With summer truly underway, it’s a good time to check in with your heart, mind, and body. Summer can be a season of increased physical activity with beautiful, sunny weather, inspiring you to try new activities, workouts, and sports or connect with old favorites. Depending on your outlook, exercise can also feel like a chore and with a teetering work-life balance, a personal check-in may be the rejuvenating reboot you need to embrace the change in season with new energy. While some fitness devotees are already training for summer triathlons, you may be interested in something a bit more holistic.

Introducing: the mindfulness triathlon. Combining a 5k run with 75 minutes of yoga flow followed by a 25-minute guided meditation in a festival environment, the mindfulness triathlon softens many of the traditional triathlon’s competitive edges and layers in mindful practice. Individuals are encouraged to connect with themselves, mentally and physically, while also connecting with one another - things we could all benefit from!

Research shows mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation, and even daily activities like walking the dog can help people relax and reconnect to the present moment, reducing the intensity and frequency of anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. Yoga can also increase flexibility and body awareness, two things that are invaluable to seasoned athletes and anyone hoping to feel and move better. The mindfulness triathlon, such as the Wanderlust 108 Mindfulness Triathlon, brings all of these activities together for a unique event that challenges participants to look inward instead of at the clock, for a chance to connect and grow in a different way. In fact, some participants may find that being still for an extended period of time proves to be a significant mental challenge, similar to the physical demands of pushing through a traditional triathlon.   

As you prepare for your mindfulness triathlon, be sure to train as you would for a 5k walk or run. Stick to clean protein powder, especially after your training runs and walks to reduce soreness, fatigue, and to improve recovery. Warming up, cooling down, and stretching after running or walking will also reduce tight, sore muscles, you may even consider trying a yoga sequence for runners. However, no running, yoga, or meditation experience is required to join the event, so it’s a good time to give these practices a try if you’ve been curious! And, who knows? Maybe a mindfulness triathlon is just the beginning of your budding journey toward better health - for the body and the mind.