How Hiking & Trail Running Teach Mindfulness

Learning to be present on the trail

I used to trip and stumble a lot while I was running, either on an easy trail in a local park or during a mountain race. After many years of blaming my technique or weak ankles, I began thinking back to the biggest falls I had had… And I realized that whenever my mind was far away, I wouldn’t notice that tree root. I would fail to see that protruding rock or I would miss a hole on the trail… You can imagine the rest. I have the scars on my knees to prove it.