ChiRunning - How long does it take to get it?

How long does it take to get it? I get this question all the time, and it is a difficult one to answer. In my own experience, I have “gotten it” several different times over the course of my learning journey. We call these “AHA moments.” Those moments where everything clicks and you say “AHA, I got it!” These AHA moments add a tremendous amount of joy to my running practice. As in learning any skill, when things suddenly click, and your brain and body are synched up magic begins to happen…

Like many others, I’ve experienced several AHA moments throughout my ChiRunning practice. I had several when I first read the book, and continue to have them as I run and walk. This is the beauty of ChiRunning, you are constantly learning something about your body, your mind, and your self.

AHA moments come in all forms and sizes. You might have a physical AHA moment, such as feeling gravity pull you forward, rather than using your legs to propel you. One of the more profound AHA moment s for me was an emotional one. It was my senior year of college. I had been practicing ChiRunning for a year, and my college career was coming to an end. As I entered into the championship part of the season I ran a continuous streak of PRs in the 10K (6.2miles) I had an emotional attachment to making the national meet, which requires you run a certain time to qualify. Through my ChiRunning practice I found that by NOT focusing on time, my race times improved DRAMATICALLY.

I ran 32:42, 32:20, 31:52 and 5 days after that 31:15. There was no recovery time needed from these races. The 31:15 was truly a magical race for me. Everything aligned and flowed smooth that day. The entire race was like one giant AHA moment. Although I did run considerably faster than I ever had before, it wasn’t the time I was most happy with, it was the emotional feeling I had inside my body. I was happy and everybody close to me was happy. I was projecting pure joy and relaxation and that was being reflected back to me.

That was in 2005. Close to 5 years later I’m still getting AHA moments. When I’m setting up a training plan for somebody and they ask me, “how long will it take to get it?” I explain to them that many people notice benefits right away. You are likely to experience a few AHA moments in your first session with a certified ChiRunning instructor. If you continue to practice you will continue to grow, and your journey will be a series of one AHA moment after the next. You will "get it" as soon as you start practicing, but there is always more to learn, more to grow, more to see, and more to feel. The important thing is to enjoy the journey and not worry about the destination.