recreational (read: non-competitive) runner, my passion for it was strictly hardcore. I ascribed to a running ethic that was straight out of the US Postal Service's mantra; "Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor gloom on night".well, you get the picture? Like many runners, my thoughts of stretching ranged from non-existent to lame. Pretty pathetic! No wonder I had more than my share of injuries in those years, mainly in the hamstrings and hips. My running buddies and I would flock to whichever "miracle worker" promised the proverbial silver bullet. If you've been running any length of time you already know them — the chiropractor, the massage therapist, the acupuncturist, shall I go on? Tightness and pain — yes, all the time, but don't tell me to stop running. Are things starting to sound familiar?

Fast Forward: For a few years, Yoga was secondary to my running and I was amazed at how quickly I started to feel changes in my body. During the time I combined Yoga and running, I felt I became stronger and less prone to injury. I was intrigued. In 1999 I went to a Yoga retreat in Hawaii and was exposed to fairly vigorous Yoga every day over a two-week period. That did it! I started to feel like I was in someone else's body. Generally, I felt lighter on my feet, my posture was improving and my breathing seemed deeper. It was the turning point for me and I decided to trade in my running shoes for a Yoga mat.