Running into Yoga

Ten years ago I started my yoga journey to "help" with the one thing in my life I had been doing for decades, running. Initially I was discouraged by my first yoga teacher who told me that running was "counterproductive" to a good yoga practice.

However, as I continued with my yoga practice, I realized the entire world is my "mat" and everything else in life, including running, is my practice. Then my running changed from a mindless, compartmentalized, mileage-driven activity to a dynamic, holistic, life-enhancing practice.

The more I learned about the practice of yoga from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the more I understood the connection between yoga and running. The Sutras refer to Eight Limbs of Yoga, each of which offers guidance on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. Each of the Eight Limbs of Yoga has a productive connection to running.

Limb …	Connection to Running
Yamas	·       Be kind to yourself -do not ignore pain or over train (which leads to injury). ·       Be honest with yourself – set realistic goals. ·       No cheating! (don’t cut courses, don’t use a bib mule, etc.) ·       Moderate your effort – are you using the right amount of energy for your goals?  Avoid “junk miles.” ·       Run events for charity.
Niyamas	·       Clean living – organize your running gear the night before; practice personal hygiene; choose foods, training partners, and friends that positively support your pursuit of goals. ·       Find contentment in your ability to run at all – stay centered even when things don’t go your way. Take time to reflect on your favorite running moments versus “failures.” ·       Discipline and enthusiasm - Keep moving even when the urge to stop is almost overwhelming. ·       Know yourself and your abilities – use your energy where you can create change, instead of wasting it on things you can’t. Don’t increase your miles the week before a race – you are at the best you are going to be physically.  Instead focus on calming your thoughts so that you are mentally prepared. ·       Surrender when you can’t change things beyond your control. If you know you ran the best you could, be satisfied and congratulate yourself.
Asana	·       Adjust your yoga practice to align with the training cycle. ·       Just like in a yoga practice, run with a focus on the connection between your body, breath, and mind – calm and steady.
Pranayma	·       Observe your breath at various paces during runs.  Is there enough oxygen for your effort?
Pratyahara	·       Pay attention to what is happening inside of you.  Don’t listen to electronics - no earbuds! ·       Notice what information is coming in through your senses.  Then soften your awareness just enough to maintain safety.  Tune out external noises, listen to your footfall – your breath. ·       Tune into the sensation of intensity – comfort with discomfort.
Dharana	·       Focus.  This could be something visual (mile marker, light pole, back of runner in front of you) or a sound (your footfalls, breath, mantra/song)
Listed above are things you do.  Listed below are things that happen to you as a result of practicing the preceding limbs.
Dhyana	·       Flow! Everything clicks, you are stable and at ease. ·       Your perception of time and space shifts, your pace seems effortless. ·       No thinking, just moving.
Samadhi	·       Bliss! ·       Present and at peace in the moment. ·       All barriers fall away.

I have found a productive and direct connection between running and yoga. I'm not merely running - putting one foot in front of the other. Nor am I simply doing yoga poses - creating shapes with my body. As I run, I can practice the Eight Limbs of Yoga -- the core principles that serve as my compass for living a meaningful and purposeful life. For me "running into yoga" has made all aspects of life more joyful and liberating.