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What a Runner’s High Actually Feels Like
According to runners
Some exercisers find the notion of running-related zen a bit of athletic lore. However, to those who’ve experienced it, the feeling is undeniable, with descriptors ranging from mind-awakening to joyous.
Like many physical responses, a runner’s high is the result of chill-inducing chemical reactions in the body. It’s usually triggered by at least one hour of steady, moderate-intensity running. Some of the buoyant feelings are attributed to the brain’s release of endorphins in response to physical discomfort. The sensation of highness comes from the increased production of endocannabinoids — our body’s natural version of the feel-good cannabinoids in cannabis. Together, these neurotransmitters contribute to the feeling of reduced pain and anxiety that comes along with runner’s high.
Here, runners of all ages and skill levels reflect on the sensations they feel after a good workout.
Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
It’s an out-of-body experience
The most dramatic runner’s high that I’ve felt was at the Olympics and it was because my mind and my body were on the same page. I’d never been more ready to compete and so fit that I was in a position to almost watch myself running from above.
— Alexi Pappas, 29, Olympian, filmmaker, writer, Los Angeles
It only happens during a race
I run 5Ks and, for me, there is a certain adrenaline aspect you can only get from a short race. It’s almost like a hypnosis that I get into with my breathing. The “breathe in, breathe out” tempo begins my high. Then, it’s fixating on passing certain people. It becomes this zone I get into. During one race, there was someone in front of me and her ponytail was swinging perfectly in motion and she was running a little bit faster than me and it was that pendulum effect. I find those things, and I’m able to let myself feel high from it. When I recreationally run, I don’t get that runner’s high. There’s no one pushing me, there’s no clock.
— Joe Espo, 39, content strategist, New York
