The Center Must Hold

My training has taken an early detour. Still running, got the bike tuned up, and seem to be getting outside everyday. But I am actually going at this fitness thing quite slowly, with the sole purpose of creating a strong foundation now, in order to gain strength and stamina later.

The more I read ChiRunning the more intrigued I become. At this point, when I run my shins still hurt, and just as Dreyer predicted, my stamina is actually getting worse. Currently my runs are a slow 30 minutes. Intentionally and pragmatically. I am not worried about speed or distance...only my posture. As I type this entry I sit with my belly pulled in, my collarbone stretched high, and my pelvis set into its proper place (Never really realized the pelvis had a proper place). More importantly, I run (or at least I try) holding my column straight. Constantly I check the position of my posture, the lean of my gait, and the manner in which I lift my feet. It's tiring. It's hard to stay focused. And yet I love the way this running philosophy forces me to stay tuned into my body. The way it encourages me to let my spine and my abdomensto do the work. On my last couple runs I have hit an effortless stride for several minutes. Just haven't been able to sustain it. Good runs are coming! Just gotta stay focused.

Yet as I wait for those good runs to return I am working to change my stride. I am trying to bounce, not plod around the streets. I am trying to land on the balls of my feet and then pick them up, not land, roll and push off my tippy-toes. Leaving the ground from your toes is bad! So I am told. My arms and legs should follow the center of my body. The center does the work...the arms and legs just move along beside it. Build the core, strengthen the center, find the true power in the body. It's really that simple.

In the meantime, I continue to get outside every day, and I continue to push for more strength and stamina. It's a long journey!