March 2008
Running On Air
How to lose the inner voice telling you to stop.
By Jeremy Martin, co-founder For Goodness Shakes
There’s no feeling like it; moments when it ‘all seems to come together’ and running feels like absolute bliss. Running Nirvana, where miles fly past without you noticing.
Then of course there are times when running is nothing less than hell. Despite your determination to pursue the course, your mind is set to undermine you – the inner voice telling you you’re hungry, you’re bored - that it’s time to give up.
If you struggle with a mind that’s ruining your running, this article’s dedicated to you.
We’ll explore how your mind works and how you can put it in the ‘right place’ before and during a run.
The Mind
The mind is it’s own instrument. It thinks what it does when it wants to. You don’t ‘own’ your mind and you can’t control it. Want proof? Just try stopping your minding from ‘thinking’ involuntary thoughts for 2 minutes. Only practiced meditators can accomplish that.
You brain is like a giant BT telephone exchange, connecting millions of conversations - your synapses, like wires, firing off electrical impulses. This is ‘thinking’ in progress and the more stimulated your mind, the more frantic the impulses. It’s no wonder people find it hard to sleep after a stimulating or caffeine-fuelled day.
And we all know running with a hyper-stimulated mind is no fun, particularly when your mind is trying everything in its power to distract you. To an erratic mind that’s exploding with thought, repetitive and routine action (like running) is its arch rival, its nemesis - something to rebel against.
Bringing the Mind to attention
There are two techniques runners can adopt to create the right mindset for running.
The first is distraction – the most obvious of the two, effective and used by most runners.
Run with your IPod and you’ll blast rhythm and sound straight into your head – effectively blocking the mind’s compulsion to think. It’s no different to how you might deal with a demanding toddler; you give it a new toy, and for a short while it provides an alternative focus.
Keep the playlist varied and you’ll be on your way to more running pleasure – with all the benefit of keeping pace to rhythm. For an inspired set of tunes tried and tested by athletes, check out our ‘Top Running Playlists’ in this newsletter.
Long distance runners may wish for a more sustainable solution, suited to the long time spent out running. This brings in our second technique: running without thought, or running with what meditators call a ‘no-mind’. It’s this no-thinking head that keeps Ultra Runners clocking up distances beyond the reach of most. As their motto goes, ‘first you run with pain, then you just run’. They know that pain, boredom and the impulse to stop is all in the mind.
A no-mind is a mind that feels like it’s stopped thinking, one that’s been ‘stilled’.
There are no distractions - just pure, weightless focus. I described in my opening paragraph that most runners will have experienced a no-mind state at some point – either during a run or at the end. What I’m offering now is a simple technique to enable you to achieve a ‘no-mind’ running state - consciously, when you need it.
Whereas our first technique required distraction, achieving a ‘no-mind’ state requires repetition.
Training for a ‘no-mind’
Whilst the mind can’t be fully controlled, it can be tricked. Meditators achieve a still mind by absorbing the front of the brain fully on a subject until the rest of brain goes ‘quiet’. The ‘subject’ on which to focus must be constant and always present if it’s to have the hypnotic effect desired. Beginners to meditation start by training their mind to follow their breathing or the rise and fall of their abdomen. After a few sessions, (you may start to see the benefit in just 5 practices), the mind will become accustomed to the routine and settle into focus quicker.
Interestingly, running provides a rich source of meditating subjects – the repetitive tap of your shoe hitting the road, the audible cycle of breathing or the repetitive motion of your body.
A word of warning; there’s no quick solution here; you won’t be able to click your fingers and snap your mind into a no-mind when you feel like it. Like any training, it’ll take a little determined effort, time and patience. But it’ll be worth it. In a few weeks, you might be clocking up more miles than you thought your mind could endure. And who knows, a standard 52 mile ultra run could become your thing.
Training for a no-mind
1. |
As you begin your run, ‘listen’ to your mind to sense how stimulated it is. Imagine yourself pressing your ear against the door of a call centre. Is your mind relatively quiet or is it the noise deafening with out-of-control inner conversations? If it’s reasonably quiet, it’s a good time to practice your first ‘running meditation’. If it sounds like a mad hatter’s tea party, leave it for another day and just enjoy being outdoors. | |
2. |
Turn off any stimulation – this is not the time to be listening to your iPod. | |
3. |
Pick your ‘meditation subject’. This can be a sound or a feeling – the sound of your heel hitting the pavement or your breathing. Once you select your subject, stick with it for this session. | |
4. |
As you warm up nicely and get into the swing of running, bring all your mind’s attention to your subject. To get your mind fully absorbed, notice every detail about your subject. If you’re following the sound of your heel hitting the pavement, notice how the sound differs from pavement to road to grass to slabstone. Notice the various tonal qualities:– the dull thuds to crisper clicks. Absorb your mind fully. | |
5. |
After a while, you may find your mind has ‘slipped’ and decided to return to its compulsive self - thinking about aimless stuff. If it does, don’t worry – it’s natural. Just snap yourself back into focus and bring your mind back to awareness. | |
6. |
After a while, you’ll find your mind is able to stay in focus for longer. This is a good time to apply a little more concentration. More concentration doesn’t mean scowling with determined thinking – just apply a little more awareness. Remember you’re training your mind to focus effortlessly, without punishment or strain. | |
7. |
You might find yourself slipping in and out of ‘the zone’. This is a sign that you mind is enjoying bouts of stillness. When this happens, don’t celebrate – you’ll have the effect of stimulating your mind adversely! Just return all awareness to your subject. | |
8. |
Practice every time you run and within a few goes, you’ll find it easier to reach and keep awareness on your subject. In time, your mind will condition itself – so that running equals focus. | |
Conclusion
Running ability isn’t just physical. It’s a mental game – for many this means battling with an inner voice telling them to slow down, take it easy or to give up. Sort out your mind, and find running Nirvana. Everytime you go running, put your new ‘no-mind’ training into practice and before you know it, it’ll become second nature.
Enjoy.
This Month: Running on Air >> Lose that inner voice telling you to stop Runner's World Race Nutrition >> The dos and don'ts Marathon Runner Peter Riley >> Video interview Sweatshop Guide to Your Perfect Trainers >> Top trainers for every running style Running Playlists >> Top tracks on i-tunes |
