Recently I was able to assist at a weeklong ChiRunning and ChiWalking program at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck NY. The program was taught by the authors, Danny and Katherine Dreyer. It was a great opportunity to learn, share and support others.

During the intro one of the discussion points reminded me that T’ai Chi was developed with a main objective of longevity. As I do with most concepts, I related it to my running and since ChiRunning is based on T’ai Chi … I then asked myself the question whether my own running, both technique and program, resembles “Longevity Running”? My answer was … a little bit more in that direction everyday.

My next question was “how was T’ai Chi developed”? … so I could consider whether my longevity practice was following a similar approach. I deduced it was probably “developed” with a combination of instinct, of body sensing and of principles; and that these three inputs supported each other in balance. Meaning their practice was a conscious combination of “let’s try this”, “what does it feel like?”, and “is it consistent with principle?”. And this is the same way that ChiRunning and ChiWalking was developed and is now taught. The principles guide the practice; and the practice provides experiences that remind us of childhood instinct and allow us to body sense new habits.

Unfortunately our world allows us to lose much of our instinct and our ability to body sense, which means we can be easily missing two-thirds of the equation. Our modern world isolates us from our natural environment in many ways. Our modern world also allows us to lose mobility and severely compromise our physiology, yet still allow us to survive. So our world challenges us but we can always come back to the remaining third, the principles, to get started again or help us make progress.

There is a very simple concept of “form follows function” which might be adapted into “principle follows objective”. Meaning objectives determine principles; and then principles can govern conscious actions. These relationships might be applied to all aspects of life.

Recently I have noticed more and more online advice along these two lines:

• Do this, this is what this elite runner does.
• Just remove your shoes and let your body figure it out.

In the first case the elites’ short term objective is maximum speed for their chosen distance. If that is not your objective or your distance or your objective is more long term, then does it make sense to blindly do what they do or try to mimic their form? Note I am all for watching what elites do as input. But I don’t assume that translates directly to me and my sorted history, limited resources, and longer term objectives.

In the second case the advice suggests everyone, even a person who has lost a great deal of their instinct, body sensing ability and functional posture, can just take off their shoes and figure (feel) it all out without a conscious application of principle. Is this advice not missing between one and three thirds of the “practice” equation? Don’t get me wrong, I am all for using less or no shoes to enhance body sensing. But I see people running all the time in less or no shoes with inefficient and injury-prone dysfunctional postures.

Let me ask it this way: When you go the grocery store, do you shop using someone else’s list? If you shop with someone else’s list there could be a big disappointment coming after wasting a lot of time. And do you shop completely by feel or do you shop by principle (a conscious list)? If you shop by what immediately feels good you might get faked out in the cookie aisle and never make it over to the veges.

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David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach – and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor. For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

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Related posts:

1. Running, Walking and Living on the Brake? A primary ChiRunning and ChiWalking concept is to move forward...
2. Running Roulette With the high injury rate among runners it might appear...
3. Fitness Program “Pre-hab” The term “Pre-hab” was first introduced to me in early...

In ChiRunning a key concept is to cooperate with external forces of nature. When you cooperate with the external force of gravity, it can feel as though you are “being run” by the pull of gravity. To reach that point; alignment, relaxation and balance are all needed so that the supporting motion can happen with less and less effort.

There are many tools you can use to move towards greater alignment, relaxation and balance. One type is a visualization. Here is a visualization I have been using for some time that may also work for you (see images below):

• Step 1: Align your posture through the sequence of ChiRunning steps for feet/legs, upper body, level pelvis and column.
• Step 2: Now consider that attached to the back crown of your head is a small weather balloon. Let’s say orange and about 2 foot around with about 2 feet of cord. Imagine that balloon floating above your head filled with helium. Notice that you are not thinking so much about your posture, but you have not deviated much from your original position.
• Step 3: Now picture the balloon deflating. Notice you might “slump” a bit.
• Step 4: Now picture the balloon refilling and notice you return +/-  to the original position. So we can use a full (helium) balloon to aid in alignment.  And the more aligned you are, the more relaxed you can be.

• Step 5: The next step is to get moving by tilting our aligned column slightly forward to engage the pull of gravity. What if you imagined a light breeze come up behind you? What would that do? It would probably push the balloon slightly forward … tilting your aligned column slightly forward from the ankles.

With mental focus on the balloon:

• The balloon can help keep you in alignment.
• It will be hard to lift the chin since the balloon is attached to the back crown of your head. This will also limit your head being forward of your shoulders.
• It will be hard to bend at the waist since the balloon is lightly pulling you up as you tilt forward.
• You will not likely lean too much if you imagine a “light” breeze at your back. Leaning too much is a common challenge; it is usually much less lean than you think. If you feel like you are going to fall and are tensing up, you are probably leaning too much.
• You will be distracted from effort/tension in the lower body. This will allow you to go with the subtle pull with little resistance.
• You can use a variable mental breeze at your back to practice balance at different speeds.
• You can reduce the mental effect of an actual headwind.

