the impact of yoga on running

I got a 5 mile run in and it felt really good.  I think yoga really helps my body with running!  This will be my second time running a half marathon - the first time was in June 2008.  I ran the first 6 miles with no problems, but then I started having really bad knee pain after that.  I had to do a combination of jogging/walking to finish the rest of the event.  I was SO disappointed!  Even though I finished, I felt so defeated that I wasn't able to do better...it felt like it didn't even really count.  After that, anytime I ran more than 3 miles I would start to have knee pain again. 

It was really frustrating because I'm way to young to be having knee pain!  I went to a physical therapist who helped a little bit, and then I started going to a chiropractor who helped a bit more...but I really think yoga is working wonders for me.  The increase in flexibility and lengthening of muscles really seems to make my body feel better.  I'm going to do a longer run tomorrow, so we'll see...hopefully I won't be eating my words.

Speaking of words...I'm reading a book called "What to say when you talk to yourself."  The title makes it sound a little self help-ish, but I actually like the way the book is written.  It's all about changing the internal dialogue in your head to be more positive.  Even though I consider myself to be a positive person in general, I can be pretty hard on myself in my own head.  This morning I read this:  "It makes no difference what you have thought or what you have done in the past.  From this day on, you can, if you choose, change a little to gain a lot."

I've been stuck thinking a lot about what happened the last time I ran a half marathon and it's been scaring me thinking "what if that happens again?"  It's been limiting my training because I'm afraid to run more than 6 miles because I'm worried that I will have knee pain again, and I won't be able to complete my goal.  However that was two years ago - it has nothing to do with what is happening right now.  I need to get over those thoughts and focus on what my body is capable of today, not in the past.