Explore routines.

Count your breaths down from 100. It's boring in exactly the right way.

1. Get comfortable · 60 seconds
2. Count down · 15 minutes

Ten minutes of training your attention like a muscle by counting breaths. Every time you catch your mind wandering and bring it back, that's one rep.

1. Settle · 60 seconds
2. Count to ten · 8 minutes
3. Rest · 60 seconds

Four 25-minute blocks of single-tasking with short breaks between, for 4 rounds. Put your phone in another room. After the fourth round, take a longer break of 15–30 minutes.

1. Set the intention
2. Focus · 25 minutes
3. Break · 5 minutes

Repeats for 4 rounds

Trataka, a yogic concentration practice: steady gazing at a flame, then holding its image, for 3 rounds. Sit about an arm's length from a candle in a dim, draught-free room, with the flame at eye level.

1. Gaze at the flame · 60 seconds
2. Close your eyes · 60 seconds

Repeats for 3 rounds

A mini meditation from Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, shaped like an hourglass: wide, narrow, then wide again. Use it any time in the day you notice stress building.

1. Becoming aware · 60 seconds
2. Gathering · 60 seconds
3. Expanding · 60 seconds

Five minutes to swap pre-race nerves for calm focus. Do it standing, in the start area if you like.

1. Ground your feet · 60 seconds
2. Scan your legs · 60 seconds
3. Find your breath · 60 seconds
4. Drop your shoulders · 60 seconds
5. Set an intention · 60 seconds

Diaphragmatic breathing practice to make running breathing easier, for 10 rounds. Lie on your back with your knees bent, one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Only the bottom hand should move.

1. Inhale · 4 seconds
2. Exhale · 6 seconds

Repeats for 10 rounds

Dr Andrew Weil's relaxing breath, for 4 rounds. Good for falling asleep. Rest the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth throughout, and exhale with a whoosh through your mouth.

1. Inhale · 4 seconds
2. Hold · 7 seconds
3. Exhale · 8 seconds

Repeats for 4 rounds