Get a Runner's High

Runner's high occurs when your brain releases a combination of natural endorphins and other chemicals after you've pushed your body long and hard enough. However, if and when this occurs depends greatly on the runner, their level of fitness, and the amount of physical stress they are experiencing. Unfortunately, this means there is no guaranteed way of achieving it. But there are general concepts that you can practice to improve your chances. The two key points is to build endurance so you can run long distances and tax your body for a sufficiently long time, and then to vary your workouts so your body is constantly challenged in new, unfamiliar ways.

Steps

Adopting the Right Mindset

1. Push yourself. Runner's high is your body's response to prolonged stress, so challenge it! Don't slack off or quit when you feel tired. Of course, "pushing yourself" may mean different things to different people, so interpret this according to your own level of fitness and experience. This could mean anything from:
   • Completing a 20-minute run.
   • Running 90 minutes straight.
   • Increasing your pace from a 10-minute mile to a 9:30 mile.
   • Adding reps to interval training.
   • Matching your last interval's time with your first's.
2. Avoid routine. As your running improves over time, expect your body to adapt to challenges already met. Since this lowers the chance of runner's high, keep switching things up from day to day. Even if you only have, say, 40 minutes to devote to running each day, find new ways to make each run different from the last. For example:
   • Alternate between easy runs and hard runs.
   • Run different routes with different terrain.
   • Switch between distance runs and high-intensity workouts.
   • Challenge yourself by running faster paces.
3. Fuel up. Keep your body energized with the right foods. Avoid tiring yourself out due to a lack of fuel before your body even has a chance to push itself for very long. Boost your energy levels with roughly 200 calories before working out. Depending on climate, drink between 8 and 16 ounces of water roughly 20 minutes after eating to hydrate yourself without impeding digestion.
   • Give yourself at least 45 minutes to digest in between eating and running to avoid cramps.
4. Run smart. Keep in mind that getting runner's high is like catching lightning in a bottle. A lot of factors have to fall into place for it to happen, which are hard to predict or replicate, so don't make runner's high your main objective. Instead, focus on meeting performance goals. Increase your chance of feeling the high by constantly raising the bar for yourself.
   • Pushing yourself too hard can lead to early fatigue and injury, so set realistic goals for yourself. Wiping yourself out too soon or hurting yourself will prevent you from running hard enough to achieve runner's high.
   • Runner's high occurs at different times for different people. Don't think you're doing something wrong just because a running partner experiences it and you don't when you run the same workout.
   • What works one day may not work the next, or ever again for that matter. Keep your runs varied in nature, rather than doing the same thing day after day in an attempt to repeat a high.

Pushing Your Body through Base Training

1. Be patient. If you're new to running, expect to achieve runner's high during basic distance runs far more frequently than more experienced runners will. However, don't expect it to happen right away. Concentrate on building your endurance through base training at first. This way you will be able to run for longer distances at more challenging paces, when runner's high is more likely to happen.
   • Pushing yourself too hard too soon can result in injury or tiring yourself out too quickly for runner's high to occur.
   • "Base training" simply refers to running at a consistent pace for longer and longer periods.
2. Start gradually. First, consult a doctor beforehand if you're new to this. Discuss any concerns they may have regarding your personal condition. Once they sign off on the idea, ease into it by setting achievable goals. If needed, alternate between running and walking at first, rather than push yourself beyond your means and risk injury. Allow your body to adapt and develop. Then, once you meet your goals, set new ones, one baby step at a time, week by week. For instance:
   • Start by running for one minute and walking for four, for a total of 30 minutes. When you feel ready, increase the running to two minutes and decrease the walking to three. Continue in this fashion until you can comfortably for 30 minutes straight.
   • Runner's high could occur as early as ten minutes into a consistent run for some people. For others, it may take much longer. Either way, set new goals each week. Just because runner's high might have occurred at the 15-minute mark one day last week doesn't mean that will happen again this week.
3. Run slowly at first. Worry less about speed in the beginning of your training. Focus more on running a consistent pace from start to finish. Stick to a pace that allows you to talk comfortably. If you are unable to communicate simple sentences without gasping for air, slow down a little. Repeat as needed.
   • Run with others so you can test your ability to talk.
   • Taking it easy as a beginner is essential to avoiding injury.
4. Train regularly. Aim to run most days of the week. Maintain a consistent schedule, with at least one day off per week for rest. If needed, adjust your goals to ensure that you don’t overtax yourself and end up sidelined. Prioritize the number of workouts per week over the mileage. For example:
   • If your current goal is to run 20 miles each week, divide them between four 5-mile runs or five 4-mile runs, rather than two 10-mile ones.
   • If your goal is based on time (say, 120 minutes) do the same. Run four 30-minute runs or five 24-minute runs instead of two hour-long runs.
   • Your body needs to feel stressed for runner's high to occur, so too much rest in between runs will decrease its chances.
5. Alternate between easy runs and hard runs. Once you grow accustomed to running comfortably without stopping for a half-hour, designate such runs as your easy days. Adjust your weekly schedule to accommodate an easy run one day, a hard run the next, an easy one the day after, and so on. Allow your body to recuperate in between hard runs without sacrificing a day of running.
   • Gradually increase your goals on hard days to encourage runner's high. Say your easy run is four miles. On your hard days, run five. Or run four at a faster pace.
   • Continue adding more time or mileage to your hard days with each passing week, with the aim of being able to run anywhere between 90 and 150 minutes straight.
   • Runner's high could occur before this goal. However, as your body adapts to running for longer distances, it becomes less likely as your body adapts. To continue experiencing runner's high on basic distance runs, keep increasing the mileage and/or pace on hard days.

