The Mindful Pause: Your Secret Weapon To Run With Ease

Most runners know how to push. Many fewer know how to stop. Even in “rest,” the nervous system often stays braced for the next effort. The next mile, the next hill, the next demand.

Alexander Technique teacher Margaret Goldie summed up the solution in one line:“If you’re quiet and really stop… you’re not doing the wrong thing, so the right thing does itself.”

For runners, this means your best stride isn’t forced but when you stop interfering. Instead of “fixing” your form or “relaxing” your muscles, good form comes easiest when we can allow our body’s natural coordination take over. That’s when running feels lighter, smoother, and more sustainable.

The mistake many runners make is trying to “do” relaxation, which only adds more effort. Goldie’s insight is that true ease comes from what Alexander Technique teachers call "non-doing" - a genuine 3-dimensional mental and physical pause where your body resets and your nervous system lets go of excess tension.

The easiest way in to this? Curiosity.Instead of demanding your body to relax, simply ask:“Where do I already feel ease?”

Finding space to pause can allow us to run with greater awareness and ease

That shift alone can break old habits like overstriding, clenching fists, or tightening shoulders because we catch ourselves before the unwanted actions take place. And by encouraging a soft neck and balanced head, it will effortlessly and organically bring our running form into a naturally strong and loose place.

Nearly all of us will have run like that as toddlers but habits, stress, injuries and often too much sitting interfere with this easy way of being. But by finding time and space to genuinely stop and observe, the inbuilt freedom we had when we were young becomes more available and running can go from being a grind to something that is light, free, flowing and much more enjoyable.

So, next time you lace up, experiment with stopping first. A mindful pause could be the secret to your easiest miles yet.

A Mini Routine for Runners: Practicing The Mindful Pause

You can use this before a run, during recovery, or even mid-stride:

1. Pause Before You Go: Stand still for a few seconds seconds. Don’t stretch, don’t brace, don’t prepare. Just notice how you’re standing.

2. Ask a Gentle Question: Where do I already feel ease? Maybe it’s your hands, your breath, or the space around your ribs. It doesn't matter. However, don’t be tempted to try to make ease happen, simply notice where it exists.

3. Let That Ease Spread: Often, when you notice ease in one place, other parts of the body soften naturally. Allow it, don’t force it.

4. Start With Curiosity: As you begin your run, instead of “trying to run well,” simply wonder: What happens if I let this ease continue?

5. Check In Mid-Run: Every mile or so, ask again: Where else do I notice ease? Shoulders, stomach or breath often respond well.

6. Let the Run Teach You: Don’t try to hold onto ease or control it. Instead, stay curious and let your run unfold as it wants to, paying attention to anything that arises

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