This balloon visualization can also aid in alignment, relaxation and balance on different terrain. If you come to an uphill, imagine a slightly stronger updraft breeze. If you come to a downhill, consider a little less breeze at your back. Once you get a sense for this visualization, the “practice” is to keep it active as often as needed to develop new habits. A phrase that I find works very well is “let the balloon do the work”. The key word is “let” as it sets you up to allow something else to “run you”.

After a recent lesson, a friend said jokingly that she was going to take her balloon for a run. If you own a dog where the dog routinely takes you for a walk, you probably relate more to this comment. In reality, her balloon was going to take her for a run.

There are all kinds of focus points to help you create alignment, relaxation and balance. When working on a specific adjustment, you can work on it directly or indirectly. This visualization is doing a lot indirectly by allowing something else to keep you aligned … and relaxed … so you can develop your sense of balance.

Please also check out this early post about “Float vs. Flow” which also describes this visualization. And note the same visualization can be used all day long as you sit, stand or move around ChiWalking.

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Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion …

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~~~

David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach – and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor.  For more information on David, please see his About Me,Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

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2. ChiRunning Common Challenges, Core When I first started applying the ChiRunning® principles back in...
3. Running Focus and Alignment with a … Baseball Hat There are a lot of tools you can use to...

The term “Pre-hab” was first introduced to me in early 2006 when I first met the author of ChiRunning, Danny Dreyer. Interesting how other authors have now decided to use the term also, but I am not surprised since it so accurately describes an alternate path we can take in our fitness programs. An overall objective of most fitness programs is to get moving and stay moving consistently. This can be any kind of fitness training; strength training, range of motion, sport, walking/hiking, running, etc.

The most common path we find ourselves on is unfortunately the re-hab path. Re-hab is what happens when our actions create resistance towards consistent forward progress. Re-hab can be anything from the slightest mental hesitation to what is necessary after a complex surgery. The risk is too our mobility; and to some degree when our mobility is compromised so is our health.

The other path is the “Pre-hab” path that result in a fitness “practice”. Pre-hab is preventative and offers a way to completely avoid the rehab path. Here are some potential physical and mental characteristics of each path.

Re-hab Path Characteristics:

• A Mind over Body approach and hoping for the best
• Increases apprehension, fatigue, discomfort, aches/pain, injury, and even surgery
• External goal orientated, usually short term motivation
• Accepts existing habits unconsciously without considering principle
• Focused on training harder and just getting “through” the workout
• Creates resistance leading to inconsistency; stop-go-stop-go …
• Develops fear of the next re-hab event
• Has a high potential for frustration

Pre-hab Path Characteristics:

• A Mind/Body “practice” of self discovery, ie. ChiRunning.
• Increases energy; and reduces chance of discomfort, aches/pains, injury, surgery
• Internal process orientated, develops skills for long term success
• Creates new supportive habits consciously based on principle
• Focused on training smarter based on the body’s design, physics and nature; and getting something “from” the workout
• Creates momentum, consistency and confidence
• Develops a “knowing” on how to re-adjust the process before a small issue becomes a major event
• Has a high potential for enjoyment and self satisfaction

As you move through life, the choices might once again resemble this analogy:

The re-hab option results in some forward progress then a pause with resistance, and repeat. Getting restarted is harder; and even harder as we get older. The pre-hab option, such as ChiRunning or ChiWalking, results in increasing potential as a function of increasing skill. Each incremental success gives us momentum and confidence to consider a slightly “bigger” experience. In short, we become more so we can experience more. This is what happens as we pass each test and each grade in school. If your life has been an ongoing process of learning, why would your fitness programs be any different?

The choice of a fitness and life path is of course, yours.

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Related posts:

1. Running Roulette With the high injury rate among runners it might appear...
2. Running, Walking and Living on the Brake? A primary ChiRunning and ChiWalking concept is to move forward...
3. A Fitness Apple a Day We have all heard the phrase “An apple a day...

Referenced here is a great audio interview with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella on the Living Barefoot Show.

A few key discussion points:
- You can run without pushing off with your toes. You can run with less effort.
- Yes, you can change gait (technique).

- The foot being flat affects your running posture and efficiency.
- Traditional running shoes are on a 2:1 ramp: 24-30mm (heel), 12-14mm (forefoot).
- “You are efficient when you land under your hips, not in front of your hips.”
- “There is a better way to run” and your choice of shoes can compliment that way to run.
- “We want the foot to behave like a foot.”

- “Nothing can be looked at in isolation.” Must look at both form and footwear together. But first look at the chassis (postural alignment).
- Adapt slowly when getting flatter in your shoes.

Highly recommend this informative interview on running, walking, and moving naturally. See more information on Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and Two River Treads Center for Natural Running and Walking at http://www.trtreads.org.

