Why Meditation and Yoga for Runners & Hikers?

“I drove myself with an unconscious motivation of fear. Afraid that I am not special unless I prove I am special.” ~Marty Kibiloski

In our upcoming program, Runners: Reconnect With Your Inner Health And Wellbeing, you’ll learn how to enjoy the journey — not just the finish line.

“The people that, I think, are drawn to running are used to hard work and pushing themselves and tend to be goal-setters,” says Marty. “We start to compare ourselves to other people.”

This is where mindfulness, which employs the same principles used in yoga and meditation, comes in. Mindfulness is the basic ability to be fully present. It’s a mental state achieved by calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations without judgment.

The growing popularity of running and walking as preferred forms of exercise in the new millennium is grounded in sound evolutionary reasons. These activities have become widely recognized for their effectiveness in reducing stress, providing a broader perspective on life, and fostering a direct connection with the wisdom inherent in our bodies. The benefits they offer align closely with those gained from practices like meditation and yoga, which are known for cultivating stillness and promoting a non-judgmental awareness of the mind’s activities. Both sets of practices – physical exercise and mindfulness techniques – complement each other in enhancing overall well-being by nurturing the body and calming the mind.

In other words, you can amplify the benefits of your run while having more fun and connecting with (or honoring) your competitors.

Here are three more reasons you should consider enrolling in Runners: Reconnect With Your Inner Health and Wellbeing

Experienced teachers of the three disciplines (running, meditation, yoga) will lead us on this delightful journey

Marty Kibiloski
Through a series of tests and obstacles, meditation and learning mindfulness at the (then) Shambhala Mountain Center, with top meditation instructors Jon Pratt and Cynthia MacKay, and yoga teacher/marathoner Tara Cech, Marty emerged as an expert runner/mindfulness teacher.

Useful Links

View Marty’s website
CNN Article
Daily Camera Article

Michael “Rock” Sandrock
“Follow Your Bliss” is Michael’s approach to life and work. Going in-depth into the work of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung, new neuroscience information, and how meditation, dreams and “following our bliss,” can help lead to, or at least get us closer to, an experience of the transcendent is at the core of “Rock’s” teaching.

Rock’s the author of Running with the Legends and founded Shoes for Africa, a nonprofit that collected used running shoes, washed them, and shipped them to Africa. In the three decades since, the nonprofit—now called One World Running—has given tens of thousands of shoes to people in developing countries.

Useful Links

Visit Rock’s website
CU Boulder Article
Daily Camera Articles by Rock

Dr. Lara Johnson
Dr. Lara teaches fitness and yoga classes, leads Meditation and Yoga for Runners & Hikers retreats, is an ambassador for Go Far Shop, and hosts a FB live show SuperSoul Boulder every Monday evening at 6 (8EST). She continues to run, swim, lift weights, bike, dance, and be active as a lifestyle, and practice meditation, inquiry, and self-discovery also as a lifestyle. She runs with mindful runners and sees family and loved ones as often as possible.

She is on a journey to help thousands of people live to their full potential both inside and out.

Useful Links

Check Out Dr. Lara’s website

One participant’s perspective on her retreat experience

Vicki Ash Hunter, PhD
“Everyone will experience trauma, but it’s how the moments after those events are managed that will determine how we navigate life. We have no idea how long we have on this earth, so treasuring the now is all we have. I’m still working on this and hopefully, I’ll never stop.

The first retreat I did with Rock and Marty absolutely changed the trajectory of my book, Running and Returning: Seeking Balance in an Imperfect World. It was when I first started really looking at the role of generational trauma and my mom’s depression and how it led to my ‘running away’…I came home from that retreat and asked jade if I could tell her story of addiction in the book.”

As a fellow mindful runner put it, “Vicki has had quite a journey, full of many life challenges. She has risen above these trials to become an inspiration for many, and has left an amazing legacy.” You can read more about her at this RUNNER’S WORLD LINK.