Part of the appeal of running is how mindless it is. Running is one of the things I start to pick up again. Here let me share with you how I change my experience from just putting one foot in front of the other, to a more mindful running.
I am never really keen on running before for several reasons. Usually when I run, these are the things that I sense:
- Stomach cramp
After I hit 2.5 km, my stomach likes to get a cramp like feeling. However, mindfully inhale and exhale-ing really helps to release that cramp. I find regulating the breathing is very important to achieve a longer endurance.
2. My ankles feel stiff and I feel discomfort either on the front or side of my shinbone
In the beginning when I felt this, I really paid attention to what cause my stiffness. Then I realized that my feet felt like stomping rather than articulating from heel to forefoot. Also I felt like my ankles are like one unit to my feet.
After getting this awareness, I start to mindfully make my ankle move a bit, it helps for a while but doesn’t get rid of the discomfort completely. The stiffness only disappear when I remember my training about fascia. How we should be able to bounce instead of rigidly rely on our muscles to make the movement. So I started to imagine I bounce from one step to another step..and kept go on and on. This completely “cure” it. I felt excited to find that lightbulb moment. At the end of my jog, I didn’t feel any stiffness and pain whatsoever on my lower legs. Even the next day, I felt like normal
3. My medial left knee feel a bit of pain
This to be honest, I still haven’t found my lightbulb moment yet. I’m guessing it has something to do with weight transfer from side to side also my hip movement. But I will keep trying to find out just like I did with my ankles and will let you know..
These are really some of the things that I want to give to my clients, the ability to explore one’s body and find the “solution” when they notice discomfort or pain in their body.
I do believe that mindfulness is the beginning of a solution..
Movement blog 