We sat down with William Pullen, author of the new book Running With Mindfulness, to discuss the theory and process behind his ‘Empathy Runs’ — part of a form of therapy he has developed called Dynamic Running Therapy.

The benefits of running can extend beyond the physical and improve mental health. With the concept of empathy runs, you can deepen your running practice by connecting with others.

Read on to learn more and don’t miss our next event where you can connect with thousands and thousands of runners and specathletes: Virgin Sport Hackney, 20 May 2018.

Where did the idea for Empathy Runs come from?

I created Empathy Runs as part of a running therapy I developed called Dynamic Running Therapy. Though originally developed as a method for encouraging empathy in school children, I witnessed how surprised adults were at how powerful and rewarding they found the runs when they tried it themselves. Ask any runner why they run and you may hear they enjoy getting outdoors, are motivated by achieving goals, and value the accompanying improved mental and physical health. But ask those who run with others and they will often talk about a powerful sense of togetherness and trust they enjoy. Empathy Runs draw on that.

How do you do an Empathy Run?

It’s a simple process: taking it in turns with your running partner, you spend 10-15 mins each talking about a subject that is relevant to you at the moment. The goal for the listener is to resist interrupting and to instead really concentrate on what is being said and noting non-verbal communication such as pauses, sighs, changes in facial expression and pace.

Most importantly, it means sticking with what is heard and not jumping ahead, preparing a reply. This practise, called active listening, dramatically improves your ability to really comprehend what you’re hearing, but critically it gives the person sharing an opportunity to express themselves uninterrupted — a rare thing in this busy world.

Definitely—we need more uninterrupted time! How does the running play a role in this type of active listening?

As anyone who’s been on a road trip will tell you, when you travel together story telling goes hand in hand with the journey…. tongues are loosened, memories reawakened, and confidences shared.

Empathy Runs create this same sense of trust and camaraderie. Notably, there is none of the sometimes intimidating “face-off” of normal conversation. Because you are side by side, there is less worry around how you both react, and the changing landscape in front you provides a welcome distraction to some of the anxiety you might feel facing each other.

There’s definitely something great in going somewhere together. How do you wrap up the end of an Empathy Run?

At the end of each run, each of you paraphrase back to your partner what you have heard. What follows is a powerful and comforting sense of really being heard and understood.

Most likely talking while running/walking is written deep into our DNA, explaining why this simple exercise can feel so profound and rejuvenating.

Empathy Runs can help all kinds of relationships, but most of all they’re a great way to really connect with others in a world where we feel increasingly disconnected.

If you are in London and interested in learning more about mindfulness and running, please check out Chevy Rough of ChasingLights Collective. They have a wonderful new night on Tuesdays at G-Shock called ‘Regulate’ which is a must-visit.

To join us at a future Virgin Sport event, click here.

How To Do An Empathy Run was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We had an amazing day out on 8th October 2017!

Here’s a breakdown of our Virgin Sport Oxford Half event by the numbers — feel free to enjoy the recap with this mix live from the event, courtesy of DJ G:

DJG's OFF Tha Cuff Vol 49 Oxford half Marathon Mix (Free Download)

Total number of registered participants: 10,500
Total number of runners at the starting line: 8,751
Total number of spectathletes: 17,000+
Total number of runners under the age of 20: 174
Total number of different charities people ran for : Over 113
Total number of registered people who ran for a charity: Over 400 runners
Total number of event staff: 97
Total number of volunteers: 296
Total number of security employed on race day: 180
Total number of customer queries answered by email: 1,526
Total number of dedicated customer service employees: 1
Total number of Ohoo water bubbles tested: 800
Total number of photos tagged #vsoxford #oxfordhalf: 5,099 and counting
Total number of bands and musicians: 126
Total number of Elias Ashmole impersonators: 1
Total number of Morris dancers: 7
Total number of Pizza Pilgrims slices eaten: 2,100
Total number of Pip & Nut Smoothies drank: 1,600
Total bottles of FitWater drank: 10,500
Total number of pacers: 36
Total number of goody bags items: 100,000
Total number of calories per jelly baby: 22
Total number of miles ran together: 114,638 -that’s 80,214 laps of the University Parks or 4.6x around the globe.
Distance from the Oxford Half start line to the Hackney Half start line: 89.8 miles

If you run from Oxford to Hackney, that’s 6.85 half marathons. Or just get to Virgin Sport Hackney 2018 directly— score your early bird tickets now!

