"Runner's High"

[lunabee34]

*waves*

Thanks to rydra_wong for creating this community.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Lorraine (or lunabee34), and I've been moderately to intensely active for most of my lifetime.

I took a hiatus from exercise this spring because being diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases, Hashimoto's (thyroid) and celiac (gluten intolerance), made me really depressed. I am starting back my exercise regime this week, and I'm curious about "runner's high."

I have never experienced a "runner's high." I've experienced satisfaction with getting stronger or glee at biking faster than the person on the bike next to me or a kind of meditative state when exercising but never anything that seems close to what others describe as "runner's high."

So, I'm wondering whether you've experienced "runner's high," what it felt like, and the conditions that induced it. I think what I'm really wondering is if I can find a way to cultivate that experience for myself; it sounds awesome.

Comments

[lunabee34]

I'm starting to see a commonality in some of these comments: the physical activity was pretty intense and lasted for a long time. I'm starting to suspect that I've never pushed myself hard enough for long enough to trigger the high.

[geekturnedvamp]

Yes, that's true in my experience as well--that is, I've never gotten much of a high in less than 45 minutes, and that's after my body got habituated to the exercise and the kind of endorphin release that can accompany it. Before that it took me longer, although I think there's some correlation with the amount and type of effort involved too. (For instance, 45 minutes of Pilates will usually do something for me, but since I dislike most aerobic exercise, if I'm going to do it at all I'm going to be doing it in a leisurely fashion, and that seems to take me longer to get the same effect. I suspect if I did that kind of exercise more frequently, I'd get that effect more quickly there too.) I also think my body is addicted to chasing the release of endorphins in a way that I don't think is true of everyone, but that's a whole separate discussion.

[lunabee34]

I also think my body is addicted to chasing the release of endorphins in a way that I don't think is true of everyone, but that's a whole separate discussion.

I'd like to hear more about that, either here or in a top level post if you feel like sharing.