I thought I had found it!!

As you guys know I started running - BADLY - on a treadmill in November 2010.  I hated it then.  Of course I hated any and all forms of exercise.  In fact, the only exercise that I can ever remember enjoying is actually racquetball.  I am naturally good at that for some reason and I like the competition part of it.

Anyway, I finally tried running outside in May of 2011.  I found a place near where I work that was relatively quiet and ran a section that was 1/4 mile long.  When I was able to run a mile straight it obviously involved me running up and down and up and down.

I did that for a while, because I was so certain I looked so terrible and didn't want many people to see me.  Eventually I got brave and began running around the City.  I worked my way up and began to do a three mile loop in an hour.  Eventually I could do that loop without walking any of it.

Since that time I have obviously increased mileage and have become a "runner".  My longest distance was a week ago when I ran 17 miles straight.  I have run multiple races and have even come in first in a couple.  The feeling after finishing a race is glorious.  The mixture of pride and accomplishment!

I've had runs where I couldn't wait to get out the door.  But more often then not I have to push myself to get started.  I've had spectacular runs where I felt light and free.  I've had terrible runs where everything hurt.  I've had runs where several miles have flashed by and several runs where I thought I had run 5 miles and I was actually only on mile 2.

What I have NEVER experienced is....... THE RUNNER'S HIGH.  Nope.  I have a friend who used to run in high school and she has experienced the runner's high.  I asked her what it feels like.  She said that it felt like she was airborne and that she could just run forever.   There are lots of websites out there describing the runner's high and attempting to explain what happens neurologically when someone gets that high.  And then you can read runner's descriptions of what it feels like.

But me?  I've never had anything close to what is described by people as a high.

Yesterday I was NOT feeling like doing a run.  Sunday is usually the day that I do a long run.  And I DID NOT want to run.  I wanted to stay in bed.  Finally I convinced myself to get out there.  It was a gorgeous fall day and pretty soon I'll be driven inside and will totally regret it if I don't take advantage of the weather while it is nice.

So out I went and I could tell right away that this was not going to be one of my best runs.  I made a bargain with myself to run only 13 miles.  Around the end of mile 5 something happened.  The air felt beautiful and crisp.  I was running along and everything felt really good.  I started feeling...something really different...and wondered if maybe I was actually going to get a runner's high!  I made it through mile 6.5 before that feeling just went away.  I can't say that it was what other people described, but there was a "second wind" type feeling that I wished I could hold on to.

I ended up running 15 miles - hoping the feeling would come back, but it didn't.  I wonder if I will ever feel it.

Anyone out there ever get the runner's high?