This was the inaugural MEP Run Retreat, hosted in Joshua Tree, CA. Four days and three nights of high desert running, meditation and breathwork circles, shared meals lead by Lottie Bildirichi and supported by On, Cadence and Hard Sun. Ten people, 30 miles, two holotropic breath journeys, shared sweat and tears, hugs and laughs.

“Running Practice” is Mindful Endurance Program’s exploration of running through changing our awareness and approach to movement. How can running be a practice of living rather than a pace to hit or suffering to overcome. Our practice uses running as the medium to explore our mind-body connection, integrating different Taoist philosophies with breathwork and meditation to bring more intention to the experience itself.

The MEP Cycling retreat has become one of the things I look forward to most each year. This year was our third time out in Marin, CA exploring the roads, climbs, descents and meaningful conversation along the way.

Last spring I visited Move Lab in Los Angeles for back to back days; doing a Precision Run Analysis and VO2 Max Test. The experiences were both exciting and challenging, with self-doubts coming up around my ability and even how my ACL would stand up to running full out. I got a lot more out of the experience than I anticipated and you can watch the two video episodes below on each of the sessions.

The journey of triathlon cannot be separated from bicycles, and I quickly became obsessed with finding a triathlon bike for my journey towards 70.3 with an unexpected ally in The Pro’s Closet.