<![CDATA[Chi Living Blog]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/ en danny@chiliving.com Copyright 2013 2013-04-19T13:58:26+00:00 <![CDATA[Running and Working With Gravity]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/running-and-working-with-gravity http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/running-and-working-with-gravity#When:19:06:13Z Last weekend Certified Instructor Natalie Isaac and I assisted Master Instructor Mary Lindahl at the CRCWIT in Chicago. The three of us met Wednesday night at a restaurant to discuss the next four days and we started talking about how gravity is used to assist in Chi Running and decrease muscle usage.  A gentleman in the next booth overheard us and challenged us to explain how gravity could be working if you stood in your head and drank a glass of water. The water still goes to your stomach, so where’s the gravity? I said ‘that’s just peristaltic motion‘ which means even if you’re upside down, the smooth muscles are still going to contract  to move the water to your stomach, thought they may have to work a bit harder. Plus, some water will leak back up because that’s inefficient use of the muscles involved in peristaltic motion. That’s because you’re trying to move something against gravity instead of with it.

Later it occurred to me how much this explanation is like explaining the Chi Running technique versus power running and muscle usage. In power running, your body is more upright, with no lean, and as you push yourself forward with one foot (engaging the calves, achilles, plantar), your other foot must reach out in front of your hips to land. You then propel your body weight over the front leg, engaging the hamstring muscles. Your other foot comes forward and lands in front again, stopping the forward running motion (usually the heel – sending a shock wave all the way to your neck) and you push off again with the rear foot. It’s like driving with one foot on the gas pedal and one foot on the brake – and it involves  a lot of muscle usage. Over the distance of running a marathon, this adds up, fatiguing those poor muscles, all because your running is working against gravity.

In contrast, when you practice Chi Running, you work with gravity. With a nice straight column running from your shoulder all the way to your ankle, and with relaxed ankles, you fall into a slight, one inch lean from your feet. Keeping this lean, you just pick up your feet to keep up with the fall, and your foot naturally strides out behind your center of gravity. As it lands, it will come just under or slightly behind your hips, and all you have to do is allow it to float up again, completing a  circular motion. By keeping the stride length short, your core engaged, and allowing your upper body to fall with the pull of gravity, you will notice that your lower legs are not having to push your body forward! In fact, by letting your ankles relax, the lower legs almost feel like noodles hanging from your knees. Over the distance of a marathon, this adds up to a lot of relaxed muscles, all because you are running with gravity.

So if you had to choose drinking a glass of water while standing on your head, or with your body upright, which would you prefer? Would you choose to fight gravity or work with it? Likewise, what seems more efficient with less muscle usage – running with gravity or not? Running can be as easy as swallowing a glass of water!

 

]]> 2010-05-31T19:06:13+00:00 <![CDATA[Travel Well with Chi Running]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/travel-well-with-chi-running http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/travel-well-with-chi-running#When:06:59:32Z Traveling can be a delightful spice added to your life when you travel for fun and exploration. Travel can also throw you off your schedules and routines if you have to travel often for work. In either case, if traveling for business or for pleasure, the Pain-Free Chi Running technique can help keep you grounded, centered and healthy when you are away from home. So be sure to pack your running shoes and exercise clothes, and plan on regular running when you travel.

The Pain-Free Chi Running Technique can help you:

  • Get familiar with your surroundings
  • Give you a real sense of where you are
  • Keep your energy balanced
  • Support your digestive process
  • Help you sleep better

Running while traveling should be adjusted to give your body a chance to recover from the travel. You may be tired or stiff from sitting in a car or plane for hours, so be sure to do your Body Looseners before every run and start each run slowly. Let your body get loose and warm up for a long time in first gear. You’ll probably want to reduce the distance of your first couple of runs to give your body a chance to adjust to the new and unfamiliar terrain.  

Getting acquainted with your surroundings will help calm your nerves and settle you in to wherever you are. Running is a great way to scout for a good restaurant, the perfect café, or a short cut to a quiet beach. Be sure to wear a pedometer so that you can your running distances and also the distances of those locations that you are scouting around town.  

The key is, as always, to Body Sense. It is more important than ever to focus on your body and listen to its needs. A great way to be conscious of your body while taking in the sites is to focus on all five of your senses. The feel of the air on your skin will have it’s own quality as will the terrain under your feet. Really feel your feet hitting the ground, be aware of your midfoot strike. Feel the difference in humidity and temperature. 