Challenging Your Body with Variety

1. Do more than just jog. Once you are running comfortably for prolonged periods, continue using at least one hard run per week to increase your mileage and endurance. At the same time, start designating at least one other hard day to challenge your body in new ways each week. Encourage runner's high by taxing your body with less familiar forms of stress.
   • Runner’s high usually occurs when the body experiences prolonged stress. The more endurance you build, the less likely this will happen from basic distance runs, because your body's used to it
   • Seguing from base training to a variety of high-intensity workouts will keep your body from falling into a steady low-challenge routine.
   • Focus on endurance training for at least one month before incorporating high-intensity workouts into your schedule.
2. Run "fartleks." These involve alternating between jogging and running at a much faster pace within one run. Start small by alternating between sprinting and jogging every two minutes. From there, try different combinations. Remember: the key to runner's high is placing new stresses on your body, so running different fartleks each time is a great way to increase your chances. For example:
   • On your next fartlek, you can increase both the jogging and sprinting intervals by equal amounts throughout one run. Jog for two minutes, sprint for two minutes, then jog for three and sprint three, followed by four jogging, then four sprinting, and so on.
   • The next time, you can increase the sprinting interval and keep the jogging the same. Jog for two minutes, sprint for two. Jog for another two, then sprint for three. Jog for two, sprint for four, and etc.
   • Then you can push your body further by running a faster pace for your "jogging" interval on your next fartlek.
3. Do intervals on the track. Similar to fartleks, challenge yourself by running a consistent faster-than-normal pace for a set distance, followed by walking or jogging for another set distance, and then repeating. As always, to achieve runner's high, avoid routine and doing the exact same thing each week. Keep challenging your body with the unfamiliar by trying various combinations of:
   • Short distances (400m, 300m, 200m, 100m)
   • Long distances (3200m, 1600m, 800m)
   • Same distances (such as ten reps of one 400m per rep)
   • Varied distances (like four reps with each rep including a 400m, a 300m, and a 200m, with a 100m walk or jog between each one)
4. Run hills. Seek out hilly terrain when running fartleks to make them even more challenging. Or run repeats up the same hill. If possible, seek out two hills of different steepness for more variety.
   • Run sets of one- to- two minute repeats up very steep hills (rising at 45-degree angle or higher).
   • Do sets of two- to four-minute repeats up gradual hills (rising at roughly 25-degree angles).
   • If possible, use different hills each time. Different types of terrain (sandy, grassy, rocky) provide unique challenges.

Improving Your Chances

1. Keep your easy days easy. As you improve, resist the urge to up your performance on your easy days. Better your odds at achieving runner's high on your next hard day (whether it’s a race or a workout) by making sure your body has recuperated from the last one. Remember to run at a pace that is slow enough for you to chat with a partner at the same time.
   • Tiring yourself out by running hard on your easy day will set you back on your next hard day. Starting a hard run when you’re already exhausted will reduce the chance of pushing yourself hard enough for your brain to release the necessary chemicals.
   • At the same time, you're just as likely to experience runner's high on an easy day if your body still feels wiped out from yesterday's hard run.
2. Cut back on mileage. Once you successfully run 90 to 150 minutes a few times, start setting lower goals for your long-distance hard runs. Devote more time to high-intensity workouts, rather than accumulating more mileage per week. At the same time, reduce the chance of injury that may occur from so much repeated high-impact on your feet, legs, and hips.
   • Don't worry about losing endurance. High-intensity workouts will still help build endurance despite the lower mileage.
   • At the same time, limiting the number of long-distance runs you go on will improve the odds of you experiencing runner's high the next time you go for one.
3. Treat your body right. Don’t expect runner's high to mask every single discomfort that you might feel. Take care of yourself so you can enjoy it more fully when it does occur. Always be sure to:
   • Warm up for 15 to 20 minutes by jogging lightly or walking fast before your run, race, or workout.
   • Eat properly and stay hydrated, with enough time to digest food beforehand in order to avoid cramps.
   • Wear appropriate clothing and shoes, both for running in general and the weather.
4. Don't hurt yourself seeking that high. Remember: there is no guaranteed way to achieve runner's high. Resist the urge to push yourself harder than your body can handle when chasing it. Avoid over-straining or injuring yourself, since these will only hinder your chances.

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Sources and Citations

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