Photo by Sofia Munoz ’23
Running and relaxing are two words you don’t often hear together. That is until you talk to one of the members of the Choate Boys’ Cross Country team. For them, the day before a five-kilometer race is a day to wind down, loosen up, and participate in the decades-old tradition of a meditation session.
The typical Friday practice for the team begins with stretching, followed by a light run. Practice concludes with a session of what the team fondly calls “Neditation,” which derived from a combination of the word “meditation,” and the first name of head coach Ned Gallagher. During “Neditation,” everyone lies down on the grass, closes their eyes, spreads their arms and legs, and listens to Mr. Gallagher’s calming voice.
This tradition dates back to 1992, in Gallagher’s earlier years at Choate, when he also served as the Athletic Director. “Neditation” started as an occasional pre-race ritual, but by the late 90s, it had evolved into a weekly routine, involving music and other relaxation techniques. “We had a bunch of very strong teams then, so a lot of traditions gelled [during that time],” said Mr. Gallagher.
One popular “Neditation” theme is called “flights of fancy,” where Mr. Gallagher leads guided visualization of a specific scene: “Everything from sailing across the Mediterranean, to floating over a lake,” detailed Mr. Gallagher. In addition, he leads runners through visualization of the racecourse so that they are mentally prepared for the race. For example, in preparation for “Mount Doom” — the steepest part of the cross-country course — Mr. Gallagher describes the hill with descriptive and figurative language and encourages his runners to look at themselves running from the third person. “If you can picture yourself performing well, you are far more likely to perform well,” he said.
According to Mr. Gallagher, “While some sports are easier to play when you’re amped up, cross country requires a high level of relaxation to perform well.” For the team, it’s all about conserving energy before getting to the starting line. Different athletes may have different ways of accomplishing this: “Some athletes fall asleep, some enjoy the visualizing aspect,” said Mr. Gallagher.
Deven Huang ’23, a member of the team, said, “‘Neditation’ gives [me] 20 minutes of peace to relax [my] muscles, clear [my] mind, and just forget about the stress in life.”
Ethan Chapman ’22, one of the Co-captains of Boys’ Cross Country, shared a similar sentiment, “Neditation makes me perform better because it gives me time to reflect on my week and focus on the race.” He continued, “It puts me in that competitive mindset.”
Similarly, the Girls’ Cross Country team holds meditation sessions led by their head coach, Mr. Jim Davidson. “We do guided relaxation exercises and we focus on a different experience each time,” he said. Since consistent breathing is critical in cross country, Mr. Davidson puts a lot of emphasis on correct breathing while meditating through techniques he has studied for over 20 years. Similar to the boys’ team, the meditation sessions prepare the team for the race by helping them let go of the nerves and jitters they may have before a race.
With races every Saturday, relaxation through meditation will continue to be a key aspect of this cross country season. These sessions serve to improve the mentality of the runners, on and off the course. It’s about “feeling ready and confident,” concluded Mr. Davidson.
