Posted by Laura Houston on Sun Feb 5th, 2012, 1 comments
Where do you use your Chi Running and Chi Walking focuses? I use mine in the pool - running! Years ago, before my Chi Running practice, I got a metatarsal stress fracture. I was committed to running the Hood to Coast relay, which motivated not to lose fitness, so I started pool running. I bought a float belt and started taking aqua jogging classes. I had trouble with keeping my head comfortably above the water line so I could breathe easier. It was not a fun experience and I abandoned it for the road once my foot healed.
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Posted by Laura Houston on Tue Jan 3rd, 2012, 2 comments
Running in 2011 has been a year of learning an important lesson - gradual progress. Early in the year, I slipped on an icy bench, slamming the inside of the knee. After many months of off and on running, and guessing the injury, an MRI showed a meniscus tear and Baker's cyst. It's been two steps forward, and one step back,
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Posted by Laura Houston on Fri Jun 24th, 2011, 7 comments
I was going to title this blog post "Running Stops the Voices in My Head" but I thought that might scare some readers off. In fact, running does quiet my mind, if I allow it. One of the aims of Chi Running (and Chi Walking) is to change running from a ‘fitness’ sport to a more mindful practice, much like yoga or Pilates or t’ai chi. Every time you run, it’s a chance to work on improving your practice, which includes listening to your body.
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Posted by Laura Houston on Sat Apr 23rd, 2011, 8 comments
A few years ago, while running at Hood to Coast relay, one of our team members proclaimed you could put a certain running shoe logo on a piece of dog poop and sell it. He worked for and was sponsored by a local shoe company, which made him biased, but there was an element of truth to that. These days, it seems to ring true for minimalist running, and what that means to different people.
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Posted by Laura Houston on Mon Feb 21st, 2011, 4 comments
My favorite venue for running is out in the mountains and forests. While I love these runs, I've been inspired by Danny's Boston marathon training updates and other instructors' talk of track workouts to get in some consistent flat running for form work. I took Alice Diffely's Form Focus Sequence workout (November 2008 Chi Living Newsletter) to the track today. Here's how it went (with a few modifications; reference to book noted):
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Posted by Laura Houston on Thu Jan 27th, 2011, 3 comments
Lately, in my runs, I have been focusing on the One Legged Posture Stance (OLPS). A good description of the OLPS can be found in the Chi Running book (p. 78-79). At the Kripalu workshop last fall, Danny said "The One Legged Posture Stance is like plugging an electrical socket into the floor with each step."
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Posted by Laura Houston on Tue Nov 9th, 2010, 0 comments
Running with the Chi Running technique can be challenging to someone overcoming a lifetime of bad habits. For those of us who have been practicing Chi Running for a while, some of those habits can creep back in, especially when we are tired. A common error in running form is over striding. It’s so common [...]
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Posted by Laura Houston on Wed Nov 3rd, 2010, 2 comments
Recently, I helped Danny and three other instructors at a four day Chi Running workshop at Kripalu Yoga Center in western Massachusetts. As Danny taught and talked through out the weekend, there were many things he said that were worth remembering. Fortunately, David Stretasnki wrote most of them down and sent them to us instructors. [...]
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Posted by Laura Houston on Fri Sep 17th, 2010, 2 comments
Once in a while, life happens (an accident, medical or family issues, traveling, etc.)Â and one is forced to stop running for a while. In my case I broke my pinky toe, when I stubbed it on a root. Stationary objects are great for practicing your y’chi, but they really hurt when you hit them! [...]
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Posted by Laura Houston on Wed Jul 21st, 2010, 0 comments
Last weekend I had the pleasure of hosting and assisting Danny at two ChiRunning workshops in Seattle. It was a full weekend with lots of good energy and inspiration. Danny arrived Friday afternoon, and despite having been up since just after midnight our time, he agreed to go on a run. There were some trails [...]
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