UPWARD TABLETOP POSEI originally started doing yoga to help my back
and my running. I notice the physical effects
more with my back: I’m stronger and more flexi-
ble now, and I’ve firmed up my core.
But I think yoga has also improved my focus.
At the end of class we meditate for a little bit,
which I think comes into play during the running.
A marathon is a mental game: mind over body.
For the first half of the race, I’m enjoying the
scenery and the crowds who scream my name
for encouragement. (A lot of runners wear shirts
with their names on them.) There’s lots of music
playing in the streets, which pumps me up as well.
By the thirteen-mile mark, it begins to get a bit
tough. I have a bad knee, and the pain comes and
goes. At this point, I start to break down the race
into smaller segments, which eases the daunting
task of getting through another thirteen miles.
The training, too, is grueling. Starting four
months beforehand I run five to six days a week,
including three twenty-mile runs. Sometimes I’m
out for three hours or so, but I get a kick out of
going long distances. There’s a meditative quality
to them as well.
I run alone, without music, and concentrate
on the surroundings, the scenery, the feel of
the air. I focus on my body, think about things
that are going on with life, and find solutions to
problems.
I run because I really love setting goals. The
competition is with myself—to improve my
stamina, strength, and time. With life, with work,
with family, relationships, what’s the point if
you’re not striving to improve?
There is a goal within the yoga, too. It helps
me get where I want to be.