As runners, we are often tough on ourselves. I’m so slow you might think if you look at the clock. Or: my feet hurt, do I get a blister? Or the all-time favorite: Oh God, I’m only halfway there. But a new set of mindful running routes is out HeadspaceWith comedian Kevin Hart, I thought a little differently about my inner monologue – so I spoke to him on the phone about what he thinks about when he runs.
Check in with your body
Mindfulness often means noticing our feelings and our surroundings, but while running we may be reluctant to communicate with our physical selves. For example, we may be afraid that we will be distracted from our pain.
Hart notes, however, that sometimes checking into our bodies can give a more accurate estimate of what is actually going on. On the one hand, your body can warn you that you may need to slow down or take a break. But on the other hand, “Your body can walk, oh, that’s not that bad,” he says. And over time, you can teach your body what running should feel like in return for learning how capable you are.
Think, but don’t think about it
It’s okay to let your mind wander. I almost expected to hear advice on how to direct your mind back to your body and surroundings when you notice them wandering, but Hart has a different attitude: “Sometimes it’s good to be alone and yourself think, ”he says. “To find clarity.”
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It is also worth noting what kind of thoughts you are having, either while you are running or while you are at home thinking about running. We can rethink small things, says Hart, “and when we rethink them, they become big things.” He told me about the time when he was training for a marathon and imagining how everything could go wrong: for example, getting tight on the racetrack. In the end, none of his pessimistic what-if scenarios happened, but he says, “I almost started these things” by worrying about them.
It’s okay if running doesn’t feel natural
On the mindful running trails, Hart talks about how to learn to love running and how to practice the ability to be kind to ourselves. We already talked about the physical side of getting used to running at Lifehacker – things like slow down your pace and teach your body that You don’t have to give it your all all the time. But there is also a mental learning curve.
“The best advice I would give anyone is take your time,” says Hart. If you want to have fun running, you may need to work on it. Challenge yourself with something small and feel accomplished when you achieve it. “It can be worth it because you are against yourself. And you can only do better. “