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Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion …

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~~~

David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach – and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor.  For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

~~~

Related posts:

1. 3 Significant Differences Between Pose Method and ChiRunning There is much confusion and misinformation about the Pose Method...
2. How Should We Run? (Part 1) There are many opinions on running technique ranging from “don’t...
3. Should We Run Barefoot? Recently there has been a lot of focus on the...

Recently there has been much discussion and debate about how to run with respect to foot strike. The advice ranges but it is in general focused to how to land the foot. Much of the advice is also purist in nature – meaning a position that there is only one ‘right’ way to land properly for all people and all running situations.

My only advice to you if you come across positions like this is to run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. The position is not intended to serve you, it is intended to serve the source. A true coach or advocate, in my opinion, would share options so you can make your own decision.

As mentioned above, most of the advice I see is on what part of the foot touches the ground (first or in total). There is probably more to it than that; for example the position of the leg/foot when it touches the ground and the direction the foot is moving when it touches the ground may also be important factors.

But Foot “Landing” is still only one component of foot strike. A second important component is Foot “Loading”; or more generally how you load the body’s weight during each step’s point of support. This is likely where most of the repetitive impact or stress can occur which results in inefficiency and injury.

So let’s review the “Landing” options first, again making it clear these are choices we all get to make:

Landing Location

Heel Strike: There are numerous studies tainting the dreaded full heel strike with or without a locked knee. This Landing Location is highly related to Landing Position (see below); it is likely a heel strike is combined with the foot landing in front of the body.

Front of the Heel: This is when you land in between the heel and landing completely flat or Fullfoot (midfoot). This is how many people land when they run and many more when they walk. ChiWalking suggests a very slight front of heel to toe roll for a subtle forward momentum.

Fullfoot (Midfoot): This landing allows your lower leg, ankle and foot to be as relaxed as possible. The entire foot touches down at the same relative time which distributes the load and permits the structure of the lower leg to do most of the work. This is a key component of ChiRunning as it reduces muscular effort in the lower legs and limits any resistance to your forward fall.

Forefoot: This is when you land up on the balls of your feet. This engages the lower leg, ankle and foot; and potentially asks a small part of the body to do a very big (repetitive) job under tension. Note: There is advice that suggests the foot’s elastic recoil provides a higher level of efficiency; but these statements rarely consider overall efficiency, risk to injury or objective (sprinting vs. endurance running).

Toes: This landing is right up on the front of the foot, between the metatarsals and the tips of the toes. This also engages the lower leg, ankle and foot; and puts a lot of pressure on a very small surface area under tension.

Landing Position

In Front of the Body: According to physics, landing in front of the body results in a brake or resistance to your forward motion as you oppose a very big force of nature – the Force of the Approaching Ground. How much resistance is likely related to the level of tension in the foot, ankle and lower leg; and also the Landing Direction (see below). Combining this landing position with a locked knee can put a lot of pressure on the knee joint.

Under the Body: Landing under the body allows cooperation with that big force of nature. This reduces resistance to your forward momentum; and allows the Landing Direction and other factors to enhance this cooperation. This is a key ChiRunning and ChiWalking concept; “never step passed your hip”. In general your knee will not be locked if your foot lands under the body.

Landing Direction

Moving Forward: If your foot lands when it is moving forward, it further opposes that very big force of nature. This can lead to more impact via a horizontal force in the feet, legs, knees, etc.

Moving Rearward: If your foot lands when it is moving rearward, the motion further enhances cooperation with that very big force of nature. This is a key ChiRunning concept to move with an external force.

So these are a few concepts to consider when you decide how to land your foot. Note that some are related and in cases one concept might reduce the effect of another concept. For example, you might be able land on the ball of your foot in front of your body – and reduce the potential impact (braking) by running relaxed or having your foot move rearward as it lands.

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And now let’s review the “Loading” options. These are similar to landing with two distinctions below. Loading is likely where much of the potential stress exists since this is when the body is managing the other very big force of nature – Gravity.

“Loading”

Via Structure and Soft Joints: If you load your aligned structure you use the strongest material in your body, your skeleton, which can be very efficient. This postural alignment allows higher levels of relaxation which can result in less resistance to your motion. A soft joint can result in less stress; a locked or stiff joint can be easily stressed. Alignment (Posture), Relaxation and loose joints are all key components of ChiRunning and ChiWalking.

Via Muscle: If you load your body using muscle, this is generally less efficient. The isometric contraction (or tension) will also likely create some resistance to your movement. Examples are any deviation from aligned posture but also things like knee ‘sag’ loading your quads or supporting your body weight with calves, ankles and feet.

The effects of Loading can be greatly affected by other factors such as Cadence and Focus. A higher cadence means you are in the air more; a lower cadence means you are on the ground supporting your body weight more. Looking/thinking down can make you heavy; looking out and thinking up can make light. So again there are additional factors that make a ‘purist’ position shortsighted in my opinion. And we have not even discussed how your running goal (ie. speed) at a given moment can affect your choice of landing and loading.

Now let’s look at this visually. Here is a graph of my choices for landing and loading. My running “objective” focuses on endurance mainly at the Marathon and Ultra level. I focus on form first, then distance, and then speed indirectly – as a result of technique.

As you can see, I have decided to land and load almost exclusively fullfoot (midfoot). If I am going to load fullfoot, I also want to land fullfoot to ensure the highest possible level of relaxation.

There is a case where I might land on the front of my heel. This is when I am going down a very steep hill. The ChiRunning technique in this case is to use a subtle front of heel to toe roll under the body at a very high cadence to reduce any impact. There are also cases where I might land on my forefoot. This is when I am on a technical trail and need to dance along a few roots or rocks. The forefoot landing under the body is short in duration and as soon as possible I go back to fullfoot (midfoot) and a focus on relaxing the lower leg, ankle and foot. Another case for forefoot landing is outright speed; meaning a life or death ‘fight or flight’ scenario.

But these are ONLY my choices. The point here is … decide. The suggestion is – be informed and be conscious of how you are using your ‘vehicle’. Apply your scenario, your objectives and weight the risks.

“It is not running that is hard on your body, it is perhaps the way you run that can be very hard on your body”. – Danny Dreyer, Author of ChiRunning®

Learn more about ChiRunning in this online video: ChiRunning Simplified! Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Technique

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Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion …

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~~~

David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach – and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor.  For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

