do barefoot some of the trail and put my shoes on later on certain sections. When you are barefoot a lot not only do you develop calluses but you develop a fat pad that protects your foot. You get to the point you can walk barefoot on gravel roads, actually. It's rare I get to that point because our winter is 6 months long. Some stretches of our hiking areas are cedar forest, very easy barefoot hiking. We also have a lot of glacial rock here which is fairly easy walking as well.

Seph

Invincible_summer said:

Have any of you noticed things like this when running or doing any other physical activity?

Yes, absolutely!
I had found in Taekwon-do that when practicing the tuls (patterns), it cam become a near meditation in itself.

(Tuls, or patterns, are similar to the Kata's in Karate).
When practicing my patterns up 'til my belt level (thee are 13 patterns for me) it perfectly clears my mind. It was a fantastic stress-relief.

In General Choi's (the found of traditional ITF Taekwon-do) Jungshin Sooyang, he makes mention of something called Jung-Joong Dong.

"A clear pond becomes muddy if agitated and then returns to its original state when allowed to settle undisturbed.

It is said that calm will be able to conquer the heat. Undoubtedly you can endure the hottest summer heat if you sit calm and composed. Conversely, if you move too much in order to warm your freezing body you may get temporary relief, but it does not last too long.

We can attain peace of mind through meditation, by emptying our minds of all petty thoughts and returning to the natural state of man. ... meditation in Taekwon-Do does not mean a total divorce from the world... but rather an active moment to reflect... in silence.This active thought process in silence is called "Jung-Joong-Dong."

Although it is not explicitly taught, Jung-Joong Dong can be understood or interpreted as "stillness in motion", and I think this absolutely applies to running also. In fact, the type of meditation you are talking about I believe is this Jung-Joong Dong in practice.

BhikkhuJayasara

Invincible_summer said:

@Jayantha - so you meditate on concrete AND run total barefoot?

Yeah, you're a masochist.

That Zombies Run thing sounds hilarious!

Good to see other minimalist/barefoot runners here too! @karasti - do you mean hiking barefoot or just minimal? If you actually mean barefoot, that's impressive!

lol... when you make peace with the concrete it is actually very supportive of your efforts :P

and yes Zombies Run! is great, it's done by brits so it has some funny dry humor to it.

shadowleaver

Yes. If I don't over exert myself (which is almost never :-) ) I can be mindful of all sensations or bring my mind to repeat a mantra. It is not as intensive as sitting meditation but I believe it is extremely important to apply what we learn on the cushion to our wider lives...

DaltheJigsaw

I do running meditation from time to time. However, it's bad on my knees, so instead I do walking meditation.

zombiegirl

It's funny that this post showed up because last week, I just went to the gym for the first time in YEARS and had thought about this very subject.

I should mention that I haven't attempted to run since before I quit smoking (2-3 years ago) and so, when I hopped on the treadmill, I didn't know what to expect. My last memory involved a lot of wheezing, lol... but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I ran over 2 miles barely breaking a sweat. I actually wanted to go longer but was a little worried that I might be too sore the next day (since I had to work). I was actually pretty shocked how much of a difference quitting smoking made. I'm not joking when I say that before, I seriously couldn't even make it a mile.

But while I was running, I didn't have any music or anything, and I was able to find a nice pace with my stride and breaths and it had occurred to me how much like meditation it was. It doesn't surprise me that there's already books on the subject.

Vastmind

Bike is what I do. Cruiser..no gears. Back stop petals.
With a black basket on the front, hahaha....I really enjoy
a misty morning ride or a sunny one by the lake, so even
a relax ride, once meditated, can turn into a couple
of miles. Once your in the zone......it's all a ride out.
And I agree...I love it barefoot!