Breathe in deeply and notice the new scents in the air. Smell is one of the best ways to retain a memory, and consciously practicing belly breathing will get air deeper into your capillary beds.

Listen to the sounds that surround you. We are traveling in Amsterdam and there is a school yard with children playing right around the corner. It is amazing how their shouts and squeals and laughter sound so similar to every school yard, but with a slightly different flair!! Focus on the unfamiliar bird calls, the church bells. Or maybe you would like to get away from the hustle and bustle of traveling and you prefer to relax and practice your running technique. If so, our Chi Running audio programs are perfect travel companions while taking a walk or run around town or an afternoon spent laying on the beach.  

Traveling usually brings a smorgasbord of new tastes. And if you're running while on vacation or a business trip, it will help you keep a balanced appetite, enjoying the new foods without over indulging too much. Running helps your digestion tremendously and Body Sensing makes you aware of when enough is enough and what your body really needs.

Of course, the sites are a huge part of why we travel. Running through a neighborhood is very different than being in a car, bus or train. Running allows you to see the details that you might otherwise miss, the details that make each place so special. Running allows you to view life at a human pace. Traveling can be disorienting and can keep you too externally focused. Chi Running keeps you aware of your own center and a deeper sense of yourself, acting as a counterbalance to the strong pulls of the world around you. Many people tend to try to take too much in when they travel and end up exhausted upon returning home. Body Sensing can allow you to feel when it's time to "do" and when you just need to take a break.  Enjoy your travels. Visiting new places is such a great part of life, and even more wonderful when you are healthy and feeling great.

 

Resources to help you master the Chi Running basics:

]]> 2010-05-29T06:59:32+00:00 <![CDATA[Girls on the Run (Girls on Track!) 5K 2010]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/girls-on-the-run-girls-on-track-5k-2010 http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/girls-on-the-run-girls-on-track-5k-2010#When:19:44:34Z Wow. Where does the time go? I can’t believe that 1 year ago, I was writing about my first GOTR 5K experience, as a Running Buddy to my friend Haylie…

Well, yesterday I had the pleasure of running with Haylie again… but this time, Jacqui, her mother-extraordinaire, came running with us, too!

Jacqui has been battling with the same knee pain from last year, but with some good running focuses and positive energy, we all got through the race beautifully!

At Haylie’s school, her grade is now participating the Girls on Track program, which is the “big girls” version of Girls on the Run. I was so pleased to know that she’d continued with the program, and when they called to ask if I could come again this year to run with them, I signed up right away… It feels so good to be part of something bigger, something that is making a real difference in helping young women find out what they’re capable of and staying active.

One benefit of being a member of the Girls on Track program is that we all got to go to the front of the line to begin the race… Score #1! We didn’t have to wade through as many runners when the race started, and got to find our pace naturally without getting caught up in the crowd.

The course changed from last year, and I think it was hillier this year. At the approach of each uphill, I reminded us all of the benefit of really using our upper arms to get us up the hill, and to not even think about our legs. It was really helpful to all of us. Haylie totally got it when I said, “Pretend that you’re doing an upper-cut, almost punch your chin…” As soon as she did that, she swiftly moved up the hill.

On the downhill running sections, we really focused on maintaining good rnning posture, staying tall, and really relaxing…Letting the road take us along, not trying to fight it.

We practiced our Y’chi, or focusing our eyes on one spot ahead of us, like the stop-sign at the top of the hill, or the girl with the green streamers in her hair at the next turn… things that were bright, easy to watch and on the horizon.

We practiced breathing, too. When we got out of breath, I’d count to 5 and make sure that we all did an exhale for at least 5 seconds, to clear out the “old” air in our lungs.

The finish was downhill running (thank goodness!) and we all crossed the line, smiling, and thrilled to have finished together. We stayed together every step of the run and I am so proud of both of you! Haylie, you ran fast, girl! And Jacqui, your knee didn’t bother you… Score #2!

As Jacqui said later, “The glorious-ness of our run lingers like an after taste of chocolate.” I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Thank you for a great experience two years in a row, Haylie (Score #3)! You’re a special chick, and I look forward to running again with you next year.