~~~

Related posts:

1. 3 Significant Differences Between Pose Method and ChiRunning There is much confusion and misinformation about the Pose Method...
2. Living Barefoot Show with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella Referenced here is a great audio interview with Dr. Mark...
3. Running with a Relaxed Midfoot Strike As in a previous post (ChiRunning® … Land, Peel and...

There is much confusion and misinformation about the Pose Method and ChiRunning techniques; and they are sometimes stated as the same or similar. Although the Pose Method and ChiRunning both suggest engaging gravity via a slight forward lean and simply picking up your feet to keep up with your forward fall, there are many significant differences between these two running techniques.

Here are just 3 Significant Differences between Pose Method® and ChiRunning®:

Foot Landing:
- Pose Method suggests running on the ‘forefoot’ or ball of the foot. This engages the muscles of the lower leg/foot to support the body’s weight.
- ChiRunning suggests running on the ‘midfoot’. This midfoot could really be described as ‘fullfoot’ since the interaction with the ground is balanced across the whole foot. The muscles of the lower leg/foot are disengaged or relaxed as much as possible. The body’s weight is supported primarily by the structure of the lower leg/foot – and not by muscle.

The statistics suggest that most running injuries occur at the knee and below. ChiRunning suggests a primary cause of this statistic is asking a relatively small part of the body to repetitively do a relatively big job. ChiRunning limits effort, stress, impact and tension in the lower legs/feet which can have a significant impact on this statistic. In addition, having a relaxed ankle ‘hinge’ may also limit resistance to your forward fall. In my experience, any tension in the ankle ‘hinge’ or bearing weight on the forefoot impedes my forward fall.

[Approx. Pose Method (left) and ChiRunning (right) support phase positions]

Leg Motion:
- Pose Method suggests vertically lifting the heel *under* the body to the butt with an active ‘pull’ using the hamstring. If the heel lifts up to the butt, the knee and thigh also move vertically.
- ChiRunning suggests allowing the knee to bend so the heel floats up *behind* the body. This motion requires little muscular effort; and with greater and greater levels of relaxation this motion will occur almost by itself. The knee stays low but does come forward slightly.

For efficiency, ChiRunning suggests alignment in the direction you are headed. So there is limited effort and motion in the vertical direction when trying to move efficiently in the horizontal direction.

Cadence/Speed:
- Pose Method suggests increasing your cadence (“stride frequency”) to increase your speed. A quicker turnover requires more muscular effort to ‘pull’ your heels and legs in the vertical direction faster.
- ChiRunning suggests keeping your cadence constant independent of speed. In ChiRunning speed comes as a result of your technique, a balanced/relaxed position and motion, and not by working that much harder.

For efficiency, ChiRunning suggests a cadence between 85-90 steps per minute (on one side). Once you develop a comfortable cadence value within this range, keeping it constant will limit the feeling of additional effort as you increase your speed.

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These are just three major differences between Pose Method and ChiRunning. There are a number of other differences; such as: knee angle during support phase (bent vs. soft), pelvis position and motion, arm position and motion, and hill technique adjustments to name just a few.

[08/12/11 Update: As noted above the only common "concept" is a forward lean, but even the implementation of that concept is different between these two techniques. So if you go through all of the elements of running position, motion, and effort - there are likely no common points between these two techniques.]

Right or Wrong?
Is either approach right or wrong? Not in my opinion. Each approach simply has its own unique risk vs. reward profile for each individual just like anything else in life. Both methods clearly help people avoid a heel strike and to run lighter. ChiRunning *might* be considered more focused on efficiency and injury-prevention by using more position and less muscle. Drills/exercises are used to body sense position and how to reduce effort, tension, stress and impact. Pose Method *might* be considered more focused on outright speed. Drills/exercises appear to be more for developing muscle.

