I love running. I run a lot.
I also meditate. A lot.
Meditation, and there are, of course, many different forms, could be surmised very simply as the practice of bringing awareness to consciousness and its contents.
And while you can accomplish this when running, the act of running itself, while associated with many positive effects, is not meditation. It’s very easy to have an exceptionally distracted, un-present run, (I know, I’ve had many).
Running provides a different state and set of sensations to become aware of. One may also make the case that certain sensations are easier to pay attention to while in a heightened state of physical exertion. The breath for instance, or the sensation of fatigue in the legs.
I suspect that because these sensations are more prevalent in consciousness, and that the usual mental chatter of conscious thought is backgrounded, that people equate this ‘quiet mind’ to a conception of what meditation ’should’ feel like.
But the goal of meditation is not to become devoid of thoughts. It’s to simply become more aware of them.
Running can be a great place to practice meditation, if you know how to practice.