 

]]> 2010-05-23T19:44:34+00:00 <![CDATA[Having lots of fun running… the Biltmore 15K]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/having-lots-of-fun-running-the-biltmore-15k http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/having-lots-of-fun-running-the-biltmore-15k#When:05:05:46Z Hi everyone … How’s your running technique? I have a an event to report about:

Biltmore 15K last weekend, May 16th. The last race of it’s kind (it’s been going on for about 13 years) was held inside the grounds of the beautiful Biltmore Estate here in Asheville. I was on top of my game enough to register early, and had the good fortune of running a very humid, very fun, visually satisfying race last weekend.

I realized after the gun went off that it was the first race I’d ever driven to/signed up for by myself … It was sort of a strange feeling! But I didn’t feel alone; I got to connect with a bunch of fellow pain-free Chi Runners near the start and felt good, positive vibes the entire way.

That morning started off foggy, so by the time the clouds lifted, the air was thick with humidity and made for a very sweaty race. I loved it. Felt so great to be out there running with almost 1000 other people, enjoying the Asheville morning air, taking in the sights (horses, baby ducklings, birds galore, rolling hills, Blue Ridge mountain vistas, winery, stables, the Biltmore house, bass pond, rose garden…). Really it was a sight to behold.

It was a fairly hilly course, and I remembered to take it easy, and really use my upper arms to get me up the hill, relying on my legs as little as possible. It worked; I’d get to the top of the hill and feel about the same exertion level as I had at the bottom, while listening to plenty of other runners huffing and puffing along.

I didn’t go out for speed, but more just as a personal event. I didn’t “train” for the event, which I probably could have, but I wanted to use it as a carrot to help maintain my regular weekly running workouts (which have become less and less frequent!).

Did any of you fellow Chi Runners check out the race? It was so much fun.

I did a good mid-week follow up run around the Shut-In trail/Bent Creek on Wednesday and that was really fun (Thanks Ed and Frank!).  I suspect many of you who have read my running blog from the beginning get tired of hearing this, but I still have a hard time referring to myself/believing that “I am a runner”… WOW!

That fact was thoroughly validated when Ivan brought home a little gift for me on Saturday: a little pendant necklace with a stainless steel medallion of a “runner girl” … If that didn’t drive the point home, I don’t know what could have!

Looking forward to seeing you fellow Ashevillians running at the Chi Living National Running Day event at our office on June 2nd. Click here to read more about it and remember to come and bring your friends!

 

]]> 2010-05-22T05:05:46+00:00 <![CDATA[Check out the USA Today article]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/check-out-the-usa-today-article http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/check-out-the-usa-today-article#When:14:55:40Z We’ve got some exciting Chi Running news. There’s an article about Chi Running in USAToday 5/18/2010. Go to this link and you can see the article and a video they did as well. It is really exciting to get this coverage in the national media. Also, tonight on HBO at 10pm ET will be a program on the minimal running shoe revolution which should also be some very interesting viewing. I’m curious to see if we get mentioned in that as well.

All of this media attention helps, in a big way, to spread the revolution in running that we’ve been promoting for ten years now. I just got home from teaching in NYC last weekend to two sold-out classes of Chi Running. Sunday was the first-ever Level II Chi Running class. It was a half-day class where we delved much deeper into the movement principles offered in the Level I running classes, how to do a speed workout, how to run hills without powering with your legs and many other hot topics. I’ll be offering another Level II running class in NYC in October.

Danny

 

]]> 2010-05-18T14:55:40+00:00 <![CDATA[May Instructor of the Month Advice]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/may-instructor-of-the-month-advice http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/may-instructor-of-the-month-advice#When:06:59:45Z The Chi Running Technique is an energy efficient, pain-free and injury-free method of running. It teaches us what proper alignment is – shoulders over your hips over your ankles – but it’s possible that your body might need additional guidance in getting truly aligned. This is why I highly recommend seeing a professional body-worker if needed.

Recently, a physio therapist and an RMT attended a free talk I gave, both of whom found the Chi Running technique intriguing and wanted to learn more. Both had read the book and were versed in the lingo. When I met them at the talk, I did not know how or what they did, so I answered all questions as best I could. After speaking with them, I knew they had to be in the medical profession based one their reactions to some answers. Isn't it so funny that things always happen for a reason? Well Kevin and Gordon have since become great acquaintances and I am still working with them both.