When I was first looking into running techniques, I found the Pose Method first. In the end, ChiRunning was a better match for my goals which are primarily efficiency and injury-prevention. I simply decided that I was not willing to risk injury for speed. Yet I am faster now than I ever was before. I also found ChiRunning incredibly simple and natural; as if I was reconnected with that same instinct I had as a child when I took my first running steps.

Whatever path you take, my advice is to simply be a student. Jim Rohn used to say “You don’t have to do everything you find out, but make sure you find out everything you could do”. With the facts, the decision is yours of course.

Learn more about ChiRunning in this online video: ChiRunning Simplified! Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Technique

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Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion … Note: To the best of my knowledge, this blog post is accurate per the Pose Method of Running book and dvd. If a technical error exists on this post, please let me know referencing a published resource.

Receive email updates for posts to this blog …

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David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach – and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor.  For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.
Pose Method® is a Registered Trademark of Pose Tech Corporation.

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Related posts:

1. Living Barefoot Show with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella Referenced here is a great audio interview with Dr. Mark...
2. How Should We Run? (Part 1) There are many opinions on running technique ranging from “don’t...
3. Running Technique and Foot Landing Options Recently there has been much discussion and debate about how...

Still wondering what this ChiRunning (‘chee-running’) is all about? Or maybe looking for a refresher of the basic ChiRunning principles?

Below is a short video entitled “ChiRunning Simplified!, Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Technique” which provides a summary of the principles, position, motion and benefits. Plus it provides a simple analogy and helps answer the question “How do you run?”

[Note that the same principles apply in ChiWalking with minor technique adjustments.]

ChiRunning could be summarized in two very simple ideas:
- Ask big strong parts of the body to do relatively small jobs; avoid asking small parts of the body to do very big jobs.
- Cooperate with forces of nature and use them to you advantage; avoid opposing them.

What if a few subtle changes to position and motion had a dramatic effect on these two ideas – and therefore your running efficiency while significantly reducing recovery, discomfort, aches/pains and injury? What if you could run with more momentum and less resistance?

ChiRunning Simplified!, Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Technique

[ChiRunning Published Resources available here]

In the end, how we each decide to run is an individual decision. Most runners would probably agree they would like to be more efficient and reduce recovery, discomfort, aches/pain and  injury. In many cases, even just one simple adjustment to position, motion, effort, or tension can help you move clearly in that direction.

For more information on ChiRunning, see  related blog posts, www.eChiFitness.com and/or www.ChiRunning.com.

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Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion …

Receive email updates for posts to this blog …

~~~

David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor. For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

~~~

Related posts:

1. 4 Components of Alignment for Running Form Efficiency and Injury Prevention Alignment is a key element for running form efficiency and...
2. Running Like Children A quick post today referencing the embedded video which shows...
3. Running with a Relaxed Midfoot Strike As in a previous post (ChiRunning® … Land, Peel and...

A very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all.  Thank you all for being a part of life’s unique experiences. Grateful. Period.

At the beginning of the year my goals were (from 2008 Running Year in Review):

- Continue running with a primary emphasis on health goals and not time goals.
- Continue to run happy, healthy, injury-free, and empowered with the tools to help me stay that way.
- Deepen my [ChiRunning] ‘practice’ by working on my breath, my relaxation level and my speed (indirectly via technique, not directly via more effort).
- Again run on average 35 or more miles per week.
- Participate in a Marathon, at least one 50K Ultra, a 50M Ultra (likely the JFK 50 again), and possibly a 100K ultra; all depending on my schedule.
- If a suitable Marathon fits the schedule, qualify for Boston (3:20:59 needed).  The NJ Marathon in early May is a target, but a fall Marathon is also a possibility.  I would also like to experience NYC if I can get through the lottery.

How did I do?

Running Focus

My primary focus is and probably always will be to run healthy, both physically and mentally.  I don’t remember a case where I did not run due to an ache or pain.  Here and there my body would talk to me a bit; which I used on my next run to figure out how to reduce that stress on my body.  I focused on paying attention to this feedback; and then letting that serve my next experience.

Overall I ran a bit less, but learned and experienced and enjoyed more.

Events

I participated in four events this year.  I learned a lot; about my running, about myself, and about life.  Great experiences that now serve my every moment.  Here are the four, with links to their individual blog posts:

- Hatrun 50K (March)
- Turkey Swamp 50K (August)
- North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Miler (September)
- JFK 50 Miler (November)

I passed on a Marathon and a go at a Boston Qualifier.  Maybe this year.  I am currently deciding on what my focus(es) might be for 2010.  Shorter speed (indirectly), a Marathon(s) and/or ultras. The North Face Endurance Challenge is moved up to June this year; and I would also like to go back to the JFK50 in November.

Mileage

I did not have a 35 miles/week average like last year.  I turned out to be right at 30 miles/week on average.  It just turned out that way.  I had a number of light weeks due to schedule and a sense I needed them.  Overall I trained less but still felt good overall about each event and the minimal recovery needed.  Below is a graph of mileage by week for the year (click on it to enlarge).  The blue is the weekly total and the red is the weekly long run.

