In the start of a run, I usually pick a focus that I need to work on. Lately it’s been to stabilize my pelvis from lateral movement on my left side. That’s the side with the knee I damaged. I’ve been ‘coming back’ from this injury for quite a while now, and I have been having lateral hamstring and IT band tightness on that leg. I couldn’t figure it out until one day, while brushing my teeth, I was practicing standing on one leg while looking in the mirror. I noticed that when I switched to my left leg, there was a slight outward movement of my hip. If I stabilized my pelvis (engage my core), there was no movement, and it felt as solid as it did when standing on the right leg. This is the one-legged posture stance, by the way. So my focus was to work on that all the time, including while running. And holding to the pyramid of form, distance, and speed, I only run as far as I can hold this good form. The distance I can do this is gradually creeping upward.

Body sensing the difference between unstable and stable became much easier when I practiced it standing still at first. As I began to notice the shift, it got ‘louder’ in terms of sensing it, such that I could feel a cascade of movement internally if I didn’t stabilize the hip. It took only a very subtle movement to correct the instability, and with practice, I could feel and ‘hear’ this while running. Before every run, I practice this one-legged posture stance, to remind my body what it feels like when it’s correct verus unstable. During running, when my knee starts ‘talking’ I just make that subtle move in my pelvic region, and it gets quiet. The proof is afterward - no IT or lateral hamstring issues, and no knee pain!

While running, all this focusing can bring on a bit of tension. To relieve that, and quiet my mind, I feel my belly expand and contract as I breathe. I don’t do anything to force the breathing (I’m running in an aerobic state, breathing through my nose only); I just watch it, like I do during a sitting meditation. By focusing on the breathing and just being a passive bystander, my mind relaxes and my body releases tension.

Relaxation is the by-product of all of the above - focusing, body sensing, and breathing. I also relax my right side and allow the right foot to make full contact with the ground behind my hips. I have a pelvic twist on the right side and this is a great way to train it to go back, taking pressure off the left knee. I know (from being videotaped) that my right heel would not come all the way down in the landing, causing more problems in the the knee and hamstring. Now I relax the achilles and heel down, giving a slight stretch to the right psoas muscle, before I lift the ankle. Again, my issues of the past have been alleviated!

By the time I am done with my run, I am fully relaxed, as if I had been sitting quietly, meditating and clearing my mind of all thought. And I am finally feeling the healing that is taking place. And all it took was the four Chi skills!

5km - 17.02 (41 seconds faster than 20 years ago)
5m - 29:52 (improvement of 4:30)
10km - 37:56
10m - 1:01:21
Half-Marathon - 1:22:42 (improvement of 8:37, 6:23 faster than the 2011 Chicago Half the day after the ChiRunning workshop)
Marathon - 3:08:08 (improvement of 25:45)

I'm 40 years old and fit into the Clydesdale category, as I weigh 195 lbs.  I only run three times a week and attend yoga classes 4 - 6 times a week.  I would consider my nutrition to be OK.  My diet consists of organic foods if possible, very little red meat and if I choose to eat meat or poultry, I try and make sure it's humanely raised and locally sourced.

Over the last couple of years, there's been a seemingly inexorable move towards minimalist shoes, in no small part prompted by Chris McDougall's seminal book, Born to Run. I was one of the groupies who went out and purchased two pairs of Vibram 5-Fingers after reading just a couple of chapters.  I was also lucky, but stupid, because I didn't follow the advice and transition into them gradually; however, despite diving straight in, I did not get injured.  One can't go to a race, or a sporting goods store, a running website or magazine where there aren't people plugging gait analysis (in many cases, because they want to sell some shoes) and all of a sudden, everybody is wearing minimalist or barefoot shoes.  And if they're not minimalist shoes, they're the latest models featuring unprecedented support.  In my case, I took Danny's workshop three months after switching to the Vibrams, and that probably helped mitigate the injury risk.  After all, for an old bloke who ran his first marathon (Big Sur, which was also my first marathon) in 3:04 aged 52, Danny must have been doing something correctly.

Research-wise, this is still a nascent area. We're starting to see a trickle of peer-reviewed papers on barefoot and minimalist running, many of which are encouraging, but it's still going to be some time before we can claim that 'the science is settled' when it comes to minimalist running, let alone ChiRunning.  We should also, however, bear in mind, as McDougall points out in his book, that there are no or few peer-reviewed papers supporting the use of regular running shoes with heavy cushioning and support in the heel.  And for those who point to podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons who are quoted about the upswing in injuries suffered by barefoot or minimalist runners, are those injuries attributable to the footwear or poor form?

So why am I writing this?  I thought I would use this opportunity to impart how I have benefited from ChiRunning, what I have learned, what I am still doing wrong, and what I need to do.