Check out our album recap for more.

The 2017 Virgin Sport Oxford Recap was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

To celebrate our recent partnership with Flywheel Sports, we sat down with Flywheel San Francisco Lead Instructor, Jess Forseth for the 411 on all things running. Read on to discover the music that motivates her, how she fuels up, and more ways to ensure a kickass race.

Tell us about how you got into running. How many races have you completed?

I started running by impulsively signing up for a half marathon in Minneapolis. I had never run more than a mile in my life but wanted to challenge myself to do something I didn’t think I could do. Since then I’ve done 6 half marathons, the Chicago marathon, and a handful of 5Ks and 10Ks.

How do you prepare for a race?

I am a big planner so I love setting out a training plan and schedule that mixes in strength training, cross training (like Flywheel and yoga), speed runs and distance runs. Interval training and strength work makes such a difference with speed and endurance.

What keeps you going during rigorous training?

I always have to remind myself how good I feel when I finish a training run or workout — strong and accomplished. Especially on those days when I am tired and just don’t want to do it! Also, I usually sign up for races with friends so having training buddies to help keep each other accountable makes it more fun and keeps me inspired.

Talk to us about the perfect running fuel… what keeps you going?

My go to pre-race meal is oatmeal with a banana or almond butter — and coffee! Always coffee. I need simple carbs that can sustain the hours of running that aren’t too heavy or leave me too full.

How does running help you on the bike, and vice versa?

Running and cycling go so well together! The interval training at Flywheel really helps push my cardiovascular endurance as well as strengthen different muscles in my legs to help prevent injury — it also allows me to get the extra work in with less pressure on my knees and joints. The classes are also great for me when I need that extra little push from an instructor or the group around me to add more intensity than I would on my own!

How does music help you stay motivated?

Music is EVERYTHING to me when I’m working out — whether it’s running, cycling, or strength training. The right beat drop or favorite song at just the right moment gives you that little push you need. Music lets you get lost a bit and forget what mile you are on or even that you’re feeling the burn in your legs. I love a good mix of fun guilty pleasures and intense beat drops in my playlists. My favorite songs to run to are hip hop remixes — makes me get a little aggressive on all of the hills but keeping the faster beats helps with pace. My favorite running song is “I’m a Boss” by Rick Ross… I can’t help it, he just makes me want to crank up a hill!

Do you have any tips for people who are starting to run long-distance?

Be patient! Give yourself time to ramp up your mileage and ease into it. Find ways to change up your runs, whether it’s a different route, going sightseeing, or mixing in extra hills. I like to also judge a run based on effort, and not speed. Not every run is going to be fast or feel great, but if your effort is there you’ll get the benefits!

Sign up here for Jess’ Flywheel class at Virgin Sport SF on October 15th before spots are gone!

CRUSH MILES LIKE A FLY ATHLETE was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Relocating from the U.K. to the San Francisco Bay Area

We’ve had a master plan for some time to eventually move across the pond to California. We knew that San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with top class local running trails just minutes from the City. Not to mention the really strong running community and year round weather for running, which would help us grow the Trail & Kale Brand. Eventually a work opportunity came up, and the rest is history.

The Virgin Sport San Francisco Weekend

Being new to the area we thought that signing up to a race event in the City would be the best way to explore areas we might not normally get to visit. A quick online search brought us straight to Virgin Sport’s San Francisco weekend. The headline events include: SF Bay Half Marathon and the Twin Peaks Mile Challenge.