I began experiencing left hip discomfort, especially after long runs, and even with my regular Form Focuses, the problem remained. What did I need to change? I knew that the Chi Running technique had given me the skill of awareness of my body (Body Sensing), and I was aware that I needed some additional help.

“What am I doing wrong?” That’s the normal first reaction, right? However, sometimes it’s not what we are doing, but rather what we can’t do due to restrictive body movement which could occur for many reasons. During my free talk, Kevin, the physio, pointed out to me that my left side seemed to be restricted in movement more than my my right side...

I asked Kevin, “What are you talking about? How do you know that?” Well, I soon learned the what and the how of the way my body moves. After one quick treatment, to the amazement of myself and everyone else attending the free workshop, the left hip restriction was gone and I became an instant fan.

Each time we experience some form of stress (trauma, inflammation, surgery, or anxiety) the body can and will—as an integrated unit—create compensatory structural and biomechanical changes throughout the body. These adaptations over time alter the function of the surrounding soft tissues and joints. With each step, imbalanced forces are sent throughout the body like a ripple effect in water.

All these changes increase compression forces in the surrounding structures, leading to a form of entrapment of the neurological and vascular systems, decreased shock absorption in the soft tissue, decreased flexibility and/or poor performance in any activity.

Re-establishing proper biomechanical alignment in all ranges and teaching the body how to move properly in a balanced biomechanically-aligned posture is key to moving efficiently.

A combination of getting some body work done, and maintaining my injury free Chi Running practice, I have been able to achieve greater range of motion in my body and been able to Body Sense more accurately. I believe that body work like massage therapy, physical therapy, etc are excellent complementary techniques you can use to improve the quality and efficiency of your pain-free Chi Running or Chi Walking practice.

Certified Instructor James Rooney, Canada

 

Resources to help you master the Chi Running basics:

]]> 2010-05-16T06:59:45+00:00 <![CDATA[Chi Running at the North Pole]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/chirunning-at-the-north-pole http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/chirunning-at-the-north-pole#When:09:59:42Z Richard Donavan is an ultra marathoner from Ireland who was the first person to solo run a marathon distance at the North Pole in 2002.  Every year since 2006, Richard has organized a North Pole marathon (http://www.npmarathon.com). Because I have an adventurous spirit, I signed up for the 2010 event knowing it would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I knew the slippery snow on ice footing would be problematic for power runners that push off with their feet to propel them forward. I would have an advantage with my pain-free Chi Running technique since my feet would only be used to support my running posture. It’s amusing to view the running of a marathon on snow as a 42 km sand pit exercise!

Accommodations for running the marathon were at the temporary Russian research ice camp Barneo, located approximately 100 Km south from the actual North Pole. It’s built using tents on a six to twelve foot deep ice floe in the middle of the Arctic Ocean with Greenland as the closest land mass approximately 750 km away. Travel to the ice camp is in a modified Russian jet from Longyearbyen, a Norwegian island settlement located approximately 1200 km south of Barneo. Cracks sometimes form as one did about two inches wide right under our sleeping tent. We were advised to sleep fully clothed and to be ready to evacuate our tent should the crack worsen. Thankfully it didn’t. However, two days following our departure from Barneo, the same crack widened causing a crevasse through the ice camp with a number of tents ending up on their own separate ice flow. Despite the risks, I found the Barneo staff very capable and never felt in danger during our three-day stay.

We were scheduled to start running on the morning of April 7th. The temperature (without wind chill) was approximately -10˚ C (or 14˚ F). However, the winds were up to 50 km/hr with an overcast sky, which caused low visibility whiteout conditions that the Barneo staff decided was unsafe to run in. By late afternoon the winds died down and visibility improved so we started the marathon at approximately 4:00 pm Barneo time. Time of day was a somewhat ambiguous concept since it was constant daylight for 24 hours a day.

The marathon running course was comprised of just over eleven loops through Barneo, where runners had access to their race food and drinks left in the mess tent. A medical doctor was also available in the mess tent to assist runners if required.

The depth of the snow varied throughout the course to the point that some sections were best suited for snowshoes while others were best suited for spikes that slipped over the running shoes. I was ready for both, but chose to use slip-on spikes. This past winter, I included snowshoe running as part of my training. It was interesting adapting the Chi Running technique. In Chi Running your feet momentarily contact the ground in a manner designed to only support your posture and in a manner designed to minimize resistance to the forward pull of gravity. This is far easier in running shoes on asphalt than it is with snowshoes in deep snow.