Benefits:

My times speak for themselves, but I am not sure that I can impute all of the improvement to ChiRunning alone.  The Vibrams have certainly helped, as have regular track sessions, yoga, improved nutrition and regular massage, but my half and full marathon times improved significantly immediately after taking Danny's workshop.  This appears to be more than coincidental.
My times in training are much faster too.
Recovery times after hard races and training sessions have shortened, and there's less soreness.
It's rare that I'm out of breath after a race.
The metronome to regulate and maintain cadence has been critical.

What have I learned?

While Danny's book and video are a great starting point, taking a workshop is even more important.  But it doesn't end there.  If you're serious about making the change, working with a locally certified instructor to point out flaws in form is also critical.  In Chicago, I've been working with Maurice Wills, who has been filming me, reviewing the film, measuring angles and pointing out flaws with hip and chin positioning.
When tiredness sets in during training or races, performing a quick form focus while slowing down definitely helps get things back on track.
The speed improvements will come naturally with correct form.
I don't need a heart rate monitor.  It's a distraction. At best, as Danny says, it's a bio feedback tool to be used to measure progress at various points during training.  I think it's useless in a race.

What am I still doing wrong?

I'm not running from the core and focusing on the 'needle in cotton' principle to the degree that I should.  As an aside, I HATE core exercises and need to rectify that, as well as be more focused on it during training and races.
My pelvic tilt and lean need more work, which will improve through continued focus, coaching, and practice.
My head tends to swing about when tiredness sets in.

What do I need to do?

Practice!
Regularly circle back to the book and DVD and follow the advice of focusing on different form principles during training sessions.  Get down to Chicago's Oak St Beach and run barefoot in the sand so I can see how my feet are landing and if they're in alignment.
Continue to work with Maurice on refining my style so that I am running more from the core.
Hopefully take a one week instructor course so that I can immerse myself more in the ChiRunning principles.

In summary, I can't say that ChiRunning is for everybody, in the same way that I can't say that minimalist shoes are for everybody.  I find it more than coincidental that as I get older, my times continue to improve while maintaining my same Clydesdale weight and only running three days a week.  It's been a year now since I took the workshop.  I'm not one of those numerous uplifting examples of an ITBS or PF sufferer who took Danny's workshop and now runs injury free.  I've managed to stay injury-free while improving my performance.  There's clearly something Danny has nailed with his ChiRunning philosophy.  I'm a believer and intend to continue to seek improvement through the application of the ChiRunning principles.

We're thrilled to announce ChiRunning will be at the 2012 Chicago Marathon! Swing by our booth at the expo, and be sure to catch Danny's talks:

Friday, Oct. 5th: 10:30am
Saturday, Oct. 6th: 10:45am

Come hear Danny Dreyer, creator of ChiRunning, speak at The Bank of America Chicago Marathon Health & Fitness Expo. Learn how to run efficiently, stay injury-free, and improve your overall performance. We hope to see you there!

In terms of making sure each walk is a valuable fitness workout, the best tool I use is a metronome. I walk almost every day, sometimes twice a day (thank heaven for our dog who nudges me out the door when I’m ambivalent) and I use the metronome for at least 3-4 walks a week. Otherwise, I slip into a slower pace and sloppy walking habits.

The metronome is especially important for ChiWalking because in ChiWalking, your stride length stays the same and your cadence changes as you go faster or slower. And, your pace may be different than someone else’s. For me, I really need to be walking at 140 strides per minute (spm) to get the kind of aerobic workout I need. It’s a good pace that I can hold for longer distance of 30-60 minutes or more. I start walking at 130 strides per minute and then build to and hold at 140 spm for the majority of the walk. For a longer hike of two hours or more, my cadence sets in at about 134 spm.

The metronome does more than just keep you moving at an aerobic pace. The steady rhythm quiets and focuses the mind and brings your walking form together. When you walk with the metronome you’ll feel your whole body working as one, rather than as separate parts: legs, arms, torso, and head.

The metronome is a fabulous tool to get an interval workout, which you want to do twice a week. The aerobic workouts are what will burn fat, but the interval workouts build strength in the most important muscle in your body – your heart. In an interval workout you can walk for 2-3 minutes at 140-150 strides per minute, or whatever pace elevates your breath and heart rate above an aerobic pace. You want to elevate, then lower your heart rate several times during the workout. Then lower your heart rate by walking at an aerobic cadence of 130-140 for 1-2 minutes. Warm up for five minutes, do 3-5 intervals and then cool off with a 5-10 minute aerobic walk.

Your metronome will keep you on task to keep your heart strong while keeping your body safe from injury and pain with good walking technique. 

I’d never heard of using a metronome for running, but I used it often, practicing with it regularly. Then, in 1999, when I began to teach the first ChiRunning classes, I tested it with students, and sure enough, I saw good runners get even better, and beginning runners began to look like experienced long distance runners.

