Why Running Makes Us Happy: The Importance of Flow

barefootrunninguniversity.com 10 Dec '12, 3pm

Why Running Makes Us Happy: The Importance of Flow

First, I want to say congratulations on achieving what most people never do– an understanding about the phenomenological state which we enter when we do activities (particularly those that we enjoy). The realization and understanding brings you that much closer! I’ve been researching flow in sports for about five years (across different settings). For my Master’s Thesis, I’ve decided to compare the effects of environment (road, gym, trail) and distance (short to ultra distance) on flow experience and well-being. I really like your points about novel experiences. It’s true that people flow more when they are engage in new activities, and lose it almost immediately when they are bored. The balance between perceived challenge and skill is perhaps the mechanism for creating Ultrarunners. From the way I see it, each runner reaches a point that they have mastered a distance or t...

Full article: http://barefootrunninguniversity.com/2012/12/10/why-runni...

Tweets

@EarthRunner1987 » 11 Dec '12, 9pm
Free your stressed & stagnated liver meridian by experiencing the flow of running. [link] @barefootjason #barefootrunning #TCM
@OptimalRun » 11 Dec '12, 5pm
@barefootjason on how finding the sweet spot leads to flow. Flow = #OptimalRun [link] -@jclaughter
@LibreezeFitness » 11 Dec '12, 4am
RT @naturalrunstore: Finding sweet spot leads to flow state. @barefootjason on why #running makes us happy [link] -@jclaughter
@OptimalRun » 11 Dec '12, 3am
@barefootjason on why #running makes us happy. #OptimalRun is finding flow. [link] -@jclaughter
@barefootjason » 10 Dec '12, 3pm
RT @barefootjason: Why Running Makes Us Happy: The Importance of Flow [link]
@misscristascott » 10 Dec '12, 3pm
RT @barefootjason: RT @barefootjason: Why Running Makes Us Happy: The Importance of Flow [link]