I've got Danny Dreyer's book too and have started on some of the basic principles. I tend to concentrate on the relaxing techniques and the lean thing on easy runs and it really helps. I must admit the runs where I have tried to apply these techniques have been much faster! I think it's a matter of changing small things over a long period of time rather than trying to change everything at once! Not sure how long it will take me to get through the whole book, it's quite heavy going!

Just looked in Amazon, and found this book is reduced to less than a fiver so ordered a copy on th espot without reading any of the reviews. 

Will let you know how I get on. Only been running for 7 weeks, so hopefully I can learn the form before I get too many 'bad' habits.

Looking forward to a few laughs at inappropriate moments too :o) Gotta love Californians.

That's great, I'm only new to these techniques too but seems to have done great things to my PBs, have had a run of PBs for all my routes recently, some of them when I was supposedly doing a recovery/easy run and focusing on the Chi Techniques! Struggling a bit more to apply when running tempo but I'm sure that will come. I think I'd like to eventually go on a Chi running workshop when I have the time and money.

It's so simple but the relaxing techniques just works wonders!

I'm doing a hilly marathon in October so have spent a bit of time reading up on the uphill and downhill running chapter and trying to get to grips with that too.

Well, after reading that so many of my fellow GRG'ers were purchasing this Chi Running book, I just had to join in the craze.

Purchased a copy this afternoon via Amazon.

I'm hoping I can put it to good use real soon as I reckon I'm gonna need some kind of help getting back into the swing after spending the past 7 or 8 days out of action due to a painful bout of toncilitis...which included about 48hrs where I felt like I was knocking on deaths door...(I'm sure all you blokes know this feeling). !!!??!!  ;P

About halfway through the book, and itching to get going! Finished my run/walk scheme on Friday, running 30 minutes without stopping for the first time, so this will be the ideal time to start working on form. 

Will be away on business for a few days now, so won't get time for a run (boo!) but I'm going to make some time to do some of the posture excercises. That said, going canoeing tomorrow on a 'teambuilding' excercise, so at least I'll be getting some cross training.

Martin - sounds like you really got the hang of it pretty quickly, and if I can recreate even part of your success I'll be very happy!

Helen - I think you might get better results if you take it slow, try only one or two focusses in your run until you feel you have it down. I know I'm going to have to try very hard not to include too many new techniques in my first go :o)

Just got the book today and looking forward to reading it after seeing what everyone has posted

Well, I enjoyed the book, but I never thought it would have quite such an immediate effect!  I ran 3K on Wednesday, in the heat of the afternoon sun, and managed to knock a whole minute of my previous time. Just by focusing on 'cotton and steel'.  

This morning, I ran 5K (even though I only intended on doing 3!) and managed to knock nearly 2 minutes off my previous 5K time! Admittedly, that was done a few weeks ago before I had finished my run/walk scheme, but that course is flatter and softer underfoot than the one I ran today, and had the benefit of having other runners around to help pace. 

I am well chuffed! This, from applying just a few of the techniques. At one point this morning I felt like I was on a Segway - a slight forward lean and rolling along effortlessly! Thoroughly recommend people try this book out.

Am trying to use the Chi running techniques for running uphill and downhill. I've read the technique for steep uphill running and it says to run sideways? I couldn't quite work out what this meant from the illustrations and description in the book! Can anyone shed any light on this or have you tried it? I have a hill session planned in next week with a fairly steepish hill so it make fall into place then (or I might fall trying to run sideways!) but any expansion in this technique before then would be useful!

I think what you are supposed to do is instead of running with your feet pointing straight up the hill, you turn slightly sideways, as if you were going to run diagonally across the pathway. 

Imagine you are on a large clock face, your body and feet would be pointing to 1 o'clock (or 11 o'clock), but you would be running in the direction of 12 o'clock. To do this, you have to cross one foot over the other a little, but provided you aren't turned too much (i.e facing 3 o'clock!) it shouldn't be much of a trip hazard. I didn't quite understand what he was saying about the arms though. Will have to re-read that bit.

He suggests that you switch sides a few times if the hill is long - so if you start out facing 1 o'clock, switch to facing 11 o'clock halfway up, to balance things out and avoid overworking one side.

I'll be doing my first hill session next week, so will also give it a go!

Thanks Ian, I did think it might be a trip hazard if I had to cross one foot over the other to keep running in the same general direction, I'm very good a tripping over my own feet! Only one way to find out and try it next week....