BUDTENDER INSIGHT ►
The Green Movement ,
Athletics and Cannabis by Sean Keast , contributing writer
Grinding awake in the morning can be like cold starting an engine , and as I stagger into my dark kitchen , I ’ m reminded how many miles it already has . I grind up some coffee beans , fumble with the buttons on the brewer , and groan as I stretch out my joints . I ’ ve been relatively athletic most of my life , but shoulder injuries during my service and other small annoyances have built up over time , leading to a lot of popping and cracking . It ’ s made it a chore to keep fit , but at the same time , it has inspired a streak of running in me , and it ’ s a habit that has built into a daily part of my routine . After I down the cup of Joe ( and do a good bit more stretching ), I lace up my running shoes and get ready to get the blood moving .
Fueled up and preparing to run the 5K .
From there , I thought my habits for my morning were a touch weird . You see , while I drink my coffee , I usually consume a choice amount of cannabis , the green gift we all love . It ’ s a fantastic pairing with coffee and an early morning , but I ’ ve learned lately that it also is an otherworldly experience when paired with a solid , hard run . Once you get into a good rhythm and pace , the THC melts away any aches or pains , enhances your focus , and just makes exercising fun as hell . It seems to almost fuel the exercise for me , and I ’ ve enjoyed toking up before a hard workout ever since .
I thought my green philosophy was unique until a conspicuously green book popped out to me at Barnes & Noble . The book was Runner ’ s High by Josiah Hess , and the cannabis leaves hidden in the text hinted that this might be my kind of book . I brought it up to the front desk , got an odd look from the cashier , and was off with my prize . The book picks up quickly , and Josiah Hess wastes no time in introducing the concept : Cannabis has been used by athletes for centuries , and modern scientific evidence supports this as legalization continues .
I was fairly blown away . One of the book ’ s first scenes is Hess ’ interview with Avery Collins , a professional Ultramarathon runner
and arguably the first athlete to openly associate with cannabis . When breaching the subject about the plant , Avery states that “ When I ’ m in training mode , everything is numbers : the vertical gain , the distance , my pace … But if I take an edible or hit my vape pen , all that glides away , and I ’ m like ‘ Just go F-ing run .’” This philosophy resonated with me and my own experience with cannabis . Collins states a bit later that “ It ’ s like a spiritual experience . Everything is perfect , everything is pure bliss . I ’ m in the moment , fully tapped into the trail , my body , and I ’ m loving every second of it .”
The book shoots off from there , and Hess speaks to evolutionary biologists , athletes , WADA ( World Anti-Doping Association ), and more , breaking through the veil that has been imposed on cannabis and athletics for so long . Names like Nick Diaz ( UFC ), Matt Barnes ( NBA ), and Sha ’ Carri Richardson ( an Olympic 100m Runner handed a one-month suspension for cannabis in 2021 ) all lend their voices to the topic . For me , cannabis gives me the energy to get through my day and fuels my workouts . Learning that I ’ m part of a community with a lot more history than previously expected has opened my eyes and made me love the current cannabis movement even more .
My parents , Jeff and Dona , came out to cheer me on .
So for patients looking for a good read , I highly recommend Runner ’ s High , especially for those who like to get toasted and get a good sweat on . Books like these and other publications showing the true positive sides of cannabis are what this movement needs , and every perspective is valuable in the march toward legalization .
Sean Keast is a Navy Veteran Mass Communications Specialist , cannabis educator , and advocate documenting the Missouri cannabis industry in all its forms and general purveyor of tomfoolery . He ’ s currently enrolled at MU , working towards a communications degree . He can be found @ givviehash on social media .