Mindfulness for runners: module 1 – foundation and focus

07766 720 702 07766 720 702
24th March 2019, 10.00am - 1.00pm
Open to all
£30
Fort Amherst, Dock Road, Chatham, Medway, Kent, ME4 4UB

Why mindfulness for runners?

Mindfulness for runners combines the benefits of both running and mindfulness into an integrated whole for more enjoyable runs and greater all round well-being, whether on the cushion, on the trail or in everyday life.

Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the UK with proven physical and mental health benefits, including helping prevent obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure, and boosting sleep quality and mood.

In recent years, there has also been a growing interest in mindfulness, with research linking a regular and sustained mindfulness practice with a decrease in the incidence of depression, anxiety and stress. It can also improve the ability to regulate our emotions, build resilience and help increase focus and attention.

So, where to begin...

Module one – foundations and focus

"From Autopilot to Presence"

This half-day module designed by RUNZEN introduces participants to the key elements that help us bring a mindful awareness to the experience of the body and mind whilst running.

The module includes mindfulness meditations in stillness, gentle movement and running. We will guide you through a range of mindfulness practices before enjoying an easy-paced run around the the Great Lines Heritage Park. The invitation for the whole day is simply to be curious about our experience, and each practice is followed by an opportunity to share as a group what we may have discovered.

The mindful running instruction has two components: the foundation and focus. To run with mindfulness requires that we establish and maintain a foundation based on good posture, relaxation and body awareness, which has the added benefit of injury prevention. We will then introduce how to apply a specific focus for mindful running.

Bringing mindful awareness to our experience can help us move beyond engaging with the world on autopilot as we learn to meet the present moment with openness, joy and curiosity. By employing techniques of mindfulness, running moves beyond the status of a mere physical activity to become a fully integrated body-mind experience.

How fit do I need to be?

You should be able to run for up to 25 minutes without the need for frequent stops. However, the runs will be slow and will cater for all levels of running ability plus include a couple of purposeful, mindful S.T.OP.s as part of the run.

Module one is an introduction to RUNZEN and mindfulness for runners and will equip you with the basic tools and practices that you can then explore in running and life. Participants will receive a follow up email with supporting materials and will also then be able to participate in our free community runs throughout the year.

After completing module one and becoming familiar with the tools and practices in your running and life, participants are invited to complete module two - developing embodied presence.

Past participant feedback

"Great experience and well designed content,
delivered in a thoughtful and sensitive way.”

“Restored a sense of joy to my running. Feel now I can just run for the joy of it and not be constantly beating myself up for not performing or doing as well as I think I should be.”

“I am very interested in connecting mind with body and this course provided an ideal opportunity to explore that interest. The experience of running with a different mindset and attitude was revealing.”

“RUNZEN is more than just about running. It guides to experience the joy of movement and stop being judgemental towards yourself. Very liberating sensation. The course is well structured and the instructors clearly are passionate about what they do. I would recommend it to anyone who likes running, irrelevant of the level they are at.”

“I will be reflecting more on my habitual ways of thinking and how this affects my experience. I am going to continue to try to apply the skills we learnt to running and life in general.”

Your RUNZEN instructors

Stuart McLeod and Cesare Saguato have many years combined experience in running, mindfulness meditation and professional training, in running fitness coaching, mindfulness and psychotherapy at The Centre for Mindfulness Practice and Research at Bangor University and Oxford Mindfulness Centre at Oxford University, The Western Chan Fellowship, Bodhicharya and Kent and Medway NHS. Through all this, they have learnt that the integration of mind-body awareness can improve mental health and running simultaneously for greater all-round well-being and are passionate about sharing this with you.

Location

For this half-day afternoon workshop we shall be located within a converted ammunitions bunker at the historic Fort Amherst, which opens out immediately onto the spacious Great Lines Heritage Park where we shall do our runs.

Refreshments

Water and energy snacks shall be provided.

Personal investment

Module one is £30 for three hours.

Book your space via PayPal here:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=EFKTC77W5FG2A

Or via bank transfer (preferred) - please email for the details, thank you.

Queries

If you have any questions at all about module one, then please do get in touch with us here or via email at runzen.contact@gmail.com

To find out more about RUNZEN, please see our website here:
RUNZEN.co.uk

We look forward to meeting you!

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Hosted by Cesare Saguato

For information about your hosts, please see RUNZEN.co.uk, thank you.

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Hosted by Cesare Saguato