How to Join Virtually

Have you ever thought about running a marathon, but worry about the physical demands and risk of injury? The Mindful Marathon is a unique event. It’s not an athletic competition, it’s a journey of personal growth. There are no timers, no splits, no concern for your pace. In fact, slower is better.

Here’s how it works. Map out a loop in your neighborhood, and run or walk a half or full marathon (distance choice is yours) broken down into 12 parts. Each segment, you run a loop, complete a writing task in your Mindful Marathon Journal, hydrate and refuel, rinse and repeat.

Why? During long, physically demanding events like this, your monkey mind stops, and it forces you to be present. Writing is the active form of thinking, and the hourly journal assignments will add structure to the experience. Surprisingly, the time flies and you’ll end the day feeling exhausted and inspired.

Last year we held our first two in-person Mindful Marathon events in Athens, Georgia (USA), and Barcelona, Spain, with people joining remotely from all around the world. Our next virtual event is on 04 February and we’d love you to join us from home. Anyone with a moderate level of fitness can complete this event, and all you need to join is free day (save the date: 04 February) and the journal which is available on Amazon.

Here’s My Story

During the first pandemic lockdowns of 2020, I started running to get out of the house, to sweat, and to relieve stress. My initial sessions were around 20 minutes. When you begin running in middle age, it’s a humbling experience. Fortunately, there was no one on the streets except me. I didn’t keep track of my distance or my pace for nearly a year. I put my shoes on, shuffled down to the park 10 minutes away, and then turned around and came home.

My rules for running were – and still are – very simple: Don’t get hurt, don’t run through pain, and try your best to run every day. With that simple protocol, I ended up averaging 20-25 km per week, sometimes more. I even managed to complete a marathon in Barcelona in 2021. It was amazing to spend the morning with 20,000 people, most of whom were there for the same reason as me – for the experience.

During long runs and extended hikes, you have time and space to introspect. As the hours pass and you fall into a rhythm, memories rise and fall, plans come together, and there’s a remarkable clarity to life that unfolds when you’re physical spent and mentally present. I wondered to myself: What if there were no numbered bibs? No time clocks? No first or last place? And what if we shaped the experience with writing assignments designed to help us get the most out of the occasion? And so, the Mindful Marathon was born.

How it Works

• Jog 26.2 miles or walk 13.1 miles
• Start at 6 am and finish at 6 pm
• Jog or walk every hour on the hour
• After each loop, you’ll complete a short journal assignment
• We’ll then eat, drink, clean up, rest, and do it all over again
• Rules: don’t get hurt, don’t run or walk through pain, slow down or skip a loop whenever you need to—but finish the race

12hr Mindful Marathon Journal

There are twelve writing assignments, one for each hour of the journey. Some are reflective, some are future-focused, and all are designed to provide mental focus and structure to this mind-body journey we’ll take together. Note: all writing is private and personal, not shared or published for anyone except yourself.

Jog-Walk Schedule

Lap #1

• 06:00 am | Marathoners run 4.2 miles / Half-ers walk 2.1
• Finish – 8 am | Rest, eat, prepare

Laps #2-12

• :00 on the hour | Run 2 miles or walk 1 mile
• :30 on the half hr| Eat, drink, rest
• :45 on the ¾hr | Writing assignments
• Repeat until all laps complete

What to Prepare?

• Refillable water bottle
• Boring, easy-to-digest food
• Energy bars and/or gels
• Electrolytes and/or salt
• 2-4 changes of clothes
• Bathroom supplies: toothbrush, soap, towel