In Search Of Runner's High

What Is Runner's High?

I found runner's low at the 18th mile of the Rochester Marathon, but I'm still searching for runner's high. What is runner's high?

Ultra runner Yiannis Kouros describes it this way, "It is as if I see my body in front of me; my mind commands and my body follows. This is a very special feeling, which I like very much . . . It is a very beautiful feeling and the only time I experience my personality separate from my body, as two different things."

How To Reach Runner's High

(gleamed from intensive research on the Internet while drinking beer(s);

1. Start out slow. Let your speed find you. When your energy starts to kick in, turn it into a hard run and that is where you will find your high. (condensed from article at http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Runners-High.)

2. Or, do your running math: Endorphins + pituitary glands + hypothalamus in vertebrae multiplied by strenuous exercise = excitement, pain and ultimately, orgasm. An extreme feeling of well being. Hmmm.

3. Long runs are the most commonly reported way to bring on runner's high. Go that extra mile or ten and get happy.

May Goal

I propose making May "Runner's High" month. We'll all run long and hard. At the end of the month we'll compare notes.

You can share your Runner's High experiences in the comments section below. See you in Euphoria.