The Half Marathon

The route starts at the SF City Hall and heads out towards, and through the Golden Gate park. You then make a right at 33rd Street, run through the Presidio, and then along the waterfront before heading back to the City Hall. The course is a really nice loop that takes in some of the most beautiful sites in San Francisco.

The Twin Peak Mile Challenge

I’m particularly looking forward to this event. I’ve seen so many iconic photographs taken from Twin Peaks using the city as a backdrop, and I can’t wait to run to the top, knowing that the reward will be stunning views!

We have chosen to participate in both events, because let’s face it, they both sound totally awesome!

Training for the event weekend

Training is going very well, we both feel strong thanks to the local mountains in Marin County. It’s perfect training for the Twin Peaks Mile Challenge!

We believe training should always be fun, here are some pictures of our most recent adventure around Mount Tamalpais State Park:

See you there!

We can’t wait for the Virgin Sport weekend to get started! If you see us at the event, be sure you say hello!

“Live Clean, Run Free”

Trail and Kale is a trail running blog dedicated to trail running and adventures.

We provide trail running advice and inspiration gathered from all corners of the World, by our Founders and members of the Trail & Kale community.

❤ JOIN THE TRAIL & KALE TRAIL RUNNING COMMUNITY ❤

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Trail & Kale are kickstarting their new life in California was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We’ve all had that moment when, whilst trying to sip something out of a cup and walk forwards at the same time, one ends up with an unwanted liquid facial.

If you dial up the speed, it would be even more challenging.

We’re using cups at two water stations at the Virgin Sport Oxford Half in an effort to cut down on plastic use, at stations 4 and 6 will be water cups — that’s roughly mile 7 and 10!

Did you know that it takes 500 years for plastic to decompose and 275,000 tonnes of plastic are used each year in the UK? That’s about 15 million bottles per day!

Here’s the quick low down on how best to efficiently drink water out of a paper cup while running a half marathon.

1. Pick a volunteer and spot a cup to aim for! Bonus points — make eye contact and smile.
2. Grab the cup and squeeze the top into a spout.
3. Don’t gulp it all down at once — take your time.
4. When done, throw your cup to the side of the road
5. Don’t forget to practice during your training!

Here’s a visual demo from our team:

Entries are open until 25th September for the Virgin Sport Oxford Half — get your ticket before it’s too late!

How To Drink Water Out of a Cup was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We are so excited to announce that Franco Finn will be our unofficial ‘hypeman’ at the Twin Peaks Mile on October 14 at Virgin Sport SF! Currently, he’s the hypeman for the Warriors basketball team, a professional auctioneer, actor, television host, reporter, radio host, and much, much more… read more below to learn about the life of a hypeman.

Who are you and where are you from?

I’m born and raised in San Francisco. I’m a true native San Franciscan & rooted in this beautiful city by the Bay. Representing the 415 all day everyday!

What’s it like being a ‘hype man’ for the Warriors?

It’s the most amazing, supernatural, unique experience ever being the “Hypeman” for the Golden State Warriors. Each and every night when I walk across center court and get in front of 20,000+ fans on a nightly basis, nothing beats the adrenaline & energy I feel from the fans. It makes me proud especially to work for one of my favorite childhood teams growing up. It’s truly living the dream in every sense. I equate it to being a rockstar performer. When you dish out the energy & positive vibes and you get it right back from the fans, it feels like you’re rocking a live concert and show at every game.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen or experience as a hype man?

One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had as the Hypeman is doing an on-court live promo in front of the music legend Prince. We had a fun contest giving away tickets to one of his upcoming shows and I was literally a few feet in front of him. I’ve also interviewed many celebrities that have visited Oracle Arena from Snoop Dogg, Jessica Alba, Chris Rock, Bill Murray, among others. However, my most memorable and unique experience was when I performed the viral hit “Gagnam Style” dance routine with the Warriors Dance Team, live and center court during one of the games. No one had a clue that I had some dance moves like that!

Prince. Legend. We’re jealous! What would you say to someone who’s afraid of trying something new — fitness related?

