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“Go for a run,” they say. “It’ll clear your mind,” they say.
Running is often touted as the ultimate mental reset—a moving meditation to sweat out your stress and emerge refreshed. And yes, sometimes it does work like that. You cross the imagined finish line after a run, calmer and clearer.
But other times? Running cranks the volume up on your inner monologue. One minute you’re settling in, the next you’re questioning everything: Why do my legs feel so heavy? Was this a good idea? And then, you start to spiral: What am I doing with my life? Why does everything feel so uncertain? Are we going to be okay?
You’re not alone in this. It’s a brain thing. The brain wasn’t built for stillness—especially under stress. It defaults to filling space with thoughts, stories, and criticism. And when you’re running—alone, uncomfortable, and without distraction—those thoughts come rushing in. That’s because when we run, the brain’s default mode network (DMN) tends to switch on. That’s the network responsible for self-referential thinking—basically, the narrator in your head. Left unchecked, it can spiral into overanalysis and negative thought loops.
So what do you do when your mind won’t clear, no matter how many miles you log? You stop trying to empty it, and start learning how to work with it.
Here are some practical tools to help you manage your running mind.
Program Your Thoughts
Your brain likes to stay busy—that’s its job. So, instead of getting frustrated that it won’t quiet down, try giving it something to do. Mantras, or affirmations, are short phrases that you repeat mentally to direct your focus. They help narrow your attention so your thoughts don’t spiral. Your mantra doesn’t need to be poetic or profound. In fact, a simple, technical cue is sometimes more effective.
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When I was dealing with a nagging IT band injury, my go-to mantra was “fire, glute, fire…work, glute, work.” I timed it with my stride—one word per step. It didn’t inspire me, exactly, but it gave my brain a job. And sometimes, that’s all you need.
Plus, studies have shown that positive self-talk can improve performance, so if you’re redirecting your brain away from negativity, better times may be a nice byproduct.
Here are a few examples that might work for you:
“Forward is a pace.”
“Run with your heart.”
“Easy and smooth.”
Pay Attention to Your Breath
Your breath is one of the few levers you can pull in real-time, using it as both a mirror and a modulator of your mental state. When your mind starts spiraling, tune into your breath to redirect. Take back the steering wheel when your thoughts veer off course. Try syncing your breath with your pace: three steps to inhale, five steps to exhale. When you notice your breath following a rhythm, you have less time to think about anything else. Or, at the very least, your rhythmic breath can help your thoughts slow down.
Count “Sheep” to Clear Your Mind
Running, with its steady, repetitive rhythm, is the perfect setup for rumination—the death spiral we dread. So when your inner voice won’t quit, send your attention outward. Count trees. Or mailboxes. Or blue SUVs. You’re not trying to become a roadside math champion—though if you feel like doubling numbers to six digits, go for it.
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The goal is simply to give your mind something neutral, real, and present to focus on.
Counting is low-effort but attention-demanding—just enough to steer you out of the DMN and back into the present moment.
Listen to Music
Music isn’t just background noise. The right song at the right moment can shift your entire mental state and even improve your technique, pulling you out of an unhelpful thought spiral or pushing you through a challenging mile. Try matching the tempo of your playlist to your cadence. Or hit “play” on a power boosting track for the hardest parts of your run. And if you simply want less words in your head, opt for instrumental music or ambient tracks.
There’s a caveat here, though. Music can sometimes distract us from our own bodies or our surroundings. So, stay alert and check in with your body in between songs to make sure you’re not ignoring critical signals.
Write That Stuff Down
If your thoughts tend to pile up before or during a run, consider getting them out of your head and onto paper. A quick brain dump—either before you lace up or after you get back—can offload the mental clutter. This isn’t about writing a masterpiece; rather, it’s about clearing space for new ideas or helpful thoughts. Try writing a bulleted list of what’s nagging you, or a few messy sentences that capture the swirl in your mind. Writing externalizes your thoughts, turning vague and distracting mental noise into something visible, concrete, and often, much easier to work with.
Embrace the Chatter
Sometimes, no matter how many tricks you try, your mind just keeps talking. That’s okay. What if going on a run was actually the perfect opportunity to think? Instead of fighting the chatter, try welcoming it. Let your thoughts come and go as they will. This shift from resistance to acceptance can be surprisingly effective. You’re not giving in to the spiral; you’re creating space around it. Not every thought needs to be fixed or followed. Some can just pass through.
Your run doesn’t have to be a mental reset to be worth it. Some miles clear your head; others teach you how to carry what’s in it—and with the right tools, you can make that load feel lighter.
