Looking up: a surfing lesson for runners

Davide, our Italian surf instructor at an all-female surf camp earlier this summer, left a profound impression on me with his talks on surfing. While his discussions were ostensibly about the principles of surfing, their Zen-like nature often made it feel as though he was offering wisdom on how to navigate life itself.

One of his primary tips, which I found myself needing constant reminders of, was: look up. Ironically, looking down at your surfboard creates all sorts of problems, including nosedives, loss of balance, and poor stance. In my effort to ensure things went well by looking down, I inadvertently caused the very issue I was trying to avoid.

So, how does this relate to running? The first principle affected by looking down is your posture. While it’s important to be aware of obstacles, you shouldn’t keep your gaze downward for too long. Vertical, upright posture is essential for trunk stability, effective breathing, and controlling your stride. We live in a culture that constantly encourages us to look down at screens, phones, and workspaces. Take a moment to look up and appreciate the beauty around you.

The second aspect of looking up became apparent to me today while working with a runner who has been injured for over a year. She had an injury that sidelined her for about nine months. Although her injury has healed well, she remains nervous about doing anything that might hurt her knee. Instead of looking forward and embracing the healing journey, she was still focused downward on her past injury. While it’s crucial to be cautious during recovery, looking forward and embracing the healing process is a critical step towards full recovery.

Next time you’re out on a run, don’t forget to look up, look forward, and embrace a healing mindset.