I would tell someone to push their boundaries. Never be complacent and always challenge yourself to go one step further.

Get out of your comfort zone and you’ll see that it’s all about mind over matter.

When you look at things in compartments and break it down one thing at a time, the overall task or activity won’t seem as daunting.

As Sir Richard Branson used to say, “Screw it Let’s Do it!”. You have to have that mentality whenever you’re taking a risk.

What are you most excited about for Virgin Sport SF?

I’m most excited about Virgin Sport coming to my hometown of San Francisco. This city is where it will kick things off for Virgin Sport and propel this event to another level. Race events have always been our city’s most popular events and so now with Virgin Sport bringing it’s brand of fitness fun to SF, it’s a perfect combination that will sure make a huge impact and set the bar high. I’m excited about the Twin Peaks Mile run as it has one of the most beautiful views of San Francisco.

We can’t wait to have you! What are your current biggest projects?

I’m involved in a new television show that will hopefully debut either this Fall or next year in 2018. Without disclosing too much information, I’m going to be the main TV host for this unique program that revolves around sports & food! Can’t wait to share this with the entire country and so it’s still under wraps. I’m also a professional auctioneer and so I have a ton of big charity fundraiser events where I help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for these very deserving non-profit organizations. I keep a very busy schedule with the Golden State Warriors NBA season, San Francisco Giants special events, and a ton of other freelance opportunities that come my way.

Whew! You are a busy man. Where are you going next?

Where I’m going, you’ll need a cape to fly and get there! I feel like I’m Clark Kent by day and then Superman when it’s event time! I like to take it to new heights whenever I’m the MC, host or “hypeman” for any of my events. I’m always striving to create the best experience possible with everything that I do. I make the most out of any situation. Just when you think you’ve reached the top of the pinnacle, guess what, it’s time to keep on climbing. This goes back to my motto of never being complacent and always challenging yourself to go one step further.

Follow Franco on Twitter and Facebook here, and catch him at Virgin Sport SF — sign up for the Twin Peaks Mile on October 14 or the SF Bay Half on October 15, hurry, it’s coming around the corner!

Meet Franco Finn: The Warrior’s + Virgin Sport SF ‘Hypeman’ was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

When we think about the future of sport, wearable tech is always top of mind. With so many innovative ways to analyze our data, we can access a higher level and clearer picture of how, exactly, we move through our day-to-day life. With that awareness — we can move more, and move more efficiently.

Tracking your fitness ultimately comes down to caring about yourself, and in the words of Beyonce — if you like a thing, put a ring on it.

Our recommended ring: the new Motiv Ring Fitness Tracker, an activity, heart rate and sleep tracker that’s launching this summer.

We’re excited to announce our official partnership with Motiv Inc., a San Francisco based company that is focused on building products that help keep people moving while seamlessly fitting into their everyday lives.

Motiv Ring starts shipping later this summer (you can pre-order yours here), but we’ve been lucky enough to start testing out the pretty discreet and stylish ring — and we love it.

It’s lightweight and barely noticeable, charges in any USB under ninety minutes, is waterproof and the battery typically lasts three days. We are excited to put the ring to the test. Likewise, the Motiv Ring will be putting you to the test, tracking resting heart rate, active minutes, activity type, your active heart rate, sleep duration, calories burned, distance and steps.

You can also set weekly goals and daily targets based on your activity.

Sleep duration will be an interesting metric to track, especially as more and more studies have come out on the effects of sleep deprivation. Perhaps it’s time to include sleep in our training plans?

Stay tuned for more on our testing process — we will be tracking our training for the SF Bay Half on October 15 at Virgin Sport San Francisco.

You can win your own Motiv Ring as part of our Fit Getaway to Virgin Sport San Francisco Sweepstakes!

