If you're curious about what mindfulness can do for your health, anxiety and sense of wellbeing, but can't stand sitting on a meditation cushion, then this retreat is for you!
You already value running for keeping you healthy and connecting you to a community of like-minded women, but perhaps you still wonder if there's more to running than just another finisher's medal. Then join us in Moab to uncover additional benefits from running mindfully for your mental health, spiritual growth and other layers of meaning.
During the four-day, three-night Moab Mindful Running Retreat, situated in a stunning desert landscape of red rock, soaring cliffs and delicate natural arches, you’ll tune in to what drives you—in running and in life—and make sure that your energy is going into the activities that most feed your soul.
While it’s not necessary to have run trails before, this retreat is recommended for runners who can comfortably run 8 miles or more on the road. With the support of your retreat leader and running guides, you’ll be able run at your own pace, without needing to keep up with anyone else. You’ll stop frequently to soak up the views, snack and hydrate and savor each mindful moment.
Through our practical clinics, informative discussions, mindful movement and free time for quiet contemplation, you’ll stop the energy drains and divert your energy back into your running. Mindful Running in the Moab Red Cliffs Immerse yourself in the powerful healing energy of this vibrant desert landscape as you run scenic, challenging trails at a pace that is playful, relaxed and social.
Highlights
Experience how mindful running makes you more resilient to stress.
Gain confidence running mindfully on beautiful desert trails.
Heal your runner's body through restorative yoga.
Connect with like-minded women to lower stress and anxiety with shared experiences on and off the trail.
Connect with the awe of nature in Moab's splendor.
Learn how mindful running form makes you more efficient and stronger.
Relax knowing we handle all the logistics and planning so you can be present.
About
Gallery
About The Host
The host specializes in trail running- and wellness-based travel experiences that support women’s overall health and well-being. Our programs feature mindful running techniques that help women run better while maximizing running’s stress-reducing effects on the body and mind. Set in some of the world’s most inspiring natural destinations known to runners, each itinerary is an immersion in nature and wellness experiences such as yoga, hot springs, or spa.
We include the specific elements you need to have a wonderful retreat and leave out anything that doesn’t support that mission.
Itinerary
Location
Things to keep in mind
Why we created a technology policy for our running and wellness retreats
A runner at the Iceland Trail Running + Wellness Retreat pauses mid-run to savor the view of one of the country’s largest active volcano glaciers.
The sound of running shoes crunching the soft pine needles lining the loamy trail lulls the runners into a relaxed rhythm. A forest thick with conifer tress hugs the trail, so all they can see is the well-worn trail ahead. There’s no sound of cars or traffic of any kind. Their inhalation and exhalation breath cycles fall into a similar rhythm. They’re not all running at the same pace, yet somehow are in a shared state of flow.
That is, until, a digital female voice says “workout paused.” “Workout resumed” the voice followed up.
“Ping” goes another watch from the back of the pack. “Beep, beep beep!” goes another device, its exact location indeterminate.
The group slows to a fast hike as the trail’s pitch kicks up a few notches. “Workout paused,” a sharp digital female voice declares.
The group stops at point where the trees open to reveal a view of the valley below. Runners pull out their phones to take photos of a waterfall, while many also press the “pause” button on their GPS watches. A few reply to text messages flooding in thanks to the 4G connection randomly available on the (what had seemed like a remote) mountain trail.
The technology seems radically out of place in this serene natural environment. More than half their time standing at the lookout is spent looking at glowing screens. Not only are these runners seeing and experiencing less than they would without their devices, they are checking their time, mileage and pace-per-mile, even though, it could be argued, such metrics detract from their actual experience.
A More Mindful Way to Run
Runners who chose to run without their devices reported feeling “liberated” and more relaxed throughout the retreat.
A running and wellness retreat is not only a journey to a beautiful new destination, one that offers scenery and cultural experiences you can savor and enjoy. It also offers space to be more mindful and present, if you make space for it. And our devices (watches, GPS, phones) don’t help that process in this setting.
So how does this enhance running as a mindful experience?
1. When you don’t know your pace per mile, you are better at noticing the body’s natural feedback system to gauge your effort level. Feeling tired, you slow down. Feeling charged up, you speed up.
2. When you no longer hear a “ping” for each mile completed, you are better able to focus on the process of running rather than the progress from start to finish. Knowing that your running guide is keeping you on track, you are more open to taking in your surroundings, your fellow runners and notice how your body is feeling.
3. Replacing digital cues and alarms with the sounds of nature and your own body’s movement is a powerful experience. When you pay attention, you can hear your breath (is it soft and even, or shallow and ragged?) and the sound of your feet on the ground (are they pounding or tapping lightly?). These sounds are key indicators to the quality of your running form. And you can only improve your form if you develop a high level of body awareness.
4. Metrics have nothing to do with the quality of the running experience. On retreat, we encourage another type of success measurement: your degree of joy. And joy has everything to do with how running makes you feel, and nothing to do with how far or fast you ran.
Science Supports that Ditching Devices Can Help you Run Better
Fitness writer and author of the book, Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success, Brad Stulberg, who experimented with gadget-less training, reported that he had some performance breakthroughs when he ran by feel (slowing when he felt tired, and speeding up when he felt strong) rather than by pace-per mile.
But more important, in my opinion, was what Noel Brick, a sports psychologist at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, told Stulberg in an interview: “Relying on a watch excessively can promote unhelpful thoughts and emotions, such as anxiety.” This anxiety can even occur on a subconscious level, fueling negative self-talk or judgement without you even realizing it’s happening.”
