Hello runner friends! Today I’m talking about the coveted..
RUNNER’S HIGH!!!!
That feeling of euphoria! You’re invincible! You know no pain or limits! You could run forever!
Oh, how I love a good runner’s high. For me, I know when the runner’s high kicks in because I stop thinking about running. Usually, the first few miles of a run I am thinking about the run. My form, my breathing, establishing a can-do attitude. Then, all of a sudden, the high. I no longer am thinking about running – in fact, I’m not really thinking about anything at all! I’m feeling free, full of energy, my senses heightened.
Scientists first credited the high to being caused by endorphins, but that theory is not fully accepted any longer. I’m not here to talk science, though. I’m here to just talk RUNNING. (It is pretty interesting though. To read what smart sciencey people have to say, check out this article).
The runner’s high is an awesome feeling. But, let’s be honest. It comes…and it goes. And for every runner’s high, I’ve likely felt a runners low. Heavy legs. Tired. Every mile a mental battle.
So what keeps runners running, if that runners high is so mighty, yet so fleeting?
Well, I’m here to argue that even though the high itself only lasts minutes or hours…the after effects transcend the run and play a positive role in our daily lives. So, it’s not as fleeting as you may think. I’ve come to realize that many people who are high on running are also high on life. There’s a correlation for ya.
What do I mean? I’m not tooting my own horn or anyone else’s – but I do believe that there’s more to the runner’s high than a great mid-run boost.
Most runners I know:
- have a positive outlook
- feel confident about their ability to overcome difficult situations
- have a sense of pride and accomplishment in what they do
- are passionate
- have a healthy way of dealing with stress and anxiety
The runner’s high is something that we’re always after and keeps us coming back for more – but think, is it really only found at that pivotal moment during our run? Or, does it propel us forward in leading healthy, happy lives?
Cheers to being high on running and high on life! Legally!
