EnerChi Fitness Blog

Are Your Running Teachers Also Students?

echifitness — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 01:32:32 +0000

In the spirit of National Running Day, I have a plea. “Can’t we all just get along?” I just came across yet another running forum with a lot of bickering and debating about technique. Even some name calling. Please.

There are typically two camps. One camp says their chosen technique or foot landing or footwear is ‘right’. The position is usually taken without considering the individual, the goal, the anything. The other camp shares what has worked for them – AND THEN STOPS TYPING.

What is most interesting is that these camps align almost every single time with the same positions. The know-it-all camp aligns with all things that appear absolute and precise. The sharing camp aligns with their own individual experience. I often wonder if there is some correlation between technique and mindset. In other words, does the technique affect the mindset or does the mindset find the technique? Probably both, but in my opinion more of the former (See related blog post Running As A Metaphor For Life). My chosen technique principles have also taught me to fully experience running and life; and not try to know it completely. I have also learned there is always another layer to humble you as soon as you think you have it all figured out.

There is a very simple quote (to which I add the word ‘absolutely’) I come back to often to keep some perspective when I come across the bickering and debating. It also reminds me that opinions are input; and what is opinion and what is ego.

Those who know, do not speak [absolutely]. Those who speak [absolutely], do not know. – Lao Tzu

What I take away from this quote is simple – If you think you have it all figured out, you don’t. No one does. And those who know they don’t have it all figured out, don’t let their egos suggest otherwise. Suggesting one individual’s partial solution applies completely to anyone else says more about the source than the content.

So this brings me back to the original question. Are your running coaches or mentors or authors or bloggers or … just teachers or also students? Meaning do they think they have it all figured out precisely and absolutely and apply that to all situations – or are they still experiencing, learning, adapting and sharing? Do they share options or are they trying to convince you (and themselves) they have the ‘right’ answer?

Okay, feel better now. Back to the real task at hand; there is much sharing to be done.

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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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Running Technique and Foot Landing Options

echifitness — Wed, 05 May 2010 11:29:43 +0000

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

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3 Significant Differences Between Pose Method and ChiRunning

echifitness — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:27:39 +0000

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.

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.

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

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ChiRunning Simplified! Efficient and Injury Free Natural Running Technique

echifitness — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:26:44 +0000

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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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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4 Components of Alignment for Running Form Efficiency and Injury Prevention

echifitness — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:35:11 +0000

Alignment is a key element for running form efficiency and injury prevention. When you are aligned a higher level of relaxation is possible. These are the two primary concepts in ChiRunning® – Alignment and Relaxation and the balance between them. The more you are aligned, the less you need your muscles. The less you use your muscles, the easier it is to stay aligned. But too much alignment without relaxation and you may be too stiff to move. Or too much relaxation without alignment and you may be too loose to maintain your position.

Here are 4 Components of Running Form Alignment:

Internal Postural Alignment

Posture is the most important element in ChiRunning. It is the ‘framework’ for all the other elements. Your posture manages the force of gravity acting down on you. Efficient posture aligns your shoulders over your hips over your ankles with a neutral head position and feet pointed forward. It also maintains a level pelvis to stabilize both your pelvis and your posture line.

Postural Alignment

When your posture is aligned your structure efficiently maintains your position, against the downward force of gravity, with limited effort from your muscles. In motion, postural alignment also engages proper muscles and limits the use of compensating muscles.

See a related posture presentation here:
- The Key to Posture for Efficiency and Injury Prevention

Directional Alignment

For increased efficiency you can also focus on having as many parts of your body moving in the same direction as you are – horizontally forward. If there are parts of your body moving from side to side, there is wasted energy and possibly unnecessary stress on the body. The most common forms of excess motion are rotation in the legs/knees, hips sliding side to side, shoulders/torso rocking side to side, shoulders rotating, and a side to side arm swing crossing your centerline.

If parts of the body are moving vertically, then again there is effort and potential stress in that direction. The most common causes of vertical motion are pushing off with the feet/toes, lifting the leg vertically and allowing the knee to bend and straighten at mid-stance.

[Note: In ChiRunning the knees stay 'soft'. This means slightly bent or not 'locked', and not enough to significantly engage the quad muscle.]