Mileage by Week notes:
- Total miles for the year:  1563 or just over 30 miles per week on average
- Week 11 was the Hatrun 50K Ultra. Very hilly.
- Weeks 15-26 I had a lot of schedule conflicts so I ran when I could.  I was running quite a bit teaching which I don’t include here.
- Week 32 was the Turkey Swamp 50K Ultra.  Very hot and looonnng course.
- Week 37 was the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Ultra.  More difficult than I expected but I bounced back quickly from this one.
- Week 46 was the JFK 50 Miler.
- The first and last weeks of the year are partial (~1/2) weeks.

2009 Take-aways

So what did I learn this year?  Here are just a few of the many lessons:
- There is high value is the statement “Less is more”.  These are my favorite (three) words in the whole ChiRunning book.  They jumped off the page when I first read them – This concept keeps showing up in many areas of my life.
- Resisting physically or mentally is very hard on a person.  The related quote comes from a verse of the Tao Te Ching: “The softest of all things overrides the hardest of all things”.  The world is much bigger than we are.  When it comes at you, be soft.  Be flexible, go with it whenever possible.  Make an exception if you must, but on average stay flexible just like a tree in the wind.
- Maintaining momentum is much easier than starting again.
- It only takes a little forward movement to create momentum.  It only takes a little awareness to reduce resistance.  Life is so much easier when we consider these two ideas.

I learned a lot about running this year.  I learned a lot more about life.

~~~

Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion …

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~~~

David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor. For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

~~~

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As in a previous post (ChiRunning® … Land, Peel and Lift), the ChiRunning motion of the heel/foot creates a wheel or circle as we move forward.

Another key to this running motion is a Relaxed Midfoot Strike.  Running with a relaxed midfoot (full-foot) strike allows a subtle forward lean (fall) from the ankles with no resistance.  It also removes a significant amount of stress from the lower legs and feet.  The statistics indicate that 65-80% of all runners get injured every year in some way.  And most of those injuries are at the knee and below.  Could it be that we are asking a relatively small part of our body to do a very big job?  If we can relax the lower legs and feet, then we can simply use their structure for instantaneous support … a relatively small job for a very strong part of our body – our skeleton.

My favorite way to body sense relaxed lower legs and feet is the Sand-Pit Exercise.  The Sand-Pit Exercise is described on page 89 (2009 ChiRunning Book) or page 171 (2004 CR Book).  When I first started ChiRunning, my brain was programmed to fire my calf and push off whenever my foot landed.  I spent a lot of time running and walking on sand, cinder, gravel and wood chips to help me focus on disengaging my lower legs and feet.  Any soft surface can enhance a focus on relaxed lower legs and feet, a one-legged posture stance, landing midfoot and no additional pressure (weight) in the balls of the feet as they are peeled off the ground.

[Another key exercise is the Ankle Rolls Body Loosener.  This is described on page 196 (2009 ChiRunning Book) or page 99 (2004 CR Book).  The key is to use the knee/upper leg to loosen the ankle.  Focus on mentally drawing a circle with the knee on the ground.  When?  Pre-run, during a run pause, anytime ...]

A next level is to practice running on a slippery surface; such as mud, snow and even ice.  A slippery surface will provide additional feedback on how you are interacting with the ground.  The key to running on a slippery surface is to consider that the surface is only slippery in the horizontal directions.  If you can run without horizontal forces in your feet, you will minimize slipping.  I like to focus on the solid ground under the slippery surface; and evenly trap the slippery material between your foot and the solid ground.  This focus or action is purely in the vertical direction.  See the diagram below highlighting this direction.

Even though we are focusing on landing vertically, we still want to be light on our feet.  Much of the focus is still on peeling/lifting the feet up; and when landing it is just for even instantaneous support.  As in the Sand-Pit Exercise, it is very helpful to run across a section of slippery surface and then continue with the same mental focus and feeling as you transition onto a solid surface.

Of course we need to be careful on any surface, but a little adversity can stretch your focus and develop a deeper sense of relaxation in your running or ChiRunning practice.

~~~

Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion …

Receive email updates for posts to this blog …

