> There was never any runner's high, just excruciating pain.
That's pretty normal. I run a lot, and runner's high is a very rare thing for me to experience. I think most people confuse it with the sense of accomplishment one often gets after a run.
I've only felt a real high after very hard workouts. Very hard workouts. Workouts where my heart beats hard enough to break capillaries in my lungs, and the aerosolized blood gives a metallic taste.[1] The high feels like a weird mix of THC and opiates, and takes a couple of hours to wear off. During that time, it's definitely not safe for me to drive.
I like to run, but honestly, I think enjoying running is a little masochistic.
This sounds entirely psychosomatic. I've run several marathons and Ironman races and I would occasionally get a runner's high while training, where I felt like I could nearly sprint for long periods of time without fatigue. Definitely no mental effects, let alone anything that would make it "unsafe to drive". But I would mention this "high" to friends who were competitive runners and they all felt there was no such thing as a runner's high. They just had good workouts where they felt like they were fit and improving and bad workouts where they did not.
I doubt it's psychosomatic. I didn't know the effects of opiates or marijuana when I first experienced it. It was only later that I discovered THC caused the same close-eyed visuals and differences in time perception. Likewise for opiates (prescribed after dental surgery). The decreased appetite and body high suddenly made sense.
There's research to back this up as well. In response to exercise, the body produces cannabinoids, opiates, and stimulants.[1]
That's pretty normal. I run a lot, and runner's high is a very rare thing for me to experience. I think most people confuse it with the sense of accomplishment one often gets after a run.
I've only felt a real high after very hard workouts. Very hard workouts. Workouts where my heart beats hard enough to break capillaries in my lungs, and the aerosolized blood gives a metallic taste.[1] The high feels like a weird mix of THC and opiates, and takes a couple of hours to wear off. During that time, it's definitely not safe for me to drive.
I like to run, but honestly, I think enjoying running is a little masochistic.
1. Vulnerability of pulmonary capillaries during severe exercise: http://geoff.greer.fm/files/Vulnerability%20of%20pulmonary%2...