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What is a mindathlon?

You have probably heard of the sport of triathlon. But have you heard of a mindathlon? It's a multi-discipline event based around mindfulness. In this article, I'll explore what it is and whether it could improve your mental health.

What is it?

A mindathlon is a triathlon with a difference. Typically it will consist of:

• A 5km run
• A yoga session
• A guided meditation

There is no competitive element: no prizes for the first person who could complete all three. Instead, it focuses on giving people the chance to improve their mental health and develop their mindfulness skills.

Where did it come from?

It seems to have originated with a company called Wanderlust who run music and yoga festivals. They run a series of events called Wanderlust 108s which feature a 5km run, a 90-minute yoga session with a DJ and a 30-minute guided meditation.

Since then, others have taken up the call.

In November 2017, my hometown of Leeds held an event as part of Leeds Wellness Week. This ran in a similar format, but the yoga session was 30 minutes, rather than 90. It claims to be the UK's first, but it appears Wanderlust 108 London beat them by two months.

Is it a good idea?

Yes, we love it. Anything that gets people to spend more time taking care of their health, being mindful and getting out and being active is a good thing in our book.

The idea of combining a series of these activities seems to have captured people's imaginations and, as with most interventions, the key to the whole thing is getting people motivated enough to do it. So, it looks like this concept is a winner.

Will it improve mental health?

Mostly, yes. There is some really good stuff in here, with a few caveats.

The 5km run is excellent. Exercise is great for anxiety, and the 5km format has proven to be popular and successful with events like Parkrun.

The yoga session is a mixed bag. There are no mental health benefits of yoga, and it doesn't count as cardio exercise. However, it is a good form of strengthening exercise, so you are getting some health benefit out of it, even if it isn't going to make you feel any better.

Finally, the mindfulness session is a good idea if implemented correctly. If it is a guided mindfulness meditation, then there is lots of evidence that that is good for you. However, if it is a different kind of meditation, there is no evidence that other types of meditation provide any health benefits.

So, if it's mindfulness meditation then yay, if not, then nay.

Should I try one?

If it sounds like a fun thing to do, then yes, give it a go! There is good stuff in there and even if some of it doesn't provide any direct benefit, you may just enjoy doing it.

Though, you may want to consider doing an actual triathlon instead (or as well as). We think that triathlon as a whole provides a host of benefits to your mental health, so that is a good option too.

Summary

The idea of bringing several events together for a combined mental health day is a good one. Indeed, we wrote about it in our blog post "What would a mental health workout look like?".

How much benefit a mindathlon provides is somewhat down to the specific implication of each event. But, as a concept, it is a fun one that is worth trying out for yourself.

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Published 18 December 2017. Written by Chris Worfolk.