Since then I have experimented with using the metronome to improve my own and my students’ running form. One thing I’ve found that helps me deeply relax and settle into a very comfortable and economical stride, is to synch my breath rate with my cadence. My normal stride rate (cadence) is 180 strides per minute (spm). When I’m out on a training run at a comfortable training pace I’ll set my metronome to beep at 60 bpm and I run with a “waltz step” where I hear a beep every third step, just like in a waltz. So, whatever your normal cadence is, just find your waltz tempo by dividing total steps per minute by three to get your setting. (i.e. 180 ÷ 3 = 60). It’s much more relaxing (and quiet) than listening to 180 beats every minute. (Note: I recommend 180 spm for runners with shorter legs, like mine, and 170 spm for you long-legged runners. It is less efficient for anyone to run with a cadence slower than 170 spm or faster than 180 spm.)

When I synch my breath rate to my cadence I can keep my body’s movements rhythmic and consistent, while I practice moving chi energy through my body in various pathways: up my spine, down my front, in figure eights throughout my body, gathering into my center, or issuing energy while running downhill as fast as I can (my favorite!).

Running is a license to have the best highs of life. I can come back from 2-3 hour runs more energized than when I left.

I was recently running a half marathon and felt myself losing energy around mile ten. After trying all the focuses I could think of I was still struggling to find my stride. Hey, it happens. Then, I turned my metronome on, and that was it. I regained my rhythm and shorter stride length and I soon felt energy move through my body again. I actually finished the race with energy to spare.

Here is one of my favorite metronome workouts. It’s simple. Do this as a hill or trail run (where you’re changing gears a lot), or as a flat run where you frequently change your gears (go faster or slower). The goal of this workout is to start your metronome at the beginning of the run and match your stride rate to the metronome no matter what gear you’re running in or what speed you’re going. Keep to the rhythm of that metronome as if your life depended on it. Allow your stride to open up out the back when you’re going faster or downhill in 3rd gear (has to be runnable down hills, not too steep). Shorten your stride for uphills to 1st or 2nd gear or just run in a lower gear on flats. No matter what, try to match the metronome with every step you take, and stay with a consistent cadence of 170-180 spm or 57-60 bpm if you’re doing the waltz tempo.

Aside from the metronome, it is also important to practice the basic ChiRunning form focuses. Your core needs to be engaged and your posture aligned. Your shoulders should be relaxed and your arms swinging in good form as you feel for the sweet spot of your lean. Do two of these form workouts a week and you’ll have fabulous running technique in no time.

Once you have the fundamentals the metronome will help take your running to the next level. How high and how far, I can’t say. I still feel like I’m just beginning to experience what’s possible.

Since my last blog, I’ve continued to run over the summer but not with the same consistency.  My travels had me running in different places and I enjoyed some hilly terrain in scorching hot weather.  I still ran to heart rate and just walked the uphills when I needed to and enjoyed taking advantage of gravity on the downs. 

No huge change in the stats but my pace continues to improve for the same heart rate.  Over the next few months with more consistent training and a steady increase in volume, I look forward to more progress.  I have neglected the faster stuff for a while but this will be back in the plan again from next week and as before the summer with more of a focus on increasing range of motion rather than speed.

What I have added to my training are strides.  After every run I do a few short repetitions of relaxed sprinting.  With all the slow running I am doing, these give me the opportunity to again work on my range of motion and remind my body how to run fast!

My long runs are close to two and a half hours and I love them.  Anything under an hour seems like a short run to me these days.   My running form is always paramount and all this time on my feet practicing my Chi Running form has improved my balance and stability.  I can maintain my form on the longer runs and in fact often feel stronger on the run the longer I am out.

On Saturday I decided to run in a local 5K and surprised myself by running a PB despite all the months of the long slow stuff and the lack of any speed work over the summer.  Progress is being made in all areas and I am as motivated as ever to keep on training to heart rate.

Happy Running.
Michelle

They also did a fourth test with their subjects using all three interventions at the same time. Here’s what they found.

When they had the runners land in a midfoot strike, and when they ran with a combination of all three interventions, they had an approximately 50% lower loading rate. What they also found, which was interesting to me, was that running in racing flats, or increasing one’s stride frequency, had a non-significant effect on loading rate.

So here’s their final conclusion, and I quote: “Our results show that the most efficient solution for acutely reducing LR (loading rate) is to run with a MFS (midfoot strike) pattern.” I couldn’t agree more.

Afterthoughts…
What I would like to see done is a study showing whether or not there is an increased probability of metatarsil stress fractures in either barefoot runners or minimalist shoe enthusiasts, because of the forefoot strike pattern common to those two groups. I have heard of many reports of runners transitioning too quickly to barefoot or minimalist running and incurring everything from calf pulls and achilles tendonitis, to metatarsil stress fractures. On the other hand I’ve heard just as many stories of chronically injured runners miraculously being cured of all the same injuries. So, I’d love to hear the scientists weight in on this one.

When I saw that 50% reduction in loading rate from the midfoot strike, I said to myself, “I like those numbers.” Because it means two things,” 1. If you run with a midfoot strike you’ll be creating significantly lower odds of having a stress fracture in your lower extremities, and 2. after twelve years of ChiRunning Instructors teaching hundreds of thousands of runners about the midfoot strike, we can officially say, “I think we’re onto something.”