Did anyone ever ask you, “What do you think about while you’re running?” I know I’ve been asked that question many times. My answer is always the same—it very much depends on the pace of the run. When I’m running fast, it’s important that I remain focused on my efforts to maximize my workout. During hard runs, my attention is committed to one or more of these:
- Relaxed running technique
- My competitors
- Advice of my coach
- Achieving a time goal
Seldom do my thoughts wander during a competitive run. But when I’m out for an easy jog (which I do between hard workout days), I love being able to relax my mind completely. It’s out on the road in a controlled run, in deep reflection, that the purity of running shows itself. So why don’t we take an easy run together and let our minds wander…
The Start
As much as I love running with a partner, I find the most peace when I’m running alone. No words are spoken—it’s quiet and tranquil, serving as a respite from the hectic pace of everyday life. The only sounds are the rhythm of my steps off the ground as they move me forward. For these runs, I like to choose trails with no traffic, some easy hills and beautiful scenery. My favorite trails include:
- The foothills near Boulder, Colorado
- The woods around Concord, Massachusetts
- The “Whakarewarewa” forest in Rotorua in New Zealand
- The “Grunewald,” a beautiful forest in Berlin
Ideally, it would be nice to run in mild, pleasant weather conditions with some sunshine. But even if it’s rainy or cold, I can still lose myself in one of these runs.
Usually, a run such as this starts with an achy feeling in my body. My muscles are still tight, stiff and tired from the workload of the day before. My cells are begging for relief, pleading, “Please slow down today. Stay at a comfortable, easy pace.” Little do they know that this day’s run is a relaxed work out and that they needn’t worry. As I run at a relaxed pace, my body is telling my tired cells, “Little billion of guys, calm down, this is going to be an easy run, don’t worry.”
After taking the magic step out the door for my relaxed workout, I promptly fall into a light tempo jog, taking short steps while quietly inhaling and exhaling, allowing me to relax and realize a calm feeling all over.
While I work my way down the trail, I’m grateful for my surroundings, and almost feel that when I’m within this environment, I’m one with nature. This feeling makes me feel both excited and humble. As I run, I try to take it all in—whether it’s watching the birds play, or greeting my favorite tree again, or allowing the warmth of the sun to caress my face and skin. And sometimes if the sun is at the right angle, I like to play with my shadow by focusing on it, which makes me feel more relaxed.
With all these elements in place, my body takes over, automatically. I’m not thinking anymore of the trail, or my miles, or the course or my time (which is of no concern during these easy runs). It’s at this stage that I’m lost in serene meditation. In rhythm, I roll forward feeling as light as a feather as the path I am running on seems to fly by. I completely give in to the light steady tempo of my steps, which allows me to get lost in my thoughts…
Thoughts
…thoughts, reflections and memories randomly preoccupy my being now, with my body on cruise control. There’s no rhyme nor reason to what bubbles up. It could be thoughts from earlier in the morning, or the day before; it could be reflection of a previous discussion or conversation; I might assess a criticism I received or a mistake I made; I could find myself smiling as I reminisce about something funny; or even let myself hum a melody from a song that somehow appeared in the collection of rambling images that dance in my head.
Whatever the thoughts may be, they seem to freely wander around my mind casually disorganized. This care-free form of daydreaming allows me to relax, thus ridding me of any tension.
It’s interesting that there is a correlation between my run and my thoughts. As I work my way down the trail, my thoughts are also working themselves out of the jungle of confusion toward a clearer path, letting my mind calm down. With my thoughts filtered, I can now use this relaxed run to give different aspects of my life deeper thought. It might be a speech that I’m working on that needs more profound reflection. This run allows me to collect my thoughts and structure them in an organized fashion—an idea for a catchy introduction, content of the message and a finish that sums up the talk.
Running as one in nature in a relaxed jog is one of my favorite things in life. I move down the trail in peace and harmony being nourished by the beauty of my surroundings. Out there on the perfect trail for an hour or more allows me to gain mentally and physically. Not only do I get in my miles, but I’m also able to cleanse myself with the opportunity to run free and relaxed. I arrive home with answers to my questions, the recollection of something important in my life (someone’s birthday or a friend to get in touch with) and a refreshed outlook on life.
The Finish
It’s interesting that I don’t recognize the moment when the tension in my body is released. Toward the end of my jog, I start to realize a controlled heart rate, peace in my soul and a rejuvenated spirit. It’s then somewhere in the last kilometer that I start to spoil myself with anticipation—knowing that I have a glass of cold water, fruit and a refreshing bath awaiting me.
With maybe only 1,000 meters to my door, I feel that I “wake up” from my pleasant run with the impression that I have been on the trail for about five minutes, even though I ran ten miles. I take one last look at the beauty around me, and then step inside the house, cherish my glass of water, write down my now-collected thoughts and exhale with a feeling of invigoration.
