Contemplative Running: Movement and Meditation in the Mountains

Contemplative Running is a wellness retreat that brings running and walking together with meditation and yoga, held over three days at Drala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado. It draws on Eastern contemplative practice and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and it is open to anyone, whether you run marathons or have never run at all. Michael Sandrock and Dr. Lara Johnson lead the program, with experienced teachers of all three disciplines on hand.

The guiding idea is that movement is good for the body and stillness is good for the mind, and that movement also serves the mind through the neurotrophic factors, including BDNF, produced when we run. Together the group looks for what the organizers call the "Immoveable Spot" within.

What to Expect

Days begin early with sunrise coffee and tea and an optional gentle trail run or walk, and they follow a steady rhythm of practice, meals and conversation. A sample day looks like this:

- 6:30am optional run or walk
- 7:30am to 8:30am breakfast
- 9:00am deep tissue yoga
- 10:00am meditation
- 11:00am meditative run or walk
- 12:30pm lunch
- 2:00pm running clinic
- 3:00pm deep tissue yoga
- 4:00pm tea break
- 4:45pm "What is Contemplative Running?"
- 6:30pm dinner
- 7:30pm evening discussion around the outdoor firepit under the stars

Group talks cover running drills, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and emerging research on the psychological and physical benefits of running and meditation. Participants can also expect a personalized training schedule from experienced coaches. The retreat suits anyone preparing for a fall marathon or hoping to bring running and meditation into daily life. In autumn, the trails pass through changing aspen leaves.

About Michael Sandrock

Michael Sandrock is an award-winning journalist and the author of Running with the Legends and Running Tough. He began running as a teenager in the forest preserves outside Chicago and went on to compete for the University of Colorado. He now studies comparative mythology, running, yoga and meditation.

About Dr. Lara Johnson

Dr. Lara Johnson is the founder of Yellow Brick Physical Therapy, author of The Nerve to Heal, and creator of The NerveFlow Method, a neuromuscular approach to healing unresolved pain. A lifelong runner, certified life coach and neuromuscular release yoga instructor, she is also a dedicated student of the inward path. She leads the deep tissue yoga sessions.

The Setting

Drala Mountain Center sits at 7,500 to 8,500 feet in the Rocky Mountains near Red Feather Lakes, with higher trails beyond the property. Running and walking sessions are paced to each person, with the altitude in mind.

Lodging is chosen at checkout and ranges from simple to private:

- Car camping in five primitive parking spots, with no RV hookups
- Single or double tents with twin beds and a shared bathhouse
- Dormitories, gender-segregated, for seven or eight people with a shared bathroom
- Monk rooms, private indoor rooms with a shared bathroom
- Single and double rooms with an attached three-quarter bath
- Junior suites with a queen bed, sitting area and private bath with tub

Meals are organic and include vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

Before You Go

No running or meditation experience is required, and you are free to join some or all of the group activities. Tuition covers the three-day program, three nights of lodging, all meals, coffee and tea, instruction in meditation, yoga and running, and the group runs, hikes and firepit evenings. Extra nights are available at half the nightly rate.

Guests staying in tents or dormitories bring their own bedding: sheets or a sleeping bag, a pillow and towels. People staying off campus pay a nightly fee for meals and use of the facilities. Travel to the center is not included. Some campgrounds were affected by a wildfire, and while the effects may still be visible, they are safe to use.