I am a student of the Japanese martial art called Aikido. Ki is the same as Chi in Chi Running! Aikido in itself has given me a lot. I have learned how to focus and how to center and that has been part of my live for over twenty years now. But it was not until I used Chi Walking during a summer break where I walked in the mountains that I fully understood what centering is all about. The key to this for me was the body sensing exercise. While walking in the mountains, I felt tired and was not enjoying the ride at all. Then, I started working on the form focuses, and when I started doing the body sensing exercise all of a sudden I felt completely centered and in the "here and now".

I was not tired any more, I was enjoying the birds that were singing and I could see the many colors that nature brings. I started using the exercise more and more, and it has even taken me to change the subject of my Ph.D. research. I have now created a new method called A.I. ki do, which is a combination of Aikido and Appreciative Inquiry (A.I.). In the method, I teach people how to find their source of power and how to center. This leads to better performance, better communication, better co-creation and so on.

The Chi Running technique has given me back my life! I am running every morning for about 45 minutes and feel energized when I come home to work. I have lost 15 kilo’s of extra weight that I have been carrying around for the last few years. I am now able to focus instantly and constantly because of the form focuses I do while I am running. Chi Running has changed my life for the best. I am very grateful for this beautiful ‘tool’.

Kind regards,
José Otte 

At the age of 60, I finally read the ChiRunning book and discovered my cadence was way too slow, which meant I was overstriding and hitting on my heels too much. I re-engineered my form according to the book, and I literally can not believe the results. My left hamstring was still weak and sore when I started this new approach, but it actually became stronger as I practiced!  After just one month of ChiRunning, I can recover from a 14 to 16-mile run in just one day, instead of 3. I have had no hints of injuries in my training, I even added some steeper downhill routes that used to kill my knees ... not any more!  

My sincere thanks to Mr. Dreyer and ChiRunning for giving my running a new life, when I was at the point of giving it all up!

Sincerely,

Bob - Utah

Well, the results, not evidence, are in.  One year and one week after taking my first ChiRunning workshop in Chicago on the 10th of September, here are my PRs (all set after the workshop):

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 Chi Running 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 Willis, 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.
 

I practiced the techniques on an off for about a year and then tragedy struck—a co-worker of mine died of a massive heart attack. After being in shock for a few days, I realized how my health needed a major overhaul—sporting 50 pounds more than what I should be weighing, I could be next in line for major health issues! Having a young family, finishing my latest degree, caring for aging parents—these were all more important than taking care of my health, until that realization.

On that day of realization, I dusted off the treadmill, tried to keep mindful of at least a few of the Chi Running techniques, and ran for 10 minutes. Since that day (8 weeks ago), I am becoming more mindful of remembering the techniques, and how my body feels when I am doing it right and when I need to refocus. I now try to Chi Walk/Chi Run for an hour a day, every day (no injuries to date), and I feel great and I am so proud of my accomplishment!

I love how I don’t have an excuse for not having time to be healthy anymore. My priorities have shifted greatly within the last 8 weeks, and I can only see my life improving from here on. My family has become very supportive since they are seeing so many positive changes. The one thing that I’m not worrying about is the weight—it is slowly coming off (15 pounds and about 4 inches since day 1)—it didn’t go on over night, so I shouldn’t expect it to come off in that way.

My new mantra: Slow and steady, one step at a time.

Kristy C.
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan  

Katherine M.

I felt a burning desire to run longer distances, but as I tried to build up my weekly mileage, things started going wrong. I ended up with lower leg injuries that sidelined me for weeks. I knew there must be a better way. I learned about Chi Running through a friend who did triathlons and I took a Chi Running class with Master Instructor Vince Vaccaro in October 2008. The concepts made so much sense to me and immediately, I started seeing improvements in my running. I ran my first 10K race in November 2008 with a time that was 5 minutes faster than I would have predicted. As I continued running, I had occasional setbacks along the way, but Vince was always there to help me get through the challenges (via email or in person). Vince inspired me with his own long distance achievements and supported me as I trained for my first marathon, which I completed in November 2010. I am looking forward to running my second marathon later this year.

When my company started a triathlon team, I asked Vince to teach Chi Running to the whole team. As a result, several of the team members have fully embraced Chi Running. I continue to “preach” the virtues of Chi Running to all my running (or wishful running) friends and have encouraged others to learn more about it. Vince is always willing to give his time and energy to help anyone who asks. Many, many people are running better because of his generous spirit.

I can’t express in words how grateful I am for the gift of Chi Running. Over the last couple of years, I have come to see Chi Running as more than a technique for running better or for injury prevention. Chi Running is a way of thinking and being that has a tremendous impact way beyond the time I spend running. I am much more in tune with my body and I have come to recognize the strength of the inner energy within me. I draw upon my Chi at times of stress and use the principles of Chi Running to guide me in my daily life. As a busy working mom of 3 with a demanding job, I have many opportunities to practice calling upon my Chi every day!

I've attached a before/after picture to show you how I looked in 2007, and how I looked at the Pensacola Marathon in late 2010. Although it pains me to see my “before” picture, I hope my story will inspire others to consider ChiRunning and start on the journey that I have made. Chi Running played a large part in my transformation and has changed the course of my life for the better.

Wendy R.