When your motion is aligned forward you can add efficiency while reducing stress and impact.

External Alignment with the Forces of Nature

There are two big forces of nature you can use to your advantage and cooperate with. The first is gravity which will pull you forward if you tilt your posture line from relaxed ankles. The more you lean into gravity the more focus you need on maintaining your aligned position. And the more relaxed you must be to not resist the forward pull of gravity.

Cooperating with the Forces of Nature

The second is the force of the approaching ground. When you allow your feet to land midfoot (or fullfoot) under your posture line and allow them to move to the rear as the land, you are cooperating with this very big force. You can enhance this cooperation by allowing your pelvis to rotate back to soften impact and extend stride length. There are even ways to use this force to your advantage.

When your body’s position is cooperating with the external forces of nature, then the body can move with these forces for external propulsion and minimal resistance.

Mental Alignment with Your Intention

An even higher level of alignment is your mental focus on your intention. Your intention is where you are headed and how you plan to get there. With this alignment, your eyes are focused down your path and you senses are focused on your body.

When you are aligned mentally, then the body and mind are acting congruently as a team.

Alignment and Relaxation

If you wish to run efficiently while reducing stress, impact and injury; then your alignment internally, directionally, externally and mentally are all focus points that can enhance your running form. Two questions to ask often: How can I be more aligned? How can I be more relaxed?

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

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

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Your Biography Becomes Your Biology

echifitness — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:17:40 +0000

At the beginning of the ChiRunning book one of my favorite concepts is introduced: “Your biography becomes your biology” [1]. We all have a biography that shapes our present moment, both physically and mentally. The good news is that “with a little patience and perseverance” we have the ability to add new choices and habits to our biography, providing far-reaching benefits to our health, fitness and well-being.

I was a very active kid and enjoyed a lot of different sports and activities. But as a teenager, running was one activity I did not enjoy. It was only a necessary means of conditioning for other high school sports. In my 20s, my biography presented itself in the form of significant postural mis-alignment and imbalance. Challenged to enjoy almost any physical activity without the fear of the resulting aches and pains, I was fortunate to be introduced to a posture therapy approach called The Egoscue Method in my early 30s. The method uses simple exercises to gradually re-align a person’s posture into a functional state. In a relatively short period of time I was pain-free and enjoying more and more physical activity.

Running eventually entered the picture as a way to engage my improving mobility, and to release the stress of a type A personality and challenging career. My running quickly developed into over-training and then over-racing. After ignoring my body’s warning signs, I sustained nagging injuries and had a hard time running consistently. Two years later, a fellow runner said a few magical words to me: “Oh, you are an injured runner? You have to get this book … ChiRunning.” The pages turned themselves as I absorbed common sense principles that provided the answers I was looking for – not only for my running form but also for my running philosophy.

By applying the ChiRunning principles, I have run injury-free with significantly less effort ever since. But there is always a new challenge that turns each run into an enjoyable adventure. The concept of a running ‘practice’ maintains a focus on consistent gradual progress. This big picture view is now much more important to me than any mile marker or split time. Most incredibly, I can run farther and faster than I could before with minimal recovery time. And the addition of ChiWalking provides its own unique challenges. It provides a slower motion practice and also the opportunity to be conscious of my movement with every step I take. In a way, I get to practice my running all day long.

ChiRunning and ChiWalking also teach me as much about myself and my life as they do about how to move my body. Interestingly, I have learned to mentally push/pull/force less, to cooperate more and oppose less, to be more aware of staying in balance, and to act based on what is truly important and stay flexible about everything else. The simple skill of being able to focus my mind supports increasingly bigger and better decisions in many areas of my life. Developing a better connection between my mind and my body creates a sense of awareness and coordination, adding to the much needed concept of balance.

My website is www.eChiFitness.com. Catchy? Maybe. It is an abbreviation for EnerChi Fitness, the name of my company. But there is a deeper meaning behind this website name. “eChi” (pronounced ee-chi and more traditionally spelled y’chi, [2]) is a term that means “the combination of a focused mind and a responsive body.” It is the primary state from which we find ourselves moving without effort, both physically and mentally. Wherever you are in your biography, there is no doubt that “a little patience and perseverance” can move you in the direction of y’chi with far-reaching benefits to your biology.

