Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High • Hacker News Board

Re: Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High

#41

Post by js2 » Fri, Oct 09, 2015, 5:32 PM UTC

roymurdock wrote: post #24

js2 wrote: post #20

One possible if slightly disheartening lesson of the study could be, in fact, that we may need to cover considerable mileage in order to experience a runner’s high; the mice in the study, small as they are, averaged more than three miles every day on their wheels. I'm on track for 3000 miles this year. I ran over 2000 miles last year. My shortest run in the last few months is 4 miles, and that's on days when I double…

Strange...I do 6-8 mile runs 3 times a week, so I'm by no means a high-mileage runner. I find that I get a high around on around 1/4 of my runs, usually around the 4-5 mile mark. It starts out with a cool rush of euphoria felt in the head and behind the eyes, which quickly spreads to the extremities and blankets any perpetual pain/discomfort, replacing it with a weightlessness, like every tendon and muscle in your bo…

I have never experienced anything like this from exercise. Neither from the pain of a 5K, nor the discomfort of a marathon, nor the intensity of a crossfit workout. I'm a little jealous!

Re: Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High

#42

Post by ctchocula » Fri, Oct 09, 2015, 6:10 PM UTC

shiplet wrote: post #33

js2 wrote: post #20

One possible if slightly disheartening lesson of the study could be, in fact, that we may need to cover considerable mileage in order to experience a runner’s high; the mice in the study, small as they are, averaged more than three miles every day on their wheels. I'm on track for 3000 miles this year. I ran over 2000 miles last year. My shortest run in the last few months is 4 miles, and that's on days when I double…

In the 10+ years I've been running, I'd guess I've felt a "high" maybe 3 times? The first one was actually my first year running - a brisk 5-miler in the early Fall in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Another during the second 800 of my first fairly competitive mile (dropped 12 seconds off my PR). And the third during a late Fall run in Lexington, VA (another 5-miler). In each instance I felt this impenetrable happiness,…

I'm a beginning runner, so what you said piques my curiosity, because a question that's been on my mind is whether a slow runner can ever get fast. I remember seeing Malcolm Gladwell (he happens also to be an amateur runner who can do a 4:54 mile) quoting someone saying "I’ve never seen a boy who was slow become fast", then express his agreement sprinting is indeed an exception to the 10,000-hour rule. [1] (To be clear, he is talking about, sprinting, but I think he would agree the logic extends to running.) You mentioned your 5K went from 22:09 to 17:21 your first year running. Were you simply a good runner to begin with? My personal experience is that I'm also in my first year of running, and my 5K PR is 26:50, so I'm wondering whether I can ever get it down to 22:09.

[1] http://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/complexity-and-...

Re: Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High

#43

Post by ak217 » Fri, Oct 09, 2015, 6:41 PM UTC

hsitz wrote: post #31

js2 wrote: post #20

One possible if slightly disheartening lesson of the study could be, in fact, that we may need to cover considerable mileage in order to experience a runner’s high; the mice in the study, small as they are, averaged more than three miles every day on their wheels. I'm on track for 3000 miles this year. I ran over 2000 miles last year. My shortest run in the last few months is 4 miles, and that's on days when I double…

+1. I could have written that exactly. I'm on track for 3,000 miles this year, ran 2,200+ last year. Have been doing 80+ miles/week recently with upcoming marathon. Ran a 50 mile ultra back in July. I've never had any "runner's high". It's not something that any of my running friends ever talk about; it's something non-runners talk about. Closest I get is also "feeling in a groove", which for me is mostly a feeling o…

Just to add some anecdata as a pile, I run about 1200 miles a year (half pavement, one third trail, the rest track). I regularly get a sort of runner's high after covering 5+ miles at a hard (7 min) pace, or 10+ miles at a moderate (8-9 min) pace. The intensity varies, but it usually sets in after this considerable distance and lasts for 2-4 hours afterwards.

Re: Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High

#44

Post by hinkley » Fri, Oct 09, 2015, 6:46 PM UTC

js2 wrote: post #20

One possible if slightly disheartening lesson of the study could be, in fact, that we may need to cover considerable mileage in order to experience a runner’s high; the mice in the study, small as they are, averaged more than three miles every day on their wheels. I'm on track for 3000 miles this year. I ran over 2000 miles last year. My shortest run in the last few months is 4 miles, and that's on days when I double…

I used to be a long distance bicyclist. I got my time in but nowhere near as much as you, but nobody there really experienced the high either.

What I actually experienced felt more like what we now call Flow, which is a pretty good experience by itself. Programmers seek it out almost habitually, like an addiction. I've also experienced the same thing once doing restorative Yoga (the teacher was experimenting at the end of a quarter, but I moved across town after), and maybe while doing meditation but it felt different.

