Contemplative Running: Movement and Meditation in the Mountains

September 14th - 17th, 2026

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Arrival: September 14th, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Departure: September 17th, 12:30 PM

Sliding Scale Tuition:
Scholarship tuition: $300 + 3 nights lodging

Standard tuition: $350 + 3 nights lodging

Sponsor tuition: $400 + 3 nights lodging
Combined at checkout

Meals & drinks included
Inc. V, VG, GF

Add extra nights at 50% off

Sliding Scale Tuition:

Scholarship tuition: $300 + 3 nights lodging

Standard tuition: $350 + 3 nights lodging

Sponsor tuition: $400 + 3 nights lodging

Combined at checkout

Meals & drinks included
Inc. V, VG, GF

Add extra nights at 50% off

About the Retreat

Join us for an extraordinary weekend of exploration of Eastern contemplative and Western running practices, as we run (and walk) together on beautiful high-altitude mountain trails and connect with the “Immoveable Spot” within us through meditation and yoga. The three-day program includes meditation instruction and practice, yoga specifically for runners, group discussions, and group runs. Experienced teachers of the three disciplines will lead us on this delightful journey that will give you an inner and outer reset. This retreat is a great preparation for anyone running a fall marathon or wanting to incorporate running and meditation into their life.

“Movement is good for the Body; Stillness is good for the Mind” is a key retreat principle: Movement is also good for the mind, through the production of BDNF and other neurotrophic factors produced when we run.

What to Expect

  • Sunrise coffee, tea and friendly support each morning, followed by a gentle trail run/walk
  • Neuromuscular release yoga in a welcoming space led by Dr. Lara Johnson
  • Group talk on various topics, including the best running drills, the yoga sutras of Pantajali, and upcoming scientific research about the psychological and physical benefits of running and meditation
  • Healthful organic lunches and dinners with new friends
  • High-level meditation, yoga, running/walking instruction
  • Group runs, hikes, yoga and meditation

What You’ll Get Out of the Retreat

  • Get fitter, happier and calmer
  • Connect with your inner calling, what Joseph Campell calls your “Bliss”
  • Find the inner peace, the still point, residing within you
  • Get a personalized training schedule from experienced coaches
  • Experience the power of meditating and running amidst the changing aspen leaves on these special Rocky Mountain trails

FAQs

Do I have to be a runner and/or a meditator already to participate?
No running or meditation experience is required.

What level of activity can I anticipate? 
Running and walking sessions are geared to each individual, taking into consideration the high altitude (the land of DMC ranges from 7,500′ – 8,500′, with surrounding trails having higher elevations).

Are all activities and sessions required? 

Participants have the freedom to join in for some or all of the group activities.

Why Did Past Participants Love this
Retreat?

“I keep coming back to the Running with the Mind retreat — three times thus far! — because every time I discover another new skill to bring contemplation and attentiveness to my running, and to use the joy of moving my body to deepen my meditation practice.”

Read more about the retreat, as well as past participants’ takeaways, in this article from the Daily Camera.

Sample Daily Schedule

6:30am Optional Run/Walk

7:30am – 8:30am Breakfast

9:00am Neuromuscular Release Yoga

10:00am Meditation

11:00am Meditative Run/Walk

12:30pm Lunch

2:00pm Running Clinic

3:00pm Neuromuscular Release Yoga

4:00pm Tea Break

4:45pm What is “Contemplative Running?”

6:00pm Break

6:30pm Dinner

7:30pm Evening program: Outside firepit discussion under the stars

Retreat Faculty

Michael Sandrock

Michael Sandrock is an award-winning journalist and author of Running with the Legends and Running Tough. He began running as a teenager in the forest preserves outside Chicago and went on to compete for the University of Colorado. He now studies comparative mythology, running, yoga, and meditation.

Lara Johnson

Dr. Lara Johnson is the founder of Yellow Brick Physical Therapy, author of The Nerve to Heal, and creator of The NerveFlow Method— a neuromuscular approach to healing unresolved pain that starts at the root. A lifelong runner, certified life coach, neuromuscular release yoga instructor, and dedicated student of the inward path, she brings her [...]

Lodging

We have several accommodations to choose from during checkout.
All options include our healthy meals and drinks. Inc V, VG, GF.

Off Land
Participants who wish to commute from home or arrange their own accommodations off-campus (for example, a bed and breakfast, camping nearby)  pay tuition, plus $40/night for meals (3 meals per day) and use of our facilities.

Car Camping
We have 5 primitive parking spots in the Rigden parking lot, for simply parking and sleeping. This includes food and access our bathhouses in Rigden Lodge
Note: We don’t have any water or electric hook ups for RV’s.

Single and Double Tents

Located in campgrounds throughout the property, these 12′ x 14′ tents have two twin beds, two bookcases and a hanging clothes rack.* Each campground offers a shared bathhouse. Summer platform tents are available from late May through early September. A tent can be rented as a single (without a roommate) or a double (with a roommate).

Some of our campgrounds were impacted by a recent wildfire and the affects may still be visible this summer, however, they are safe to use.

Bedding is not provided. Please bring your own twin sheets, blanket or sleeping bag, a pillow and towels.

Dormitories
Rooms with beds for up to 7-8 people. Gender-segregated with men in their own dorm and women in another. The dorms use a shared bathroom down the hall, which is also equipped with shower stalls.

Monk Rooms
A cost-effective option for participants looking for indoor, solitary lodging, but who don’t mind using a shared bathroom or are looking for a more affordable retreat solution. These rooms are in the same hall as the Ridgen Dormitories, but offer more privacy than the dorms. In addition to a bed, bedding, a private room and closet, the monk rooms also have a large window and a desk and desk chair for added comfort.

Single and Double Rooms
The perfect choice for a retreat where you want both your own space and your own bathroom. Each room offers a little more space, a dresser and closet, and a 3/4s bathroom (toilet, sink, and shower, no bathtub) attached to each room.

Junior Suite
Our Lodge Junior Suites include a queen-size bed topped by a cozy comforter, a desk, dresser, closet and private bath with bathtub, plus a sitting area.

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