As a ChiRunning/ChiWalking Instructor, I am humbled by the opportunity to share and to facilitate choices that can have a dramatic effect on the health, fitness and well-being in people’s lives. I continue to experience the effects first hand, and every day I look forward to learning from and being energized by what is possible for all of us.

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[1] ChiRunning, A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running, page 2 (quote attributed to Carolyn Myss, Anatomy of the Spirit).
[2] ChiRunning, A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running, page 44.

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

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Moving Through a Sea of Energy

echifitness — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 18:53:31 +0000

If you have been practicing ChiRunning or ChiWalking for awhile, you may have started to notice the mental benefits of focus and using visualizations. I tend to find myself in a ‘zone’ more and more often. I tend to have answers and realizations pop into my head often when out running or walking.

Recently I was out on a run and the concept that ‘Everything is Energy’ popped into my head. This has been the subtitle to my blog since the beginning. When you get right down to it, everything is simply energy rearranged differently. For some reason on this day I was reminded of it. I started to think about this concept as I was running along a single track trail. I decided to consider everything around me, including the air, was a sea of energy. With that idea came the concept of my energy ‘jet-wash’ like the ones you see off of a jet’s wings or like one you feel when you are drafting behind a moving object. As I moved through this sea I imagined I was creating this same energy ‘pull’ or ’suck’ forward. I then decided to let that energy ‘pull’ me forward.

What resulted was a focus on the trail ahead, a soft focus or blur of the woods in my peripheral vision, and an image I was being pulled forward by this energy ‘jet-wash’. My running became more effortless and I picked up speed without even trying. When my attention shifted more to the trail, I had a sense of more tension. When I balanced this direct focus on the trail with a soft (or indirect) focus on the woods and energy ‘jet-wash’, I felt more relaxed. Relaxation reduces resistance to movement (fall) forward and motion.

This is just one example of the many visualizations that can be used to change your focus or attention. This visualization is complimentary to the ‘bungie cord’ or y’chi concept. The ‘bungie cord’ is connected between your sternum and a distant point in front of you. It is a way to imagine an external force (gravity plus your lean) pulling you forward. The y’chi concept is that you can direct your energy through your eyes; which is related to your attention pulling your energy and your energy pulling you.

So the next time you are out practicing ChiRunning or ChiWalking, consider trying visualizations that will ‘allow’ you to move with less effort and more relaxation. Any image that results in greater alignment, relaxation and balance will likely have a dramatic effect on your experience.

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

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2009 Running Year In Review

echifitness — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:11:45 +0000

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.

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

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Running with a Relaxed Midfoot Strike

echifitness — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:15:28 +0000

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.

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

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Sharing the True Gift of Health

echifitness — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:57:08 +0000

Looking for a true gift, one to give or receive? There may be no gift more valuable than a few simple ideas for lifelong health.

“The first wealth is health.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Most people are passionate about sharing ideas about healthy living. An important piece of the healthy living puzzle is fitness; also simply called ‘motion’. We are all designed for motion; our health depends on it. The challenge is getting moving and staying moving through repetitive motions that can sometimes result in fatigue, discomfort, pain, injury … perhaps even surgery and ‘re-hab’.

But what if a preventative ‘pre-hab’ fitness program existed that could address this challenge? What if some simple principles of nature can empower anyone to get moving efficiently and stay moving with greater enjoyment and consistency?

I feel very fortunate that someone passionate about sharing suggested ChiRunning® to me four years ago almost to the day. I can still picture the whole conversation, I can hear the words and feel the AHA moment sensing that it could just be that simple. In those few moments, everything changed for me.

Consider the gift of efficient, injury-free running or walking for yourself or someone you know. ChiRunning (“chee-running”) and ChiWalking apply simple principles of nature to help us get back to moving ‘naturally’. It is just that simple.

On the ChiRunningand ChiWalking websites there are many online (free!) resources as well as published materials to support your safe and effective lifelong fitness program.

A very happy holiday season to you; and as always … my best to our great health.

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

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