~~~

David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor. For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

~~~

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The 47th Annual JFK 50 Mile Ultramarathon was held this past Saturday November 21, 2009. It is the oldest 50 Mile Ultra in the USA.  It was my third 50 Mile Ultra Marathon and my 2nd JFK50 (see last year’s JFK50 Mile Ultra Marathon Summary here).  Some new thoughts on the prep and then road, trail, towpath, and road to the finish …

Preparation:

Preparation went very well this year relative to last.  In the seven weeks since the North Face Endurance 50 Mile Ultra, I ran between 30-45 miles per week with four runs in the 20s (longest was 27 miles).  My goal was to train on technique and not do too many miles or too many long runs.  I tapered a bit with a 30 and a 14 mile week.

On the few days leading up the JFK50 I felt a little ‘off’.  Just a little lower energy and stiffness.  In the car drive down I was feeling a little nauseous.  I think this was from not driving and reading/letting my eyes wander.  I am not used to that in a car.

The day started with water, then two bananas.

The Course (as described on the JFK 50 Miler website), maps:

“The first 2.5 miles are on a well-paved road that climbs up 500 feet to meet the Appalachian Trail. The next 13.0 miles basically (except for two miles of paved road between 3.5 and 5.5 miles) follow this rolling and sometimes very rocky section of the famous North-South footpath. At approximately 14.5 miles the course goes down a series of steep “switchbacks” that then crosses under Rt. 340 and connects with the C&O Canal towpath. The “Canal” section of the JFK 50 Mile is 26.3 miles (from 15.5-41.8 miles) of almost totally flat unpaved dirt surface that is free of all automotive traffic. The JFK 50 Mile route leaves the C&O Canal towpath at Dam #4 and proceeds to follow gently rolling paved country roads the last 8.4 miles to the finish.”

The Weather:

This year the weather was much better than last year with temps between 45 and 60 degrees.  At times on the towpath section there was a brief headwind as the path weaved its way along the river.

This year I was also very lucky to have my father join me as my crew so I had the option of changing gear which I did on two occasions.  I started with a light hat, gloves, long sleeve tech shirt, light wind vest, shorts, my trusty NB 790 trail running slippers, and my water belt.

The Start:

The first section is 2.5 miles to the beginning of the AT. All uphill with one dip and then up a very steep hill. At about mile two, it got really steep so I kicked into super low ChiRunning gear with a new technique I have been practicing; and motored right up the hill with almost no effort.  Last year I walked much of this hill.  At the top of the hill I removed the wind vest; and attached it to my water belt.

The Appalachian Trail (AT):

For the next 13 miles you are on the AT. At first, some double then single track, not too technical but some runner congestion. At mile 3 there is a aid station, mostly for fluids.  Then you move onto a paved park road for about 2 miles. On the road, there were a number of very steep hills; many of these I decided to walk. At mile 5.4, back onto the single track until we pop out briefly at an aid station and spectator/crew location at about mile 9.3. I was able to unload my wind vest here to my father.  From there we go back onto single track for the next 5+ miles.

This section of single track was again a rolling trail with varying steepness and technical degree. At points it seemed like there was 100s and 100s of yards of nothing but rocks, boulders and very few ‘safe’ places to put your foot down. Many of these rock fields were on a downhill making it very challenging to keep the pressure off my legs (no quads and relaxed lower legs).  As I said after last year, it is the most technical trail section I have ever tried to ‘run’ and required constant attention, which was mentally exhausting.  At mile 14.5 the trail heads down a very steep decline. Eighteen switchbacks … some of them you had to physically lower yourself around the turn. My goal was to get off the AT at the 15.5 mile aid station in 3 hours, which was 20 minutes slower than last year.  Last year I arrived at this point very tense and mentally exhausted.  I arrived right at 3:00 and left the aid station about a minute later. I felt really, really good here; and started out running about an 8:30-8:45 pace very comfortable.

The C&O Canal Towpath:

Last year I reported that the towpath is very flat.  This is not true.  The towpath is a gradual uphill for much of the 26 miles.  About every three or four miles there was an aid station. I started running to each aid station and walking briefly out of them as I had a banana. Later on, whenever my 12 minute countdown timer went off I would stop and walk a few steps while a took a mouthful of water. I did this for most of the towpath section. Later on I walked a little more focusing on relaxing some tension that was building up.  I saw my father again at the mile 27 and mile 38 aid stations. It was a big boost to see him and walk a bit out of the aid stations with him.  At the mile 27 aid station I also had two full cups of broth for sodium.  At the mile 38 aid station we could both feel a cool breeze setting in; he suggested I add a dry short sleeve shirt under my long sleeve.  This was a great call and kept me warm for the rest of the way to the finish.  He also suggested I carry an extra half banana and have it later if needed. From there I had 3.5 miles to get the end of the towpath section.  I ran most of this section looking forward to the end of the towpath.  Just before the aid station, I ate the half banana.  When I arrived at the aid station, they did not have any bananas.  I don’t remember eating much here.

The Roadway to the Finish:

The last 8.4 miles was on rural roads and had a lot of hills. Per last year “Call them ‘gently rolling’ if you want, but not after 41.8 miles.” I started off the towpath running well and passed a lot of people.  I arrived at the first aid station at mile 44 and was disappointed they did not have the boiled potatoes at this station like they did last year.  They also did not have any bananas.  I was looking for fuel but did not really ‘see’ any options.  So I had two cups of broth for some more sodium.  My mistake here was not taking in any carbs.  I had a few very ‘processed’ options but did not consider them.  This created a bug issue later down the road.  I remember running out of this aid station feeling really good and again passed a number of people running up many of the hills.

I arrived at the mile 46 aid station still feeling really good.  Again, no bananas so I had some more broth.  I was again looking for fuel but did not really ‘see’ any options. As I left this aid station I felt distinctly different and by the time I reached mile 47 my brain was shutting down.  I started to walk and had a very uneasy feeling about my cognitive state.  I walked most of the way to an aid station at mile 48.5.  I was now in survival mode so I had a few things that I have not had in a very long time: a handful of M&Ms, a cup of Coke, two cookies and a few pretzels.  I ate as I continued walking.  About 5 minutes later my brain rebooted and I felt like a new person.  At the same time a runner came up on me and gave me some encouragement.  I started to run with him and felt great.  We turned the corner toward the finish and went through the last intersection.  I thanked him for the encouragement and took off for the finish.  I am guessing at sub-8 pace and I passed about 15 people in the last half mile.  I was greeted by a medal, a handshake and a congratulations.  My father was also there which made the finish that much more special.

Aid Stations/Support:

The Aid Stations were well stocked and full of hearty volunteers. I made it a point to thank them for being out there.  Support from volunteers, crew and spectators across the course was again beyond any expectation.

I do wish the same food options (ie bananas) were available at aid stations 44 and 46.  But in the end you have to know when you need fuel, take the situation that life gives you and adapt to it.  I was stiff and rigid in my thinking towards ‘processed’ sugar.  For me with a history of fuel issues and a body type that does not have enough body fat in reserve, I should have known what the effect of not taking carbs at mile 44 and 46 was going to be. Lesson learned (again).

ChiRunning Focuses:

Almost four years ago to the day I was introduced to ChiRunning.  Simple common sense principles transformed my running.  Period.  I have enjoyed higher and higher levels of efficiency and been running injury-free ever since.  I enjoy these ultra events as a test of my ongoing ‘practice’ to improve my running.

Much of the ChiRunning technique has become subconscious but there is always another level to get to physically and mentally.  It is also very interesting how past habits tend to sneak back into the picture when the body and mind start to fatigue.

On the AT my main focus was on efficient hill technique and staying relaxed on the trail.  Last year I did not do well here; this year was much better which was evident when I started out on the towpath section.  Across the entire course I mainly focused on one general concept: “Let your body (position) do the work”.  Whenever I came back to this point, the tension in my body released and my speed picked up effortlessly.  On the last road section my main focus again came back to efficient hill technique.  I am always amazed at how it is possible to run (fast) without it feeling like any effort at all – it all comes down to putting yourself in a supportive position (alignment) and then allowing it happen (relaxation).  These are the two main concepts in ChiRunning.

Special Thanks:

There is again much to be grateful for and a lot of thank yous to offer to family and friends.  A very special thanks to my father for making the trip with me and providing the support that made a huge difference. It was great to share this endurance event with him.  When I was in high school he was running 3:0x marathons, so he started me on this path even though I never liked running in high school; and it took me about 15 years since then to come back to running and to experience his love for the sport.

Also a very special thank you to the rest of the ultra team; Marge, Susan, Mary and others who I have met along the way.  Also a very big thank you to all my running partners and clients.

The Take-away:

I could be disappointed by my time(*), but 50 miles is 50 miles.  I physically feel very good today with no major aches/pains; which is a primary goal for any run or event.   For me the reason for these events is to learn and experience life through running.  One of my favorite Jim Rohn concepts is ‘to set a goal to accomplish X, but not for the X itself; but for the person you must become to achieve it’.

As I ended my summary from last year’s JFK … As it says in the ChiRunning Book on page 41, “I had a [very] good running [and life] lesson” yesterday … and that is really what it is all about for me.

