More running today. Just five miles, at a pace around 9:10. Intellectually, it's more than a little strange to be running such minuscule distances, and so slowly. And yet this is what feels right, right now, and I was gratified to find that simply having it feel right is a key element of Danny Dreyer's ChiRunning. I found the book after its mysterious absence, buried under a couple sweaters on a dresser, and while I haven't systematically read it I have bounced through it enough to find welcome confirmation of much of what I've been doing. Dreyer says to run not with time or pace foremost but with the goal of being pain-free and feeling good. It's amazing how new this idea is. I constantly have to remind myself: relax and feel good. Even more amazing is that it works. When I gently lean, when I bend the knees a little, when I swing the arms, when I stay in alignment, when I maintain a short, high-cadence stride, when I let everything below the knee just dangle—it all feels better. I'm not sure if this is the way to become the fastest runner possible. However, it may be a way for me to become a lifetime runner, and that is a thrilling prospect.
No comments:
Post a Comment