I'm really curious if this is the high people mean, and those who rave about it just have a really hard time entering a flow state. If that's so then I pity them.

Thanksgiving before last this really gelled for me. I had potatoes cooling on the stove and the dog was begging for a walk so I went out with him at like 10:15 am. Runners. Everywhere runners. Then it hit me like a brick. They were all out meditating, trying to mentally prepare for the onslaught of relatives and poorly behaved nieces and nephews that were about to descend on them.

Re: Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High

#45

Post by irl_zebra » Fri, Oct 09, 2015, 6:56 PM UTC

js2 wrote: post #20

One possible if slightly disheartening lesson of the study could be, in fact, that we may need to cover considerable mileage in order to experience a runner’s high; the mice in the study, small as they are, averaged more than three miles every day on their wheels. I'm on track for 3000 miles this year. I ran over 2000 miles last year. My shortest run in the last few months is 4 miles, and that's on days when I double…

I have to generally echo this sentiment. I'm at about 1,900 miles for the year and will end up with about 2,500 by New Year's (50 miles per week avg for the year). Most of the time my runs are enjoyable, except maybe the day after a hard workout. Sometimes I'll hit a stride and end up going much faster than intended and the miles click by and I'm amazed at my pace and what I've done by the end.

The closest I come to "runners high" is usually on those days where it's been a bit hot for long periods and then a cool front blows in. I'm practically giddy for the whole run and feel amazing. And I run races from 5k to 100 miles. I really, really enjoy racing, but I think it's the competitive aspect of it and not from some runners high.

Re: Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High

#46

Post by js2 » Fri, Oct 09, 2015, 7:22 PM UTC

ctchocula wrote: post #42

shiplet wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the 10+ years I've been running, I'd guess I've felt a "high" maybe 3 times? The first one was actually my first year running - a brisk 5-miler in the early Fall in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Another during the second 800 of my first fairly competitive mile (dropped 12 seconds off my PR). And the third during a late Fall run in Lexington, VA (another 5-miler). In each instance I felt this impenetrable happiness,…

I'm a beginning runner, so what you said piques my curiosity, because a question that's been on my mind is whether a slow runner can ever get fast. I remember seeing Malcolm Gladwell (he happens also to be an amateur runner who can do a 4:54 mile) quoting someone saying "I’ve never seen a boy who was slow become fast", then express his agreement sprinting is indeed an exception to the 10,000-hour rule. [1] (To be cle…

Yes, training will make you faster. My first marathon was a 4:22. I've since run a 3:12. I'm training for a 3:05 this fall, and hoping to run sub-3 next year. I'm 43. But we all have our limits. Generally, more running makes you faster... but it also increases the likelihood of injury. Some people can run insane amounts w/o getting injured [1]. Some people have natural ability to run fast w/hardly any training [2]. But even for them, training makes them faster.

The trick is to train enough (enough miles and the right kinds) to meet your goals. And figure out how to do so w/o getting injured. (Hint: go see a PT, have them evaluate you for imbalances and weaknesses. Do the exercises they prescribe. Then build your mileage, slowly and methodically. And you'll get there. Running well takes years for most people. Don't rush it.)

[1] http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/Rodgers/TrainingLogs/br75tr...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Way

Re: Homing in on the Source of Runner’s High

#47

Post by roymurdock » Fri, Oct 09, 2015, 8:50 PM UTC

js2 wrote: post #41

roymurdock wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strange...I do 6-8 mile runs 3 times a week, so I'm by no means a high-mileage runner. I find that I get a high around on around 1/4 of my runs, usually around the 4-5 mile mark. It starts out with a cool rush of euphoria felt in the head and behind the eyes, which quickly spreads to the extremities and blankets any perpetual pain/discomfort, replacing it with a weightlessness, like every tendon and muscle in your bo…

I have never experienced anything like this from exercise. Neither from the pain of a 5K, nor the discomfort of a marathon, nor the intensity of a crossfit workout. I'm a little jealous!

Yeah it's a pretty amazing feeling. Makes you feel glad to be alive, like you can conquer the world. Although, to be honest, I wouldn't mind trading the occasional high for the ability to run 3000 miles in a year - that's some serious stamina.

I've seen others commenting that they think runner's high is akin to a state of flow - it's not. I flow occasionally when I play tennis and write, and it's a completely different feeling - one of non-feeling, simply being and doing which allows me to lose my ego for a short while. I'm acutely aware of myself, my body, and my senses when I feel the runner's high.