Soon after the start, the weather quickly deteriorated into low visibility blizzard conditions with a wind chill of -20˚ C (or 4˚ F) resulting from winds at 45 km/hr. Sounds harsh, but I was quite comfortable having trained in this type of temperature this past winter in my home town of Ottawa, Canada. My clothing included a base layer of thin merino wool, medium thickness running tights and a soft shell running jacket. I also wore a balaclava, facemask ski goggles, pair of gloves, two layers of socks in my New Balance 790 trail running shoes, and the slip-on spikes. The trail running shoes were covered with glued-on rip-stop vinyl and gaiters.

The race itself involved a strategy of Chi Running what you could run, and Chi Walking what you couldn’t run due to snow depth. I used a slightly modified Chi Walking technique in the deep snow, which involved more emphasis on pelvic rotation for increased stride length and less emphasis on cadence. Sorry Danny (laugh) but I felt this modification worked well under the conditions for maximum speed.  Other runners who saw this technique thought I was “power walking” …. not (laugh again)!

The race took me just over six hours to complete which was a fourth place men’s finish.  The first place finisher took five hours and the last place finisher took almost ten.

The next day we were scheduled to helicopter to the actual North Pole (a solitary spot on the Arctic Ocean at the top of the world) then fly back by jet to Longyearbyen, Norway. This was delayed by a day as we were grounded at Barneo due to inclement weather.

The whole trip was an incredible adventure, with the run being only one part. My favorite part of the trip was the camaraderie and stories shared by the 25 like-minded adventure marathoners isolated for over three days at Barneo.

Written by Certified Instructor Michael Stashin

 

Resources to help you master the Chi Running basics:

]]> 2010-05-14T09:59:42+00:00 <![CDATA[Running Form and Tension]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/running-form-and-tension http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/running-form-and-tension#When:06:48:27Z I haven’t blogged for a while, very sadly my Mum passed away a month ago from breast cancer, she was too young to go and still had a lot of living left to do.  My family and I are devastated but we have to get used to learning to live without her.  I was in two minds whether to blog about it but it would be difficult to blog and not mention something so life changing.  Needless to say the stress of dealing with a terminal illness takes its toll and that stress crept into my body and my running without me noticing.

During the time leading up to my Mum’s death I continued running, needed running, to keep me sane. However, somewhere along the line that tension manifested itself as soreness in my ankle/foot.  No warning, just sudden discomfort even when walking.  Until recently I thought I had become invincible, in running terms at least, bullet proof if you like.  What I didn’t take into account was what was happening in my life had begun to affect my running.  I had some physiotherapy and took two weeks off which was no harm in the circumstances and slowly began to build up again. When I started back I could still feel it and no matter what I did form wise, I just couldn’t shake it.

Last weekend, Danny Dreyer came to London to teach a couple of Chi Running technique workshops here.  They were two amazing days and many people were inspired to take their running to the next level.  I was fortunate to be able to run with him while he was here.  When we headed out, I could feel my troublesome foot straight away. Half way around the park, we took a detour into the empty children’s playground and ran across the sandpit.  This is an exercise recommended in the Chi Running book and one, which I am the first to admit, never do! The idea is to leave clean undisturbed footprints in the sand.  If you are pushing off or holding tension in your ankles, you will see a crater at the front of your footprint.  Now I could have sworn my lower legs were as relaxed as I could make them but the sand told me a different story!  So over and back I went until I could leave cleaner footprints in the sand.  I felt much lighter on my feet and the second half of the run was a different story.  Funnily enough, by the end of the run my foot was no longer bothering me.

I have run twice since with no twinges and each time I have taken my little detour into the sandpit.  The moral of the story is that there is always more work to do and that even when we think we are relaxed, we can learn to let go even more.

My goal for the next few weeks is just to work on more relaxation in my runs.  No distance or pace goals, no races, just to use running as a vehicle to help me recover from the stress of the last few weeks and months.

