Shanghai Running Magazine Volume 3 | Page 23

Chasing the “High”
By Lisa M. Mulvey

feel the exhaustion, the strain, and
the psychological distress. You are
free.

Chemicals in the brain, such as
endorphins, are released during
periods of high intensity exercise. The release corresponds
with the time when muscles
are exhausted of stored energy.
As endorphins and other “feelgood” hormones flood in, pain is
suppressed causing a euphoric
feeling.

The ever-elusive runner’s “high”.
Utter euphoria with a devilish twist –
unpredictability. Science has proven
its existence, but like the Giant Squid,
it remains enigmatic.

Endorphins, yes please. Suddenly, out of nowhere it hits. A shot
of adrenaline suddenly exploding
throughout your fatigued body, you
feel a slight out-of-body experience.
Surreally, your legs and feet feel light
as a feather but incredulously maintaining a constant speed. Your heart
floods with bliss as you savor the next
few minutes of the bizarre effortless
run. You are flying. No longer do you

Enigmatic timing. Then, in crushing disappointment, it dissipates. You
feel the crash in every atom of your
body. The jarring pound of each step
on the earth returns, leg muscles
begin to groan and the mind returns
to bickering with various parts of
your body.

20 minutes, 20 miles, or for
some, 20 years. The elusive
“high”, is just that – elusive. A set
pattern of happenstance has yet
to be scientifically established.

© Shanghai Running 2014

Blissful, but fleeting moments.
Your heart remains filled with glee,
appreciative of the chance to have
touched that “high”. Exultingly, it
works harder as a result. The thrill of
the chase resumes.

The concentration of “feel-good”
hormones released during the
“high” is based on individual
brain chemistry. For most runners, a “high” lasts about 15 minutes or a few miles. For some, after completely exhausting stored
energy in the legs, a “high” can
be prolonged until high-intensity
exercise stops and possibly, for
several minutes afterwards.

Euphoria awaits. Since science has
proven that it’s only a matter of time,
let the chase begin,..

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