In the meantime, you can pre-order Motiv Ring here and check them out our design-driven friends on social on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Introducing the Sleek Motiv Ring Fitness Tracker was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We’re lining up San Francisco’s best fitness instructors for our upcoming Virgin Sport San Francisco festival of fitness this October 14–15 — and we couldn’t be more excited to announce that Shauna Harrison will be teaching a Muscle & Flow™ class at our Go Fit Yourself line up.

We caught up with Shauna:

Who are you and where are you from?

I’m from the Bay Area, and I live here now. I never really know how to answer the question of ‘who are you or what do you do’ because I do so many things… at the base level, I am a fitness/yoga instructor building my own personal brand, I am an ambassador for a variety of brands, but I also work fulltime for Zenrez, a fitness startup.

Busy busy! Are you a runner?

I always hesitate to call myself a runner, because I feel like runners are their own breed. But I do run multiple times a week. When I was younger, though, I couldn’t even run a mile in P.E.

Now, I run a lot of hills and stairs. I run to be outside and to be away from the craziness of my life!

Running certainly is a great form of moving meditation. Where do you like to run?

I’m a big fan of Baker Beach — the Sandladder is one of my favorite places to train because it is super hard. I also run some hills in the East Bay. Sometimes I’ll run Lake Merritt. I like where I run to be epic because I run for escape and to be out in the natural world.

Who inspires you?

There isn’t one person necessarily, but I’m always trying to be better than I was the day before, the week before, the month before…

I am more inspired to be better than I am, rather than trying to be someone else.

There are a lot of people that I admire for their hustle, brains, talent, they are aspirational, yes… but what gets me up and moving and trying to do what I do is constantly to be better.

What’s been the most challenging part of your fitness journey?

Well, the beginning of my journey into fitness was tough. I couldn’t run a mile, couldn’t do a pull up, couldn’t do a push up. It wasn’t until my early teen years that I learned to love movement. I had played basketball as a kid, but that was the only physically activity that I liked, but I only liked playing, not training.

I struggled with an eating disorder and I was using fitness to lose weight and to achieve an unrealistic body ideal. I did some damage to my body and mental state along the way, but then I fell in love with the concept of movement and challenge —and used those concepts to break me from the disordered patterns that I had. Instead of focusing on what my body looked like, I began to focus on what my body was able to do.

How you feel is definitely more important than how you look. What would you say to someone who’s afraid of starting a fitness routine?

I always tell people to start with something that interests them — if you’re not intrigued by it, if you’re not going to do it. Just keep trying things and if you don’t like it, try something else. There are so many ways to move out there — just keep showing up.

Yes! One thing to try would be your Muscle + Flow class at Virgin Sport SF — can you tell us more about it?

Muscle + Flow is my signature yoga class. It’s yoga, but mixed with different things and infused with hip hop and r&b music. I take the concept of a flow class and mix in other modalities — plyometrics or strength based!

Sign up to be a part of Virgin Sport SF on October 14–15 here — and follow Shauna on Instagram to keep up with the latest!

Meet Shauna Harrison, PhD + ‘Sweat Dealer’ was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We catch up with Maryland native and member of the 2002 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field team who brought the first National Championship in any sport to the university — meet Mechelle Lewis Freeman.

Mechelle is also a track & field 2007 Pan American Double Silver Medalist, 2007 World Champion, and 2008 Olympian. Her events included the 100 meters and the 4×100 meter relay. Off the track, Mechelle is the leader of TrackGirlz, the company that is on a mission to empower women through track & field.

Read more about Mechelle below— and you can meet and run with her on August 26th at our FREE fitness meet up on August 26th at Sports Basement Berkeley!

How and why did you start TrackGirlz?

I’ve been called a “Track Girl” since I started in the sport at age 14.

I started TrackGirlz in 2015 when I realized the powerful influence of the talented and successful women and girls in the sport was being overlooked.

I wanted to start a brand that provided sport specific female role models while also creating ways to develop talent and share the authentic “Fast, Fit & Fly” Track Girl culture. We promote confidence, community, and healthy lifestyles through our fitness events, leaderships camps, and athletic leisure apparel to empower communities while helping to create and maintain exposure for track girls on a daily basis. And if you don’t run, jump, or throw, don’t worry, you can always channel your “Inner Track Girl”. We want all women and girls to know the power of track girls around the world and the opportunities in the sport that leads to long-term success.

