What Does My Runner’s High Feel Like?

I was asked this and I’ve been thinking about the answer.

Before I start running, I ask myself a million times why I even have to do this. Why can’t I just do something more fun? I’m stressed. I get up, get ready, stretch, and head out.

I lift one leg up and regret it instantly. Why? Why am I doing this?

But I push through. And depending on how slowly I’m going, it gets easier.

When I get to around 1km or 2km, that’s usually when the high sets in. I start to think I can do anything. I’m floating. I’m flying. My heart’s racing, and it actually feels good.

When I run past people walking, I get a little high from that too. It’s like my body is saying, “I can do better than these lazy people.” I know it’s not deep, but it’s real.

There was a time I didn’t feel the high until 15km or so. I was just racing through it, feeling like I was on top of the world. So I guess it differs.

So, to the initial question – what does the high feel like? Floating. Flying. Like cold water on a warm day. Like something kicking in and telling me, “You’re in this now. Let’s go.”

I wrote all this earlier, but while running today I realised what my runner’s high really feels like.

It’s when I forget I’m running. That’s it. My heart rate drops, my brain drifts off, and while I’m still running, mentally I’m somewhere else. It could be like I’m on a beach, in a conversation with friends, or just spacing out. My body keeps moving, but my mind isn’t involved in the struggle anymore.

And that, honestly, is the best part.