Another side effect of metrics-driven anxiety is physical tension. “In a recent study, Brick and his colleagues found that runners were a whopping 10 percent faster when they were focused on relaxing or the act of running itself versus external metrics like pace,” reports Stulberg.
Even though running faster isn’t a focus of the retreats, running more relaxed is in essence a mindful running practice that lowers stress as well as increases performance. This is why posture is the focus of the first mindful running clinic our retreat leaders offer at the start of each retreat. Practice the postural cues she offers and you may notice more flow and ease throughout each run.
Enter: the Presence Policy
With that in mind, we introduced a Presence Policy for all its retreats that is designed to enhance runners’ personal experience, on and off the trails. We share this policy with all of our retreat participants prior to the retreat, and review as a group at the opening meeting.
This policy states:
• When on the trails, keep your phone in Airplane Mode. This way, you can use as much as you like to take photos (which we strongly encourage!), but aren’t distracted by incoming messages or phone calls.
• Turn off all audible sounds from your watch or GPS devices. If you have an electronic device that is making sounds, your retreat leader will ask you turn it off.
• Don’t use your device to listen to music or podcasts during retreat runs.
• Even better: leave your watch behind! There’s no need to log, map, measure or time your runs while on the retreat. You will have a richer retreat experience if you forego all forms of measurement and focus on the purpose of each day’s run: to practice mindful presence.
• Turn off your phone (or leave it in your hotel room) during Wellness Workshops, retreat meetings and during group meals. There is plenty of time in the day, while traveling from place to place or free time, during which you can catch up with friends and family, post photos to social media, etc. We simply ask that you don’t do this during group time.
FAQ
What is the average pace of the runs at these retreats?
Since our retreats take place on trails of varying types, we can characterize the runs by a specific pace-per-mile.
In general, we approach all the retreat runs with a very relaxed, social pace. We stop frequently to eat and drink and take photos (there are always lots of photo ops on our runs!). And depending on the terrain, there is times where we hike rather than run. Within every group there’s always a wide range in running pace, which is why we always have two or three guides with us.
One is at the front the group, one at the back and one floating around between the various pace groups. This way, everyone gets to go at their own pace and not feel rushed.
Is it OK if I come alone? Would I have to pay a "single supplement?"
YES you can come alone, and NO, it won’t cost you more!
The majority of our retreat participants come on their own. And while many travel companies require single travelers to pay a supplemental fee when there’s an odd number of travelers in a group, we do not. We absorb this cost so you don’t have to pay more simply because you’re traveling solo.
You may book a Shared Room retreat package, in which case we’ll match you with a roommate. All shared rooms have separate beds, one for each person (of course!).
On many trips, we offer Private Single Room options as well. While it does cost more to have a private room, you may select this option to be sure you have a room to yourself.
What is the group size on your trips?
We keep the group size as small as possible, usually between 8 to 16 women, depending on the destination. Please check individual retreat-specific information pages for the maximum group size.
What is included in the retreat package?
The itinerary varies, but generally includes ground transportation during the retreat, some airport transfers, professional trail running guides, run coaching, accommodations, most meals, activities, wellness workshops, custom souvenirs and support from your retreat leader. Excluded from the package are airfare, alcoholic drinks, purchases of a personal nature, guide gratuities, additional activities before or after the retreat.
Can I use my Garmin, phone or other GPS device to record the runs?
This retreat is a special opportunity to be present in a way that is hard to find in your regular routine. That’s why it’s call a retreat! By participating in this retreat, you are embarking on a journey of inner exploration as much as one of external exploration. You are embarking on a journey to a beautiful new destination, one that offers scenery and cultural experiences you can savor and enjoy. The inner exploration has to do with creating space to observe the feelings that arise throughout the retreat, noticing them and savoring them. With that in mind, we have introduced a Presence Policy that is designed to enhance your retreat experience so that you get the most from it. This policy asks that you:
- When on the trails, keep your phone in Airplane Mode. This way, you can use as much as you like to take photos (which we strongly encourage!), but aren’t distracted by incoming messages or phone calls.
- Turn off all audible sounds from your watch or GPS devices. If you have an electronic device that is making sounds, your retreat leader will ask you turn it off.
- Even better: leave your watch behind! There’s no need to log, map, measure or time your runs while on the retreat. You will have a richer retreat experience if you forego all forms of measurement and focus on the purpose of each day’s run: to practice mindful presence.
- Turn off your phone (or leave it in your hotel room) during the meetings, sharing circles and during group meals. There is plenty of time in the day, while traveling from place to place or free time, during which you can catch up with friends and family, post photos to social media, etc. We simply ask that you don’t do this during group time.
Are all your trips one-size-fits-all or do you have differing levels of challenge?
Our goal is to make our retreats accessible to runners of various ability and fitness levels. Having said that, some retreats are better suited to runners with more endurance and trail running experience than others.
What is the difference between a running camp and a running retreat?
Running camps generally focus on workouts and coaching for building fitness and improving run performance. Our focus is on building the foundation of health you need before you can safely and sustainably build fitness. That’s why our retreats are truly a retreat from your everyday routine and offer you a mental and physical break. That space allows you to slow down, tune in and rediscover what your body and heart are craving right now. Our retreats are enriching immersions that blend running, travel, adventure, education and community.