FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- As the sun rises and most people are still enjoying a couple more hours of sleep, Soldiers across the post are up and ready to hit the pavement for their morning physical training.
Many will run and push through pain in their back, knees or feet only to find themselves on a long and sometimes endless road to recovery.
On the morning of May 13, Senior Certified ChiRunning Instructor Robyn Humphrey, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, shared the benefits of ChiRunning with 15 Fort Bragg Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians from 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) and XVIII Airborne Corps at Wright Field.
Although Humphrey has never served in the military, she knows all too well the price of 'no pain no gain' after more than 30 years of running races and her fair share of injuries.
"Many painful injuries and recoveries made me change my mind about running and training power," she said. "I want to run for the rest of my life, and I shall."
Humphrey's class focused on ChiRunning and the importance of breath, the mind and body connection, posture, engaging the body's core and using gravity to propel the body forward.
ChiRunning was developed by Danny Dreyer, an ultra-marathon runner and coach. In 1994, he released his first book, ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running. This method of running incorporates many of the principles of the Chinese martial art Tai Chi such as form and body alignment.
"The methodology that I teach focuses on our anatomy and wellness for life. There is something for anyone who wants to feel better and learn how to move more efficiently," said Humphrey.
Humphrey's class also incorporated yoga for relaxation and stretching. She demonstrated for the group a restorative 'Leg-up-the-wall' pose. This "leg drain" is a natural way to cleanse the blood in the legs and relieve discomfort and swelling in the feet and legs. The class briefly learned the advantages of 'Downward-facing dog', a foundational pose and one of the most widely-known yoga poses. It is often used to strengthen and relieve pain in the back, hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendons.
Maj. Ester M. Morales Facdol, a Bayamon, Puerto Rico native, and 1st TSC's Supply and Services officer in charge, attended the clinic in hopes of improving her run time and increasing the distance she runs. After 17 years in the Army and three deployments to Afghanistan and Kuwait, she has flat feet and bunions, suffers from lower back pain after long runs and previously had a stress fracture in her right foot.
I learned the importance of posture while running and breathing right. Also, the exercises taught during the training were very helpful, said Facdol.
During the class, Humphrey stressed the importance of having fun and finding joy while running and walking through injury prevention and efficiency techniques. One technique is the arm swing which works like a pendulum. As the runner swings their upper arms, their legs follow along. After a brief overview, the class broke into two groups and ran a short distance together using a pace counter and cadence. Increasing a runner's step frequency or cadence promotes short, quick strides, often giving the appearance that the runner is levitating. This change to a runner's form helps reduce stress on the body.
Sgt. Kent Kauffman, 32, a geospatial team leader, XVIII Airborne Corps, found the information shared during the clinic to be useful.
"I attended the training to learn more about running and see if there were any good tips and techniques I could bring to my Soldiers," said Kauffman, a Harrisonville, Missouri native. "It was a great experience. Robyn was very enthusiastic and had many good exercises and tips."
Humphrey's 'relentless passion for healthy living' and sharing it with it others, whether through running, yoga, or golf, bring her happiness and inspiration.
"I am blessed to do all that I do, pain free and after years and years of doing it. I want to share and I hope that others can experience the same joy. It is actually my students that motivate me to be and do more," she said.
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