The Purity of Running

To someone who spends probably way too much time listening to dharma talks, reading Zen books, and meditating, it's always a bit jarring to see these paeans to walking and running that describe how this kind of exercise is a great way to just be ... with your thoughts!<p>Sometimes the experience of running is used to describe zazen. Then the focus is on the state of flow you can get into, which I think mmurph211 is describing here, where actually thoughts too fade out. Just running -- just feet touching the ground and lifting again, intense breathing, wind &#38; rain, the sting of muscle fatigue, getting tired.<p>I actually think a lot of people misunderstand why they like walking and running. It's not only that you're free to daydream and let thoughts wander freely. It's also a sensuously immersive ritual that dampens the habitual buzzing-like-a-fridge chatter, focuses the mind in real-time, lets you come a bit closer to forgetting yourself.

It is reading things like this that make me sad that physiologically I am just unable to run long distances anymore. After some period of time, maybe 20-30 minutes of running, my knees start to become unbearably sore and painful. I've tried everything that I know to. I've modified my stride, new shoes, barefoot running (actually running in vibrams led to one of the most productive fitness periods of my life, including running 6-7 miles a day), and strengthening accessory muscles/connective tissue through weight training. Even at my second-lowest lifetime weight (170ish lbs, second only to my weight right after USMC boot camp of 149lbs) the pain persisted.<p>Through it all unbearable leg pain caught up with me and stopped me short of truly being able to run as much as I want. The longest I've run was 13 miles and that was only by running until knee pain, then "walking it off" then resuming running, repeating until the end.<p>I miss running.

I love running, I'm addicted to it. I got some of my best ideas while I was running. Ideas for apps, ideas for university papers back when I was studying, and much more. For a time, I used to listen to ebooks but that didn't work at all because my mind would always wander off and think about new ideas, so usually after 5min of running I'd completely stopped listening to the ebook voice.<p>I also prefer music without voice (like minimal house) or with lyrics that are barely existent or not understandable gibberish.<p>Oftentimes I don't use music at all though, simply enjoying the sounds of nature.<p>It's a really good diversion to being a single startup founder and hacking all day.

Highly recommend Harumi Murakami's "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" if you wish to read more inner thoughts about running.

You don't even need to be in the woods to get to this zen like state he describes when running. I love trail running out in the wilderness, but I find plenty of solitude and peace running in more industrial areas of cities in the early morning hours. Listening to music when running is, for me, counterproductive. The rhythm of the music != to the rhythm I maintain with my breathing. My favorite city runs are on winter mornings when there's a light snow on the ground. It dampens all the noise and everything is quieter.

Glad to see someone point out running for its calming and therapeutic aspect, instead of the exercise aspect. People always give me strange looks when I tell them I listen to mellow jazz and reggae whilst running, instead of hard and heavy electronic or rock music. Or that I slowly run 10 miles instead of sprint two miles. Running is a time to just "veg out" and let my mind wander. Some of my best ideas and solutions came about from the clarity gained during running.

"Sweat cleanses from the inside. It comes from places a shower will never reach." - Dr. George A. Sheehan

Great thoughts, I use running for my personal thinking/reflection time. It really helps focus on problems I am working on or projects I am thinking about. Focusing on those really helps me get in distance because I don't focus on the running.

I run a least six miles every day to force myself away from computers, phones and everything else.<p>It's calming.