Chi Running
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 by Jane Di Leo.
Our deputy editor, Sarah Elbert, just got back from running her first half marathon (she killed it, by the way), which was in Montreal this past weekend. Her adventure reminded me of what I love to do most when landing in a new city: run.
I believe there is no better way to discover the ins and outs of a city than by running it. You can discover little shops, patisseries, parks and neighborhoods you otherwise wouldn’t see from a taxi or other mode of transportation. For me, the best part is that it helps me to understand the grid of a city better so that I don’t get lost.
A few years ago, I used this method in Barcelona. As many of you know, this city can be a maze, especially in the Barrio Gotico area of the city. My first morning there, I went for a run through the narrow streets and wound my way down to the port. My discovery for the day: the perfect restaurant to eat in that coming evening.

On my latest trip, I decided to get a bit of studying done about my favorite past time and read Chi Running, which is all about improving form so that you don't get injured. The new edition—there’s also a DVD—which came out this year, includes awesome charts and guides to help you run more smoothly—it even has a guide on running hills!
I took my new-found knowledge on a long run last week, and it worked: better recovery and a much smoother run. I just can’t wait to use it on my next trip: hilly Kansas City, anyone?





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