Chi Development: The Process Is The Goal

Last year I entered the Marine Corps Marathon. I'd never ran more than 10K in my whole life but I felt the urge to do a marathon just once. Of course I didn't want to just finish I had to get close to my friend Dave's time who did 3:17 in the Loch Ness Marathon. So I started an ambitious training program and as time progressed and I was not getting any faster I started training more. 4 weeks before the race I had to pull out with a stress fracture and slightly torn achilles tendon.

I failed to heed my own counsel. As an agile coach I tell my students that the number one cause for failure is scaling too fast and you need to start with baby steps.

This year I'm entered again but I'm going to take it easier with the training and not care how fast I go in the race.

Looking for a better way to train I was intrigued by Danny Driver's book Chi Running: A Revolutionary Approach To Effortless, Injury Free Running.

I was fascinated reading about the Chi Running Method and Mind-Set.

The optimal conditions for running and the fundamentals of the method:

• Great posture
• Relaxed limbs
• Loose joints
• Engaged core muscles
• A focused mind
• Good breathtaking technique

The benefits:

• Great posture
• Relaxed limbs
• Loose joints
• Engaged core muscles
• A focused mind
• Good breathtaking technique
• More energy!

His point. The process is the goal.

Similarly with agile/lean teams the fundamentals:

• Deliver highest value first
  
• Release early and often
• Shared vision
  
• Empowered collaborative decision making
  
• Engaged customer proxy
  
• Sustainable pace
  

The benefits:

• Deliver highest value first
  
• Release early and often
• Shared vision
  
• Empowered collaborative decision making
  
• Engaged customer proxy
  
• Sustainable pace
• More energy!