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Chi RunningWell, the human body isn't like that, replacement parts that are available like hips and knees are a band-aid solution - literally. The replacement parts just aren't up the the original equipment especially if you plan on remaining active! And besides that, I'll bet that artificial knees are more expensive than shocks, struts, and stabilizer bars! 
Run Without InjuryIt's worth it to learn to run without injury - and avoid the stress and strain of "after-market parts".Get the Right GearI'm convinced that master's runners benefit from the right shoe. Every body is different, but for me a shoe like the Spira provides great cushioning and good stability when combined with orthotics. Don't settle for second rate, and replace your shoes as they wear.There's more to the picture than just the shoe, however. We need to throw some brains into the mix. Mind over MatterThis is where we start to use our minds as an anti-injury tool. Chi Running is an attitude of mind that lets us run without injury. We've all heard the lectures about warming up and limbering up before a run, and most of us take that advice to heart - especially as we become master runners.Chi running brings the preparation of the mind into focus: Just as we prepare our bodies to run, we should prepare our minds. We awaken the awareness of our body to our minds, and focus our consciousness on our physical state: Relaxed, centered, and efficient. Sounds kind of goofy, right? Guilty as charged! But give it a try - you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results! Try some or all of these Chi Running tips and decide for yourself! Focus your Mind Drop the cares of the day, leave the cell phone behind or off (yeah, the Crackberry too!). Zone out your tensions, and look around. Breath the air and feel the breezes. Get into your surrounding by being aware of what's around you. Listen to your Body While doing your warm up be aware of your body. Relax your legs and arms, feet and ankles. Do some mild stretching to loosen up. Walk before you run. Become aware of your core: align your posture, support your spine with core muscles and use your abdominals to provide strength and support to your running. Breath Deeply Use all of your lungs to deliver oxygen by putting your belly to good use. Visualize pulling your belly button into your spine while inhaling, and exhale by relaxing your belly muscles. Your breathing cycles should cover multiple strides: Breath in for a couple of strides, and out for three strides. This kind of conscious breathing keeps your body fresh and relaxed far into your run. Relax Take advantage of smooth trails and surfaces by relaxing your legs and feet as they touch the ground. Gauge your running environment: If you're running over roots and rocks keep your legs and ankles ready for the twist that comes with uncertain footing. If you're running on smooth surfaces, relax yourself and see your body gliding over the trail in a smooth, fluid motion. When your footing is good keep your eyes on the trail ahead rather than looking down at your feet. Chi Running Form Keep your head up, shoulders relaxed, and your spine aligned with yourfeet. Each time your foot touches the ground it should be in line withyour spine. Visualize this line as you run. Stand on one foot, and "memorize" how it feels to have your foot directly under your spine, and your hips and neck in line with the spine. Now, try the other foot. Think about how that feels. It's a bit like cycling: when you are directly above the wheel line of the bike you can feel the stability and wobbling from side to side decreases. Running with Chi Start jogging slowly, just enough to get your feet moving in a running motion. A secret to chi running is planting your leading foot under the body and leaning forward as you run - making gravity "pull" you forward. Over-striding is at the root of many running injuries. We land on our heels, each foot plant in front of the body. This type of running is inefficient, and we tend to fall into over striding when we tire because long stride are easier on the cardiovascular system. Chi running keeps strides short. You will feel yourself landing closer to the mid foot area with your feet in line with your spine. Pick up each foot consciously as you more to the next stride, and your running form will improve. When I'm tired I have a tendency to run like I'm cross country skiing: sort of shuffling from stride to stride. Correcting this shuffle and picking up up my feet makes for a more restful run - not to mention that you look a lot better too! 
Studies of professional runners show that speed increase comes from a faster stride - not a longer stride. It's the running equivalent of Lance Armstrong's cycling form: high RPM's keep muscles fresh longer. Quick strides and high RPM's train the cardiovascular system to deliver more oxygen for a longer period of time. Conclusion Proper running form increases your aerobic capacity, and extends the length and enjoyment of your runs. Give it try! We know that athletes use visualization for success. We can use the same techniques to improve our running and run injury free! Pain Free RunningToo many runners run in pain each year, and far too many runners spend needless time on the sidelines due to running injuries.The practice of Chi Running can be a key component to
pain free running
. Click the link to learn more about the relation between chirunning and injury free running.
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