Happy running.
Michelle

 

]]> 2010-05-07T06:48:27+00:00 <![CDATA[Non-identification – A Balanced Approach to Running]]> http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/non-identification-a-balanced-approach-to-running http://www.chirunning.com/blog/entry/non-identification-a-balanced-approach-to-running#When:05:59:25Z In the Chi Running technique, we utilize the principle of non-identification to help you in achieving your running goals, whether to get started on a running program, improve your running technique, or PR your 10K.

Bottom line, non-identification requires that you get a grip on your ego. Ego is such a loaded word. Really, it’s not a bad thing. It’s a good healthy part of your psyche. However, when the ego runs the show, things can go out of whack. Non-identification doesn’t ask you to drop your ego, just keep it in balance with other aspects of your self and especially with what your body has to say.

When the ego makes the choices without being balanced with the input of your body and being, your workouts and goals are probably out of balance as well. The ego is a two-sided coin … it can either inflate or deflate your sense of self. When inflated, it may demand that you run a 10K in 50 minutes when your body is really ready for a 56-minute run. This is a good recipe for running injury. When deflated, your ego might give in to the nagging ache in your knee rather than trying just a little bit more to learn to lean and therefore not strike with your heels, but midfoot strike instead. When your ego is deflated, you give up too easily.

Non-identification is the art of making healthy decisions and of seeing yourself from a balanced place without judging yourself. If you are defining your self worth by how well a run goes, either negatively or with an inflated sense of pride, then you are identifying with how you run. When you are non-identified, you evaluate your run, but not your self worth. You notice what you did well, what you need to improve upon and enjoy the process of learning and improving your running technique.

It doesn’t mean you don’t feel good about your accomplishments. As a matter of fact, when you are non-identified you may feel your accomplishments more deeply, more quietly, more profoundly. You may take more delight in the smaller things in your life. It also means that you don’t judge yourself too harshly when things don’t go the way you want. The voices of “I’m not good enough, fast enough, strong enough” will never help you accomplish anything.

Non-identification also means seeing the big picture of yourself. You are aware of your strengths, your challenges and your long-term goals. This knowledge helps keep you on track and keeps you from getting sidelined by the many lures of the ego.

To get to a place of non-identification, the Five Mindful Steps (from Chi Walking) are a great practice. First think of the issue about which you need to make a choice, then:

  1. Get aligned – stand up straight, feel your spine, feel your posture straight from your head to your feet (or tailbone if you are sitting). This will give you some stability and a stronger sense of self and focus. Get aligned with your big picture goal. Does this choice fit in with that goal? Get aligned with supporting your goal in the best way possible.
  2. Engage your core – You want to listen to “the mind” of your body. To do so, focus your mind on your gut. Literally feel the area just below your navel and in toward your spine and then engage that part of your body on a physical level for at least 20 seconds or more. Now, ask the question regarding the choice you have to make. Can you notice how the answer has a different feeling than when you just engage your mind?
  3. Create balance – Find the balance in your body physically by moving from foot to foot until you are balanced on both feet, then move your torso until you find balance in your body. Now, allow your mind to explore your various choices. Try them on and look at them from various perspectives. Feel what each choice feels like.
  4. Make a choice – From this place of alignment, engagement with your core and deep balance, you will be able to see yourself and make a choice from a non-identified, but healthy perspective. Your mind and ego will have had their input, but your body will have been included in the process.
  5. Move forward – Once you have made a choice. it is always good to take steps to move in your chosen direction. It will help instate the choice into your mind and body.

A few other ways to practice non-identification:

  • Lighten up! Learn to laugh at yourself. If you can laugh at your foibles, you are most likely in a non-identified place where you are not truly judging yourself, and you’re not taking yourself too seriously. Life is short…lightening up and enjoying “what is” is always healthy.
  • Ask others. Get other people’s opinions of what you should do and just listen to their ideas. You don’t have to follow their advice, but be open to other perspectives.
  • Try running for fun. If you’re too serious about your running, event, or goals you will have a tendency to get over identified. Make sure you really do run at least one fun run a week and keep it that way…just for pure enjoyment.
  • Keep a log. Writing down the results of our workouts and runs can help you get perspective and solve any challenges you are facing.

Great running form doesn’t just come from good technique (although it’s a great place to start). It comes from having a healthy mental attitude. When you practice non-identification you might not just become a better runner, you might become a better person as well.

 

Resources to help you master the Chi Running basics:

 

]]> 2010-05-01T05:59:25+00:00