Yes! We love it. How can people get involved?

You can support our movement by going to trackgirlz.com to shop our apparel, join us at one of our fitness events, sign up a girl to attend one of our leadership camps, or subscribe to our blog. You can also book us to motivate school or corporate audiences with one of our speaking or fitness workshops for youth and adults where we share our motivating experiences within the sport and track and field inspired workouts and activities. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook @Trackgirlz to keep track of all that we do.

We can’t wait for the event on August 26th with TrackGirlz. What are your other current projects that you’re working on?

TrackGirlz currently has some great momentum with the projects we are putting together. We just received a $25,000 grant through a partnership between the Andre Agassi Foundation For Education and the Africa For Hope Foundation for the underwriting of our camp programs.

We are heading to Johannesburg, South Africa in September to offer a TrackGirlz Leadership Camp to the young women there and will offer a few stops in the U.S for girls across the country beginning this fall in New York City, along with Olympic Gold Medalist, Natasha Hastings.

Through this, we want to not only directly connect future stars with female Olympic and Elite athletes, we want to provide a system that helps to motivate and develop young talent. Our camps will follow a new TrackGirlz curriculum that we are finalizing to ensure these girls walk away with a tangible guide to be able to use towards achieving their goals.

That’s exciting! Motivation is key — what’s the most challenging thing you’ve overcome?

One of the hardest things I had to learn was how to overcome doubt, including my own, to train for the Olympic Games after four years off from training and with less than two years to do it. The task appeared to unrealistic and it came with a huge amount of sacrifice, faith, and commitment. I made the team and was one of only four girls in the country representing USA on the 4x100 meter relay at the 2008 Olympic Games.

What do you think the crossover is in between women being physically fit and confident?

When you are physically fit — you naturally feel better — better energy, better functional capability. Your confidence comes from that feeling.

Track and Field is a sport that caters to different body types where you can choose to either run, jump, or throw and fosters physical, mental, and social development.

As a woman or girl in the sport you are known as a “Track Girl.” The essence of a “Track Girl” is strong, beautiful, and bold, with the sport as a source for these attributes.

Last question — how do you think sport has helped shape you as a person?

It has provided a way for me to learn through healthy competition — how to lose and how to win. I’ve learned how discipline, commitment and hard work yields positive results and how cutting corners and bad habits leads to disappointment.

Self-expression among myself and other track girls is an important part of our strong community. From personalities to hairstyles and lip stick choices, the sport allows you to embrace who you are, while learning the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I use track and field work outs, follow a similar diet, and channel that Track Girl confidence until this day.

Come run with TrackGirlz and us on August 26th at Sports Basement Berkeley! RSVP here.

Places are going fast — get into the SF Bay Half and/or Twin Peaks Mile at Virgin Sport San Francisco this coming October 14–15.

Who Runs The World? TrackGirlz. was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hello World + Hackney,

We can’t wait for Virgin Sport Hackney on 20 May 2018.

It’s going to be a blast — and we’re so excited that we are giving away 50 FREE entries to the upcoming Virgin Sport Hackney Half Marathon*.

To be entered to win, all you have to do is is the following:

1. Post a photo on Instagram and share your Hackney experience last year OR share how you plan to train for 2018;
2. Tag a friend to encourage them to run with you; and
3. Include the hashtags #VSHackney #VirginSport and tag us @virginsport!

You have until 15th September to enter. Get to it!

Need a photo? Check out our official VSHackney 2017 photo album here and the throwback album here. Or if you just want to get your early bird ticket, you can do that now. You’re welcome.

*Terms and conditions apply — click here to read ‘em!

TBT to #VSHackney + WIN A FREE ENTRY To Virgin Sport Hackney 2018! was originally published in Virgin Sport on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.