Turkey Toss at Trot, Week 6: Running As a Therapy
This week in Throwdown, we’re going to step back a bit from our targeted themes, such as getting stronger and faster and customizing our gear . Instead, we’re going to use this skill for another additional purpose: relieve stress.
Exercise, like meditation, can help you get through a tough day , a tough week, or a tough year. Physically, it encourages your body to release more hormones that make you happy and relaxed , while suppressing arousal hormones . And mentally, the rhythm and flow of running has a lot to do with meditation.
“I often come back from a run in a much more positive mood,” says Tina Muir , pro runner at Saucony and community manager at Runners Connect . She describes running as a way to get away from what is happening in the world and process your thoughts. The popular belief among runners is that drop by any marathon show and you’ll have a selection of T-shirts that say “Running is cheaper than therapy . “
How is this different from a regular launch? First of all, you won’t worry about your speed or exact mileage, or whether you need to take walking breaks. Go ahead and plan your run based on distance or time, but not both – for example, if you’re going to get out for 30 minutes, turn around at the 15 minute mark, but don’t worry about how far you’ve come.
Plan your run for a time of day when you would be most likely to use mental support, and head to a location you like: a scenic park or trail, perhaps a street in your favorite friendly area.
As you run, you can let your thoughts loose, or take a meditative approach and just focus on your breathing or your steps. You can even listen to guided meditation while you do it, if you like.
So go and enjoy your run. Just breathe and take it step by step.