New York Times science reporter Gina Kolata has a story today about how running actually produces a “high” in athletes. You can read it here at this shortened URL:
HesFit.com, our men’s health and fitness partner site, recently reported that runner’s high was largely caused by the presence and production of endorphins in the human body. Interestingly enough, it turns out this issue isn’t as cut and dry as it may seem. Recent research questions the role of endorphins in the onset of runner’s high and turns instead to other factors to explain this state of temporary euphoria.
Endorphins are hormones, recognized for their morphine-like qualities, that are produced in your body during exercise. As Dr. Owen Anderson in Runner’s World magazine was quoted as saying, it is “[s]tress, either emotional or physical [that] triggers the release of endorphins into the bloodstream.” Intense physical activity, an undeniable cause of stress on the body, is widely recognized as the main trigger in this release of hormones. Consequently, many scientists have come to believe that there is a significant link between the release of endorphins and the elevated moods athletes are in after long, hard workouts.
Read the rest of Lisa’s analysis at our partner site: HesFit.com
Ever feel unusually cheerful after hitting the gym or increasingly confident after finishing up laps at the track? You’re not alone. This state of happiness after exercise is known as “runner’s high,” and has been a point of interest for researchers and athletes for years.The question is, what exactly causes runner’s high? Turns out, it’s all about endorphins.
Quite simply, endorphins are hormones that your body manufactures during exercise that are found mainly in the pituitary gland and nervous system. The interesting thing about endorphins is that they are renowned for having morphine-like qualities. In other words, they act like naturally-produced painkillers and sedatives. And, as exercise is a form of stress on the body, by participating in physical activity you are helping to release surges of endorphins.
To read the rest of this entry, please visit our partner site: HesFit.com
We are all familiar with the notion of a runner’s high. The calm, euphoric feeling that sets in after a long run has converted many athletes to loyal distance runners. While many runners acknowledge the rejuvenating effects of this high, in the Tendai sect of Buddhism high-mileage running assumes a religious significance.
As a Tendai monk, Genshin Fujinami elected to embark upon the sect’s most trying ritual, a trial that spans thousands of miles of hallowed ground. Fulfillment of the ritual warrants the title of dai-ajari. Literally meaning living saint, this title is one of the Tendai order’s highest honors and therefore, requires displays of intense dedication and spiritual enlightenment.
Among Fujinami’s few possessions, a rope and sword served as an ominous reminder of the consequences of failure. If unable to accomplish the ritual, death — without title — would be Fujinami’s self-inflicted fate.
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People often look at serious runners with awe and admiration, wondering why they would choose to do such a thing and how a person could get up at five in the morning and go for a run in the freezing cold before the start of a stressful day.
For most runners the answer is simple: they need it, they love it and they just don’t feel “right” if they don’t go for their run. In a lot of ways, running is actually psychologically and physically addictive. The body produces natural endorphins during exercise; the so called “runner’s high” and many people just can’t get enough! Author Pam Hilts explains that these endorphins:
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Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise and participation in the sport is growing exponentially.
A large part of running’s appeal is that it is easy to get into; requiring only minimal equipment and can be done almost anywhere. For the most part, people run (usually in an effort to stay in shape and/or relieve stress) without giving the activity enough consideration.
Getting started: Things to consider
Beginners and/or runners who are coming back from a long layoff, often do not fully appreciate the possible consequences of the sport. On the other hand, there are also a whole slew of overlooked benefits of running that go beyond just staying in shape or relieving stress. Read the rest of this entry »
A note from the TFS: We are pleased to welcome Jim Fortner as a guest contributor to The Final Sprint. Jim is an extremely knowledgeable runner and talented writer. Make sure to also check out “Jim2’s Running Page”, his own personal running and advice site.
Below you will find his latest post about runner’s high. Enjoy.
The runners high is real. It isn’t a myth. I’ve been there……briefly. I think it’s very elusive for most of us, although it seems to be easier for women to find.
There were several discussions about the Runner’s High on the Forums a few years ago, mostly by women. As a result of those discussions, I gained some different perspectives on the subject from listening to the experiences of some female runners, who have a much better grasp than I of the philosophical and psychological aspects of running. I used to think that the “Runner’s High” was simply a state that you either experienced physiologically or not. I’ve now come to the conclusion that, much like depression or the emotions of joy and sadness, the feeling or intensity of a Runner’s High is not the same for all people….and not always the same for any one person. I’ve come to think of it as having an emotional component, as well as a physiological basis.
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