The ChiRunning revolution is taking hold in Canada, thanks to a growing number of dedicated followers who are spreading the word and convincing others it's the key to injury-free and energy-efficient running. ChiRunning classes are popping up all over the country, taught by the handful of Canadians who are qualified as instructors, runners are buzzing about it on the Internet, and word of mouth is boosting its profile.

The method blends the principles of tai chi with running and aims to make the exercise as effortless and relaxing as possible. In ChiRunning, power and speed come from the core, which involves engaging the groups of muscles in the stomach, back and pelvis, leaning forward and relying on gravity to propel the body instead of the leg muscles. It takes time to master the technique's fundamentals, but some runners who have got them down claim their shin splints and knee problems vanished, their IT band injury is a thing of the past, hip and back pain faded away and they've never loved running so much. Now some ChiRunners have a health problem of a different kind: an addiction.

"My enjoyment is through the roof. I actually have to hold myself back from running," says Eric Collard. The Ottawa resident's compulsive habit started when he picked up the book ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running by Danny Dreyer. Dreyer is the American man and ultra-marathoner who developed the method, trademarked it, and has catapulted it into a thriving business by selling books and DVDs, and by training others to literally follow in his footsteps.

Collard got so hooked on ChiRunning, he became a certified instructor, a comprehensive process that included taking a course in California and passing a series of exams.

"I'm just so passionate about it," says Collard, one of about a dozen people in Canada qualified to teach ChiRunning. "I've been getting out there and spreading the news."

On top of his workshops, he also organizes a weekly practice session in Ottawa for those who have caught on to the ChiRunning phenomenon. In just six months of teaching it in his spare time, Collard has already trained about 70 people.

The backbone -- no pun intended -- of ChiRunning is good posture and alignment, and, from there, runners literally go with the flow by falling forward and letting the legs follow behind.

Elbows are also swinging to the rear, strides are short and shoes hit the pavement mid-foot, not heel first.

The correct physical technique will never be realized, however, without the proper mental training, according to the ChiRunning philosophy. The mind must be focused, and the mental energy should be harnessed and directed outward through the body. When done properly, it's like meditating while running. "It's a nice mind-body connection," says Collard. "It takes running from a sport to a practice, like yoga."

In fact, the yoga community is where some of the buzz about ChiRunning is originating, and it's also widely talked about in the triathlon community, where competitors are naturally concerned with energy efficiency and endurance. Some physiotherapists and other health professionals are also recommending the running style to patients who struggle with injuries and discomfort.

Charles Miron, a 32-year-old fitness coach in Calgary, was told to stop running by doctors about two years ago because of a lower back injury. Instead, Miron began practising ChiRunning, his injury healed and he is now a top-place finisher in ultra-marathons and logs about 150 to 200 kilometres of running a week.

"It's allowed me to pursue my passion to places I never thought possible," says Miron, who also became an instructor and is helping the ChiRunning movement grow in Calgary. "I believe in it so much. It was such an eye-opener, I thought other people have to know about this." ChiRunning isn't a medical cure, says Miron, and it's not a radical way of running, but it can mean a world of difference for those who get the hang of it. Angela James, a ChiRunning instructor in Vancouver, used to have a nagging tendinitis injury and now runs pain-free. Learning ChiRunning has also meant immeasurable mental health benefits, according to the 54-year-old athlete. "It's profoundly changed everything for me," says James, who runs marathons and competes in triathlons. "It's made me a more balanced person, more mindful and happier as a result."

She wants others to get the most out of running the way she does, and that's what motivates her to spread the ChiRunning revolution. "It might sound like a business, but it's not," says James. "To me, it's really helping people."

---

The benefits of ChiRunning include:

- reduced chance of injury

- increased mental clarity and focus

- enhanced joy of running

- increased energy efficiency

- improved posture

- good breathing technique

- improved speed