The Hood To Coast Relay is special to me in so many ways.  Not only is it the “Woodstock of Running”, but my inaugural HTC in 2007 was the first time I was exposed to ChiRunning by a physicist from Stanford University. ChiRunning has changed my life of running! Prior to incorporating the principles learned from Alice during my first ChiRunning workshop in April 2008, I had been suffering from significant calf and plantar pain and occasional severe low back pain. Done properly, ChiRunning significantly reduces the biomechanical impact with the ground – thus decreasing stress to the entire body, especially one’s feet. As a physical therapist, this technique makes so much sense!!! By utilizing the combination of Strain Counter Strain Manual Therapy, coaching and support from the Vancouver Fit running club, and by incorporating the principles of Chi Running, pain has been all but eliminated to these once affected areas. During and after the 2009 HTC event, I can honestly say I had absolutely no pain or soreness whatsoever. I attribute this to proper training and to eating the right kinds of foods before, during and after my runs. More specifically I attribute the resolutions of my pain issues to
ChiRunning!!!!”

I’ve been meaning to e-mail you for some time to follow up on the Introductory workshop I did with you early last year.  I wanted to let you know that I’ve been really, really happy with the results in my running life. It took about six months for me to be able to fully rotate my left hip.  I kept doing all the loosening exercises and running. One day, my left hip suddenly  joined in!  All of a sudden, I had rotation, as well as flexion and extension. You won’t be surprised to hear that my chronic piriformis pain started to resolve shortly thereafter. In fact, if I feel my piriformis or upper hamstring start to tighten up while I’m running, I just focus on rotating that hip and it loosens again. I am here to say that it may take months to get all the parts of the running form in motion, but it’s SO worth the wait. My chronic hip pain on the left is a thing of the past. Training during the fall (for a HM I didn’t run) and the winter for the Cascade HM in January of this year, like I did last year. My time was shorter by a full minute per mile. It was a great race for me. I ran with another woman for a few miles, and she commented on how easy my stride was. Needless to say, I tell everyone about Chi Running and your workshops. After a year, I’m starting to focus more on swinging my arms back because I tend to swing cross-body. (Cascade race pix confirmed this) and on keeping my ankles soft. My only remaining soreness is in my feet and ankles, so I’m working now on a good bend at the knee and picking up my feet. I can’t thank you enough for bringing ChiRunning to the NW and to ME!

After fighting knee and hip pain for years and nearly giving up running, I found the ChiRunning method. I used the book to teach myself, and within a few months my injuries were gone. But it was a private coaching session with Alice that really helped
me refine my form so that I could train for longer distances. Recently, I used the very things she taught me in my first 50K,
which I finished with no injuries and a smile on my face. At age 48, I’m now running farther, faster, and more freely than I ever
have in my life, and I attribute it all ChiRunning. Thanks Alice!

I’ve been running fairly seriously and running a few marathons a year for 11 years. Prior to taking a ChiRunning workshop
from Alice, I had never had any instruction on running form or mechanics, even though I’ve read a lot and talked to many other
runners about “how to run”. Even recently when I asked a good runner and running coach if he could watch me and give me
feedback, he said, “Your body knows how to run and figure out form that works.” The ChiRunning class finally gave me some
suggestions and insight that made sense in terms of energetics, mindset, form and mechanics. Watching the video of my running,
with Alice was one of the most helpful portions of the class. I feel like my running will be more efficient and my body will be
safer as I run in the future, almost into my 50’s by now. This class was a month before my 48th birthday, when I ran 48 miles fairly efficiently and injury-free. During the day, whenever my form and energy began to sag, I remembered the key points of the ChiRunning form to help me feel better and more efficient.