~~~

Brief post event update 11/27/09:  Ran Wednesday 11/25 after the race about 6 miles at about 8:30 pace.  Feel great with little to no recovery; only some minor overall fatigue.  Ran again Friday 11/27 after over-eating all day Thursday.  Did about 4 miles on the trails.  Felt good but I can tell my body needs to rest and detox a bit.

~~~

[* If you really need to know the number: total time: 9:39 which is 20 minutes slower than last year.  Where did that 20 minutes come from?  Maybe because of the slower AT section per my plan but I really ran well otherwise.  The last 3 miles certainly added time but probably not much more than last year.]

~~~

Thoughts on this post? Leave your comment or question below and join the discussion …

Receive email updates for posts to this blog …

~~~

David Stretanski is a holistic health, fitness and wellness coach and Certified ChiRunning®/ChiWalking® Instructor. For more information on David, please see his About Me, Contact page or his website at http://www.eChiFitness.com.

ChiRunning® and ChiWalking® are registered trademarks of ChiLiving, Inc.

~~~

Related posts:

1. JFK 50 Mile Ultra 2010 Summary The 48th Annual JFK 50 Mile Ultramarathon was held Saturday...
2. JFK 50 Mile Ultra 2011 Summary The 49th Annual JFK 50 Mile Ultramarathon was this past...
3. Running Like Children A quick post today referencing the embedded video which shows...