Staying Present

This photo makes me smile. I look so tired, but so happy.

Definitely relieved to be sitting down.

Dust all over my shins from running the wooded trails. Belly full of pasta. 

It was 3am and the last checkpoint for the UTMB CCC race before the huge climb in the dark up to the Tete aux Vents.

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This climb filled me with dread. I'd done it in the light and knew how brutal it was. Relentlessly up. Huge boulders to navigate over. Letting my mind wander could be a sprained ankle. ⁠⁠
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I knew it was going to take everything I had to do it in the dark when I was already so tired from 18 hours of running. 
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When I left Luke in this cosy, bright checkpoint and started the climb I suddenly felt so drained. As I continued so slowly upwards, all I could think about was the runners off the side of the trail who were sitting down and sleeping. I craved to join them. ⁠⁠
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The urge to sleep was so strong. If I could just have a little nap, I thought, that would help. 

Just a few minutes. It took everything in me to not stop for longer than the occasional lean forward on my running poles.⁠⁠
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I couldn't imagine waking up after a nap and being on the side of this mountain still in the dark. Muscles having stiffened and seized up.⁠⁠
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So I kept going. My brain was all over the place - stop and sleep - there's so far still to go - so far - it's so dark - I'm so tired - just sleep. It was wearing me down.⁠⁠
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So instead I started focusing on my breathing to snap me into the present. Two breaths in through my nose with the right step, two breaths out through my mouth with the left. Over and over and over. All that mattered was this next step. Then the next one. Then the next.⁠ ⁠⁠
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My full attention was on my breathing and my feet. Nothing else. A steady plod - always upwards. ⁠⁠
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Since the race I've used this technique whenever my brain feels a bit all over the place in my day to day life too. ⁠⁠
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I pause, put my hand on my belly, feel my feet on the ground and take two breaths in, two breaths out. Rinse and repeat until I feel grounded and present.
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What do you find works to snap you into the present?