When I first started learning ChiRunning, I ran on streets and hard surfaces and concentrated on trying not to push off with my feet to move myself forward. This was particularly hard for me to let go of, for a lot years I was a sprinter and using my toes for propulsion was the key to winning. I would think "relax" while trying to lift my ankles up. The other thing I would do was to try and not take big steps. I knew if I swung my legs forward I would most likely land with a heel strike. My running seemed to be going well and I didn't feel the stiffness I used to feel after running.
Eventually I choose to try running through a meadow near my home. The dirt there was soft and would possibly provide me the equivalent of the sandpit exercise. The moment I started to run I felt my toes dish into the sand. I immediately knew I was not letting gravity move me totally but instead I was still relying on muscles for propulsion. I would stop and shake out my ankles and feet, get in my best posture and then start to fall forward. Again, I would leave the toe marks in the dirt. I would run for a while trying to play with my lean then stop and look at my footprints only to find no change. But I was determined to figure out why my legs could be so relaxed but also knowing I was still using muscles to help move me. I went home and poured over the ChiRunning book, reading the part that describes the sandpit exercise, more determined that on my next run I would find true balance in the sand. I returned and worked on finding my true balance but no matter how hard I worked at it I would still leave a toe imprint. I must admit I had slight improvements, the toe mark was getting smaller but it was still there. After a few days of running and stopping to readjust after reviewing my results in the sand, I began to notice that my last three steps where always good. I started to piece together that I must still be leaning too far forward even though I would swear that I had taken quite a bit of my lean off during my runs. But every time I slowed to stop I would take back my lean in order to stop. I decided to run more "straight up" then I had been and before I knew it, I was moving through the sand with picture perfect footprints! I still did not feel like I needed to push off to move forward. I worked at trying to build my muscle memory of where my balance was while running. After several weeks of running on dirt I began to experience perfect footprints no matter how much the dirt road changed its’ topography. I did notice if I was getting tired, the toes would start to tattletale in the dirt. I would need to check back into my posture and rebalance.
When running on the road, if I am questioning my balance, I have come to realization that I am probably too far forward. If I just take a little lean back, I find that is normally what is indicated.
At least once a week I will run on a dirt road or trail just to make sure my old habits are not trying to creep back in.
If you are running on only hard surfaces you might want to spend some time in the dirt to truly find out if you have completely let go of using muscles for propulsion. Learning to find your balance may take a little more practice but I guarantee that once you do it, it is well worth the time spent feeling for it.
