Runner's High
"A friend of mine runs marathons. He always talks about this "runner's high." But he has to go twenty-six miles for it. That's why I smoke and drink. I get the same feeling from a flight of stairs." LARRY MILLER
This is a funny quote that a friend sent to us. Training for the marathon has caused us to make sacrifices, and partying is definitely something we have had to cut back on. But it's true, we do get a natural runner's high after our runs. Sarah touches on the idea briefly in her last entry below. "Runner's high" is a term used for the state which is experienced by many runners during or after a prolonged run. Runner's compare it to the way getting high on drugs might feel. I've heard it described as wonderful, addicting, feeling invincible or euphoric.
I'm not exactly sure what to think of my "runner's high" yet. After our shorter runs, of course I feel content and a feeling of accomplishment and overall happy with myself, but after my long runs I have a rollercoaster of feelings. At first, I'm relieved to be finished, then I'm exhausted. Then about 30 minutes later it kicks in...I'm giggly, my mind is racing, my heart is pounding, my confidence is high, I'm singing at the top of my lungs to whatever song is on the radio....I CAN CONQUER THE WORLD! And then it ends, abruptly, as quickly as it rushed in, I crash hard. I'm lethargic, crabby, nautious, my head hurts, the pain in my muscles and joints begins to catch up with me, and I'm oh so thirsty - I can't even think straight - I try to find my way to a bed, a chair, a couch, heck I can lay on the floor.
So that's what people are raving about? Well, I'm not addicted to it by any means. And as mother nature would have it, it's actually the effect of your body pumping out endorphins in order to compensate for or alleviate the pain that your body is under when you push it to its limit. So hopefully my body will build up its supply of endorphins so that it can keep me 'high' long enough to never feel the pain. Maybe then I'll be able to truly enjoy a glorious Runner's High.
This is a funny quote that a friend sent to us. Training for the marathon has caused us to make sacrifices, and partying is definitely something we have had to cut back on. But it's true, we do get a natural runner's high after our runs. Sarah touches on the idea briefly in her last entry below. "Runner's high" is a term used for the state which is experienced by many runners during or after a prolonged run. Runner's compare it to the way getting high on drugs might feel. I've heard it described as wonderful, addicting, feeling invincible or euphoric.
I'm not exactly sure what to think of my "runner's high" yet. After our shorter runs, of course I feel content and a feeling of accomplishment and overall happy with myself, but after my long runs I have a rollercoaster of feelings. At first, I'm relieved to be finished, then I'm exhausted. Then about 30 minutes later it kicks in...I'm giggly, my mind is racing, my heart is pounding, my confidence is high, I'm singing at the top of my lungs to whatever song is on the radio....I CAN CONQUER THE WORLD! And then it ends, abruptly, as quickly as it rushed in, I crash hard. I'm lethargic, crabby, nautious, my head hurts, the pain in my muscles and joints begins to catch up with me, and I'm oh so thirsty - I can't even think straight - I try to find my way to a bed, a chair, a couch, heck I can lay on the floor.
So that's what people are raving about? Well, I'm not addicted to it by any means. And as mother nature would have it, it's actually the effect of your body pumping out endorphins in order to compensate for or alleviate the pain that your body is under when you push it to its limit. So hopefully my body will build up its supply of endorphins so that it can keep me 'high' long enough to never feel the pain. Maybe then I'll be able to truly enjoy a glorious Runner's High.
posted by Holly at 5:29 PM
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