Susan Kalish, the former executive director of the American Running Association in Bethesda, Maryland, says that when the runner's high happens, you'll know it right away. "You feel like you've really got it together and everything just clicks," she explains. "It's like you're one with the road." Kalish says when you reach this physical and mental state, you'll feel in touch with your body and you'll be able to assess what's happening to it, making sure every part of you is doing what it should as you run.

A number of variables come into play when you're trying to get into "the zone." Kalish says you'll most likely reach it after about 30 minutes of exercise, when your endorphins kick in. Achieving this state of enlightenment, if you will, depends upon factors other than the exercise at hand. "If you've had a good day at work, or it's a beautiful day outside, you're more likely to hit the mark and get into a groove," Kalish says. "Some days you just have it, and some days you don't."

The runner's high will usually just happen, but if you just can't seem to get there, Kalish suggests that you go for a long, steady run at a pace you're comfortable with. If you're pushing your body at an intensity that it's not ready for, you'll never have your Zen moment. "Concentrate on your breathing, listen to the rhythm of your feet hitting the ground, and feel your heartbeat," Kalish says. "If your mind starts to wander, come back and focus on your body." Running, she says, is similar to chanting a mantra because it's repetitive, so you can get into a trance just as you would during meditation.

Kalish cautions that you should be wary of getting into the zone in an unfamiliar environment. "Sometimes it's not a good thing [to space out]," she explains, "because you want to be in the present and aware of your surroundings when you run." If you're heading out to a new trail or you're running in foreign territory, stay tuned in at all times to make sure you don't get lost or hurt. To stay on the safe side, when you're aiming to experience the Zen of running, do it in a place you know well.

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