CARING FOR ATHLETES
QUESTION: WHAT IS MEANT BY THE EXPRESSION “RUNNER’S HIGH”?
SPORTS MEDICINE HOTLINE:
To the novice runner, still struggling with making it through those first three miles, the very thought of a “runner’s high” is inconceivable. What is “euphoric” about perspiring, panting and pounding over miles and miles of pavement?
Recent medical studies conducted on the runner’s high phenomenon suggest that the euphoric experience reported by some long-distance runners is chemically based. Blood levels of endorphins, chemical compounds produced primarily by the pituitary gland, may increase during running. A morphine-like effect is produced by high levels of endorphins, which mask pain and induce euphoria.
However, concrete evidence linking endorphins to the “high” does not exist. Sports medicine researchers who have actually blocked the effects of endorphins found that the runner’s high still occurred, suggesting that endorphins are not involved.
Though research as to the runner’s high origin continues, evidence shows there are some characteristics shared by runners who attest to experiencing the “high”:
High Mileage Base – Most runners who report a high say that it usually occurs after several miles. This suggests that a runner must reach a certain threshold for intensity and duration before any chemical response is elicited.
Mental Dissociation – Runners who intentionally divert their thoughts from running’s discomforts, allowing their minds to “day dream”, are more likely to experience the high.
Relaxed Form – Veteran runners who have developed comfortable, rhythmic strides and efficient breathing techniques are better able to relax allowing sufficient time for a high to be reached.